Kelty Hearts 0 Cove Rangers 1

MICHAEL TIDSER described his team's performance as "excellent" but rued their lack of clinical finishing after Kelty Hearts suffered a fifth successive defeat on Saturday.

Mitch Megginson netted the decisive goal for Cove Rangers, seven minutes into the second half, at New Central Park to leave the hosts "bitterly disappointed" not to take anything from the match.

There were opportunities throughout for the hosts, which included Craig Johnston forcing Balint Demus into action before striking the upright in the first half, and being thwarted again in the second.

Central Fife Times: Craig Johnston was unfortunate not find a route to goal at the weekend.Craig Johnston was unfortunate not find a route to goal at the weekend. (Image: David Wardle.)

Kelty also had an appeal for a penalty, which player / manager Tidser felt was a "stonewaller" turned down, leaving them without a goal in any of their last four outings.

"I thought were excellent. That was much more like us," Tidser told Kelty Hearts TV post-match.

"I thought the last few weeks we kind of lost our way a wee bit but I thought, from start to finish, it was a real team performance, everybody grafting and working together, and then bits of quality in it as well.

"We created four or five right good chances, and I'm just bitterly disappointed that we didn't take anything from the game because I think we merited it throughout the 90 minutes.

"But, as I said, I was pleased and I told the lads that. That was more like us and we've just got to keep that up.

"We need to take our chances, especially in this league, because we probably got more today than we've had in the past four or five weeks.

"I'm just glad we're getting those chances. Defensively, again, I thought we were excellent, midfield, I thought Lewis O'Donnell was back to his old self again, Bav (Alfie Bavidge), he played last night (Friday) for Aberdeen's youth team. He phoned me this morning and said he wants to play. His attitude's first class for a 17-year-old lad, and I thought again he was excellent as well.

"Overall, the team performance, we should've taken our chances. The boys know that, but at least we're creating them, and hopefully in the next couple of weeks we can start sticking them away."

On his side's late claim for a spot-kick, Tidser added: "It's a stonewaller. Absolute stonewaller.

"I think it's (Fraser) Fyvie, (who) kicks Lewis in the head. I think he wins the ball but he's followed through. His foot's head high - Lewis isn't even ducking down.

"I think the ref's just made a mistake. Listen, George (Calder) is a good ref, I've got a lot of respect for him, but, personally, I was standing behind it.

"It's a stonewall penalty but we're not getting the rub of the green at the moment, but we're hoping that changes over the next couple of weeks."