Kelty Hearts lose final Premier Sports Cup match at Livingston

KELTY HEARTS saw their Premier Sports Cup campaign come to an end with defeat to Livingston this afternoon.

Phillip Cancar, who had to replace Cristian Montano early on after his team-mate was involved in a nasty clash of heads with the visitors' Nathan Austin, won an 11th minute penalty that gave Livi the lead, before adding their second goal himself 14 minutes from time.

Sean Kelly's spot-kick was all that separated the teams for much of this game, with John Potter's team - shorn of players through injury, and lost two more inside the opening 25 minutes, with both Austin and Robbie McNab forced off - more than hanolding their own throughout.

Although they didn't really trouble home goalkeeper, Ivan Konovalov, they restricted their opponents in terms of chances created, and can take heart from a well-organised display against the Premiership side.

Their focus now switches to next weekend's League One opener, when they'll raise the League Two championship flag, won last season, against FC Edinburgh, where they will hope to have some of their stars who missed the match at the Tony Macaroni Arena available for selection.

The win for Davie Martindale's Lions means they finish second in the group on nine points - behind section winners, Inverness Caledonian Thistle - and go through to the knockout phase.

The visitors arrived in West Lothian on the back of a morale-boosting win at Championship Cove Rangers midweek, having followed up their opening match loss to Inverness Caledonian Thistle with a surprise defeat to Albion Rovers last Saturday.

Kelty's squad had already been stretched and, with Jordon Forster and Lewis Martin missing from Tuesday evening, joining Kallum Higginbotham and Tam O'Ware on the sidelines.

Under-20s pathway graduate, Scott Cameron, came into the side, as did Dougie Hill, whose last game was the final match of the League Two title-winning campaign.

The veteran centre back had decided to retire from professional football but, after being brought back to New Central Park by Potter to assist on the coaching side, he was registered as a player to give Kelty a bit more squad depth for this competition.

Livi needed a win, and goals, to give them the best opportunity to try and progress from the group, but the game suffered a concerning moment just six minutes in.

Cristian Montano and Nathan Austin both went for a ball in the air and ended up clashing heads, with each player requiring treatment.

Whilst Austin quickly got to his feet and was ok to continue, the Lions man stayed down longer, and needed to go off.

Thankfully, when he was replaced by Cancar, he had got to his feet and was able to walked off with some assistance.

Minutes later, Cancar was in the thick of things as Livingston took the lead from the penalty spot.

Joel Nouble, who had a tremendous spell on loan with Championship Arbroath last season, supplied a cross from the right that Cancar sought to collect at the far post.

Alfredo Agyeman was adjudged to have clipped his heels and brought him down by referee, Grant Irvine, and Kelly did the needful from 12 yards to give the hosts the lead.

However, within 25 minutes, the injury issues had mounted for Potter.

Robbie McNab, who netted and and provided an assist midweek, was forced off with a knock picked up in a tackle - he was replaced by Thomas Reilly - while Austin, having seemingly not recovered fully from his earlier head knock, was taken off and replaced by Kyle Doherty.

It was the former Albion Rovers forward's debut, having signed during the week, but it was the attackers on the opposite side who were coming closest to scoring.

Scott Pittman had an effort blocked after Bruce Anderson, having chased down a long ball, robbed Cameron and rolled it into his path, before Nicky Devlin forced former Livi keeper Darren Jamieson into a decent save with a right foot shot.

The opening period, however, was largely flat, which was a surprise in relation to Livingston who, not only needed a win, but a win by a few goals to try and secure a best placed runners-up spot to progress.

Dylan Bahamboula tried to provide a spark, jinking in between two Kelty players before finding space to shoot, but his effort lacked power and was easily gathered by Jamieson.

The visitors, despite the blow of losing McNab and Austin through injury, held their own, with Doherty showing some impressive play in holding the ball and bringing his team-mates into it.

A Jamie Barjonas volley from a cleared Michael Tidser, which finished well wide, was the only threat they posed in the opening period, however.

Livi had a decent opportunity early in the second half when Anderson, having been found well by Nouble, side-footed the ball towards goal from 12 yards, but his effort lacked power as Jamieson saved comfortably.

There was a big shout from the visitors for a foul - and what would possibly have been a red card for Ayo Obileye - when Reilly sent Agyeman racing forward.

The centre forward appeared to be clipped by his opponent, when otherwise he'd have been running in on goal, but the referee deemed there to be no infringement by the home man.

Moments later, Kelty were awarded a free-kick, from which Michael Tidser played a disguised pass out left to Reis Peggie, whose attempted cross almost caught out Ivan Konovalov in the home goal, but he saw the ball comfortably over the bar.

Home frustration was audible amongst the crowd, as Livingston struggled to really take a strangehold of the game, and, indeed, Kelty found themselves foraying forward more in the second period than they had in the first.

However, the quality of the Premiership side eventually told with 14 minutes to go when Cancar got on the end of a fine ball into the box and sent an excellent finish beyond the helpless Jamieson.

Obileye tested Jamieson with a vicious free-kick, which the Kelty keeper saved, as the clocked ticked down, but two goals were enough for the home side.

Match stats

Livingston: Konovalov, Devlin, Fitzwater, Obileye, Montano (Cancar 6), Shinnie (Holt 60), Kelly (Omeonga 65), Pittman, Nouble, Bahamboula (Mullin 60), Anderson.

Subs not used: Brandon, Bitsindou, Longridge, Maley.

Goals: Kelly (11, pen), Cancar (76).

Booked: Fitzwater (35).

Kelty Hearts: Jamieson, Cameron, McNab (Reilly 21), Hill (Sandison 79), Peggie, Cardle, Tidser (Owens 89), Philp, Barjonas (Barbour 89), Austin (Doherty 25), Agyeman.

Sub not used: Campbell.

Booked: Cardle (59).

Referee: Grant Irvine.

Attendance: 712.