SPFL Trust Trophy: Kelty Hearts suffer exit at Greenock Morton

MICHAEL TIDSER suffered defeat on his return to his old stomping ground as Kelty Hearts exited the SPFL Trust Trophy on Saturday.

The New Central Park player / boss took his side to Cappielow to play Greenock Morton, for whom he made over 200 appearances across two separate spells, but watched his team lose 4-1.

The hosts, who are currently bottom of the Championship, had defeated their League One opponents on the road in a Viaplay Cup group stage clash in July, and took an early lead in this one thanks to a header from former Dunfermline forward, Robbie Muirhead.

That advantage, however, lasted just eight minutes before Kelty levelled - thanks to another ex-Morton man.

Reece Lyon, who signed for the club in the summer after departing the 'Ton, joined Tidser in making his first visit back to his former team's ground and capped it with a goal.

The midfielder latched on to Botti Biabi's ball across the box, after it had made its way through a crowd of bodies, to equalise from close range with his third of the season.

Reece Lyon nets Kelty's equaliser. (Image: Alex Craig.)

Biabi, Tiwi Daramola and Jason Thomson had opportunities to put Kelty ahead at the break, but it was Morton who regained the initiative 10 minutes into the second half when Muirhead netted his second of the game with a stunning free-kick.

He then completed his hat-trick shortly after the hour mark, rolling Fergus Owens and keeper Kyle Gourlay, with his back to goal, before applying the finish, with Robbie Crawford adding a fourth to seal Morton's quarter-final spot.

Tidser's men will now look to regroup and aim for a third successive league win when they go to Alloa Athletic on Saturday, and he told Kelty Hearts TV afterwards: "I'm obviously bitterly disappointed with the result.

"I thought, first half, they scored early on, but the boys showed a good bit of character to come back into the game.

"We were quite comfortable but I knew, second half, they would come out. I said that to the lads. I said they would go and press us in midfield, they'd go and nick it off our blind side, and so it proved to be.

"I need to try and be positive. It's a Championship side and, for spells, we did well in the game, but we got beat and that's the bottom line."

Tidser had words of praise for his goalscorer, continuing: "I thought Reece was good. I spoke to him before the game; obviously, he's got ties here, and it was a wee chance for him to come back.

Kelty's players celebrate their leveller. (Image: Alex Craig.)

"Reece is a very good player and I think the world of him. He knows that. I'm pleased for him to get his goal but, ultimately, as I say, it's a bitter pill to swallow when you get beat, regardless of how the game goes.

"We'll just need to dust ourselves down and go next week.

"We're on a good run in the league. Obviously the cup game comes round, but that's football. we'll just train hard this week.

"We're looking forward to next week. Alloa, we've played them this season, we know it's a good side, it'll be a tough test, but we've just got to do what we've got to do, and try and win the game as we do every week."