Scottish Cup: Kelty Hearts knock holders St Johnstone out

KALLUM HIGGINBOTHAM was Kelty Hearts' hero as they produced an heroic display to defeat holders St Johnstone after extra time in the Scottish Cup this afternoon.

The Englishman's goal in the 103rd minute, coolly finished after he made a superb run from his own box to receive Alfredo Agyeman's pass, sent a packed New Central Park wild as Kelty's cup adventure continues.

Never before have they been this far in the tournament, but they will now eagerly await the fifth round draw after dumping Callum Davidson's holders out.

And it was no more than they deserved.

Led by Jordon Forster and Tam O'Ware, they were resolute defensively.

However, they also offered moments in attack - in extra time particularly - as Saints struggled to offer much of an attacking threat.

They did hit the bar with an Ali Crawford free-kick, but so did Agyeman for Kelty, and an early Chris Kane header, and shot by Jacob Butterfield, was as much as Darren Jamieson in goal faced.

Struggling Saints left the field to the fury of their fans, but it was a glory day for Kelty, whose players were greeted heroically at the end of the match.

Every ticket for the 2,181 capacity ground was sold for the tie and, at least an hour and a half before the 3pm kick-off, fans were making their way in, eager to savour every moment of this historic occasion.

The home side were boosted by the return of Jamie Barjonas, who missed last week's draw with Edinburgh City after sustaining a hamstring injury the week prior at Stirling Albion, as he replaced Botti Biabi.

On-loan Livingston midfielder Harrison Clark, who made his first start against the capital side, missed out completely as Ross Philp replaced him.

For Saints, Callum Davidson handed a debut to former Falkirk full back Tony Gallacher, who signed this month from Liverpool, in one of five changes to their side beaten midweek at Heart of Midlothian.

Charlie Gilmour, Ali Crawford, James Brown and Chris Kane were also brought into their starting line-up, with Michael O'Halloran, Murray Davidson and Stevie May dropping to the bench, while Cammy MacPherson and Callum Booth were not in the Perth side's squad.

Amidst a noisy and colourful atmosphere, Saints, as you'd expect, controlled the lion's share of possession early on, but it was the home side who fashioned the first sight of goal.

Joe Cardle, who had scored four goals in his last two outings, was on the end of a knockdown to the edge of the box but, unfortunately, he couldn't connect with the ball properly and sent the ball high and wide.

Moments later, though, Kelty were indebted to goalkeeper Darren Jamieson.

Firstly, from a pinpoint Gallacher cross, he leapt to his left to claw away Kane's goalbound header, before moments later reacting well to save a Crawford effort from distance.

Gilmour tried acrobatically to get on the end of a Brown cross midway through the half, but couldn't, and Barjonas had an ambitious effort comfortably dealt with by Zander Clark as chances created were at a premium.

The Premiership side looked comfortable in possession, but they were struggling to play at a high tempo to play through Kelty.

A few tough challenges aside, there was little to excite the capacity crowd thereafter, although Philp, having played a lovely one-two with Kallum Higginbotham, could have sent either Nathan Austin or Cardle clear had it not been for a heavy touch that allowed a visiting defender to take the ball off him.

However, moments before the half-time whistle - which was met by a few boos from some of the frustrated contingent - there was a moment to offer further encouragement.

Kelty limited St Johnstone to very little in an attacking sense, and had more than held their own, when Austin served the Perth men a reminder of the threat they possess.

With time and space on the half-turn, the men in maroon's top scorer - he'd grabbed 18 in 23 games before today - fired a decent shot that Zander Clark had to move well to his right to save.

Saints - presumably after some stern words from their manager - came out for the restart on the front foot, immediately winning two corners in quick succession.

From the second, Kelty cleared the ball to the edge of the box where Jacob Butterfield was waiting to fire a piledriver towards goal, but his shot flashed over the top.

Liam Gordon was the next to have a go for Saints, flashing a good strike from 20 yards not too far wide, but Kelty's rearguard - led superbly by Jordon Forster - were getting their heads on crosses, tackles in aplenty and bodies in the way.

The holders, though, continued to dictate and Butterfield again tried his luck, but once more failed to find the target.

Nadir Cifti sent a header over from a James Brown cross as Saints continued to probe, before Philp sent a cracking effort narrowly over Clark's crossbar from around 25 yards out.

Opportunities were beginning to be fashioned, with Cifti soon volleying over from a Jamie McCart centre, Davisdson sent on May and Glenn Middleton in a bid to turn the tide the Perth men's way, while Kelty boss Thomson switched Cardle for Alfredo Agyeman, as the game remained on a knife-edge heading into the final 10 minutes.

Saints' two replacements combined down the left in a move that eventually saw Butterfield fire high across goal as maroon shirts swarmed back to cover, and a high ball that travelled through to Jamieson was met with further disgruntlement from the visiting support.

There was further vocal disapproval of their side's effort at full-time, as the contest moved into extra-time, but within six minutes they were almost celebrating when Crawford hit the bar with a superb free-kick.

However, with two minutes of the first period of the additional 30 minutes gone, Kelty got their glory moment.

From a Saints corner, they managed to break upfield, and substitute Agyeman produced some superb work.

He held off the attentions of a Saints defender before finding the run of Higginbotham, who had made a lung-bursting effort to get up in support.

The former Dunfermline star was the coolest man in Fife as he made his way into the box, sidestepped a challenge, and slotted under Clark to spark epic, wild celebrations amongst the home ranks.

As the second period of extra time began, it was Kelty who were looking for a second rather than defending a barrage of pressure, with Agyeman desperately unlucky to see a fabulous shot cannon back off the crossbar.

St Johnstone, facing the wrath of their furious fans, could do little other than continually give the ball away as they had Clark to thank for blocking Botti Biabi, then save from Philp, as the clocked ticked towards the 120 minute mark.

And, with Saints having no answer, Kelty saw it a famous win as they reached round five and sent the holders spinning out.

Kelty Hearts: Jamieson; Finlayson, Forster, O'Ware, Ngwenya; Cardle (Agyeman 78), Tidser (Black 96), Philp, Higginbotham; Barjonas (McNab 105); Austin (Biabi 90).

Subs not used: Hooper, Donaldson.

Goal: Higginbotham (103).

Booked: Finlayson (116), Biabi (118).

St Johnstone: Clark, Brown (O'Halloran 90, (Craig 105)), Cleary, McCart, Gallacher, Gordon, Butterfield, Gilmour, Crawford, Cifti (May 80), Kane (Middleton 73) Subs not used: Ambrose, Davidson, Northcott, Vertainen, Parish.

Booked: Cifti (77).

Referee: Kevin Clancy.