SUPER League Champions, Kelty Hearts, were held in an eight goal thriller, by Bonnyrigg Rose on Saturday while Hill of Beath Hawthorn were going down to a narrow defeat.

There was also a defeat for Dundonald Bluebell, but wins for Lochgelly Albert, Lochore Welfare and Crossgates Primrose.

Bonnyrigg Rose 4, Kelty Hearts 4.

THIS was an old fashioned thriller with defences floundering and goals galore.

Hearts were 4-2 down at one stage, having lost Sean O’Neil to a first-half red card, but they battled back and deserved to take a point from a great advert for the junior game.

After their draw at Hill of Beath last midweek, Hearts started the game well as they chased a much needed three points.

And they grabbed the first goal when a Rose defender slid the ball into his own net under pressure.

However, Bonnyrigg were not upset by this and started to put pressure on the Kelty defence and they soon squared things after O’Neil was red carded for illegally a stopping a goal scoring opportunity.

This gave Bonnyrigg extra impetus and they went ahead and down to ten this was clearly going to be a big test for Kelty now but they fought back and Calum Smith powered a header past the ‘keeper to make it 2-2.

It looked like short-handed Hearts might make the break level but as the clock ran down Rose scored again.

The second period saw Kelty come out fighting and they had some positive moments only for Bonnyrigg to stretch their lead, but an excellent strike from Stephen Husband gave them fresh hope.

They had a real go at getting level and the crucial moment came when Kelty’s ‘Mr Goals’, Stuart Cargill, was on the spot to equalise with an 18 yarder and give Hearts the point which puts them on eight from five games, two behind leaders Boness United.

Hearts player/boss, Thomas Courts, said it was a strange game with defensive errors abounding, although a great one for the neutral.

“We made some uncharacteristic errors at the back, as did Bonnyrigg, and were faced with having to play over 70 minutes with ten men, “ he said.

“Going into the last quarter 4-2 down and short-handed the lads showed tremendous character to get a very valuable point and it was a result that keeps us only two points behind Boness.

“However, we won’t want to defend like that again in the games coming up.” Hill of Beath Hawthorn 1, Broxburn United 2.

HAWS had hoped to follow up their hard earned point off Kelty Hearts with a win over Broxburn but it just did not appear.

Hill of Beath made a dreadful start to the game. Without key defenders the home rearguard struggled in the early stages and lost a goal in three minutes and then another in 15 minutes.

The home side started to get into the game and when Aaron Hay pulled one back in 26 minutes after a fine Scott McCrindle cross, things were looking much brighter.

There were a couple of openings before the break which could have brought the equaliser but the visitors held on.

Haws started the second period looking for an equaliser but failed to produce any clear chances and with Broxburn content to sit on their lead, creating good chances was not easy for the home side.

However, Hay saw his header come back off the post and at that stage home fans were thinking it was not their day.

Broxburn defended solidly and despite periods of pressure, Hill of Beath could not get the goal they wanted.

Haws boss, Bobby Wilson, felt his team did not deserve anything from the game, “We defended poorly in the opening stages and to be two down in 15 minutes leaves you chasing the game.

“We had plenty of the ball in the second-half but simply did not hurt them and all in all it was a big disappointment.” Dundonald Bluebell 1, Falkirk JFC 2.

THIS was the shock result of the day in the East Premier League with the newly promoted Bairns shocking the Moorsiders.

Dundonald knew that a win would keep them joint top at worst and tried to put Falkirk under pressure but it was the visitors who took the lead with a stunning 25 yarder.

Bluebell came back strongly and Scott Lawrie, Ben Anthony and Lewis Elder all failed to score when they should have and at the break the Bairns remained ahead.

Two minutes after the interval Dundonald levelled when Calum Young sent a right foot shot wide of the ‘keeper and the home fans were expecting their side to swamp the visitors.

But it just did not happen and on the hour mark Aiden Hendry was penalised for a tackle he put in on a visiting attacker when it looked like he won the ball.

Worst was to follow when the referee produced a red card before the spot-kick was converted.

Bluebell were stunned but they came roaring back and created a host of chances, the best falling to the normally deadly Young but he fired over from close in. It was Falkirk’s day.

The result saw Bluebell move down to fourth place, three points behind leaders Lochee United and player/manager Craig Morrison was very disappointed with the performance, “We made too many wrong decisions at key times.

“They came to scrap it out and we found it difficult to adjust to this although there were enough chances created to win the game.

“If we want to be up their challenging for the promotion places we cannot afford too many repeats of this sort of performance.” Lochgelly Albert 2, Whitburn 0.

THE Berts lie in second top spot in the South Division after this fine performance at Gardiner’s Park.

Whitburn came to Lochgelly looking to get back on winning form after losing their opening two fixtures but they found the Albert in dominating mood.

Lochgelly were fast out of the traps and pushed Whitburn back and there chances to take the lead but some good goalkeeping kept them out.

The opener eventually came for the home side when Ryan Robertson got on then end of Conor Schiavone’s cross and his diving header flew into the net.

There were two great saves from the Whitburn ‘keeper before the break and in the second period it was all about Albert with Whitburn seldom getting into the Lochgelly penalty area.

However, the visiting ‘keeper defied Stevie Bathgate but there was nothing he could do when Darren Seath, on as a sub, converted after Michael Perrie had created the danger.

There should have been more Lochgelly goals but the result has the Albert sitting on six points in second top spot.

Crossgates Primrose 2, Livingston United 1.

A GREAT result for Primrose and new boss Gary Herkes, who stepped into the hot seat after Dave McNeeley handed in his resignation last Monday.

Primrose produced a good performance and pushed Livingston back repeatedly throughout the game.

The home side got their noses in front when Scott Devaney’s free-kick flew into the net.

Primrose could have been further ahead at the break but good goalkeeping kept them out.

A few chances were squandered but the key moment came when Ryan Cowie coolly slotted the ball past the ‘keeper to make it 2-0 and although United grabbed a goal it could not deny Primrose their first win of the season and make the 9-1 loss at Lochgelly last week a distant memory.

Kinnoull 0, Lochore Welfare 2.

THE Welfare shrugged off the disappointment of their home loss to Coupar Angus last weekend and produced a fine North Division win over recently relegated Kinnoull.

Yet the early stages of the game saw the home side dominate possession and the Welfare defence had to work hard to stay level.

However, Lochore started to take charge and they took the lead when Ryan Blackadder’s shot bounced off a defender and went to Daniel Watt who swivelled before despatching the ball into the net.

The visitors defended solidly and ‘keeper Gary Inglis had little to do and they were worth their interval lead.

After the break Lochore continued to have the better of things and the key moment came in the 70th minute when the Kinnoull defence cleared a corner only as far as Scott Renton and his 12 yarder gave the ‘keeper no chance.

Lochore had other chances to add to their tally but Kinnoull were seldom a threat as Welfare moved into fourth top spot.

Player/coach John Cusick was delighted with the performance, “Kinnoull are one of the fancied sides but after the first 20 minutes they did not pose us many problems.

“It was a good all round show from the boys and moves us up into a challenging spot in the table.” Saturday’s fixtures, McBookie.com East Super League, Linlithgow Rose v Hill of Beath Hawthorn, Fauldhouse United v Kelty Hearts. McBookie.com East Premier League, Haddington Athletic v Dundonald Bluebell.

McBookie.com South Division, Lochgelly Albert v Blackburn United, West Calder United v Crossgates Primrose. McBookie.com North Division, Lochore Welfare v Scone Thistle (all games 2.30pm).