Kelty Hearts 2 Alloa Athletic 1: Tam O'Ware and Michael Tidser on win

RETURNING defender Tam O'Ware hailed the reaction of Kelty Hearts as "different class" after they fought back to earn three vital points against Alloa Athletic.

The 30-year-old was on hand to slot home a deserved late winner at New Central Park against the promotion play-off chasing Wasps, and pull seven points clear of second bottom Annan Athletic, who they visit on Saturday.

After leaving the club in December to take up an interim coaching role with Queen's Park, experienced former Partick Thistle and Greenock Morton centre back O'Ware is back with Kelty for the remainder of the campaign, having played in Saturday's defeat to Cove Rangers.

He was to have the decisive moment in an entertaining contest on Tuesday evening which belied the contrasting positions of both clubs in the table, with Alloa third and Kelty sixth.

The hosts were dominant in the opening 45 minutes and Lewis Moore, a constant menance, smashed against the crossbar, whilst also forcing goalkeeper PJ Morrison into a good save.

Reece Lyon, who was later forced off with a knee problem, also tested the Alloa stopper's reflexes, whilst he, Moore and the excellent Stefan McCluskey all drove efforts narrowly wide.

Kelty were made to pay for their profligacy 11 minutes into the second half when Cameron O'Donnell headed Morgyn Neill's cross to the far post into the net, but Michael Tidser's team responded admirably.

Cameron O'Donnell wheels away to celebrate scoring the opener for Alloa. (Image: David Wardle.)

With 16 minutes left, Joe McGlynn drove home the third goal of his loan stint from Hamilton Academical to equalise, before O'Ware, whose previous goal came in January 2023, netted the winner with nine to go from close range.

"It's a horrendous first attempt. I'm so lazy in the box - my legs were that heavy, I've missed the ball, and luckily it's hit my other leg, and fell for me again," O'Ware joked.

"The last couple of days it's been enjoyable to be back with the boys.

"Saturday I don't think we deserved to get beat. I think we had two or three clear-cut chances and were denied a stonewall penalty in the last minute, so that was frustrating.

"We knew how important tonight was before we go into Saturday, just to keep that gap.

"In the first half I thought we were terrific, but we just couldn't get the ball in the net, and then to go a goal down, it really tested us mentally, but we've got enough experience in the team to guide the young ones through it.

"I thought our reaction was different class to get the equaliser, and then get the winner at the end."

Player / manager Tidser felt his side were well worth their victory, which ended a run of five successive defeats, the last four of which had seen Kelty fail to score.

"Listen, I'm obviously really happy with the three points, especially after Saturday," he said.

"We've been on a bad run, there's no doubt about it, but I think you could see tonight - I could be miles off it - but I think we probably deserved to win.

"First half, we created four or five right good chances. The keeper's pulled off a couple of good saves, a few's flew by the post.

"Obviously they score. It's easy to crumble and maybe in the past we've maybe felt sorry for ourselves, but I just had to keep driving the standards in there. The lads at the back were first class, the two strikers worked tirelessly for the group.

Lewis Moore came close to netting for Kelty in the opening period. (Image: David Wardle.)

"We got a wee bit of luck with Joe's goal, and then obviously we get a bit of fortune with the second as well, it riccochets, but I think overall, I could be miles off it, but I thought we deserved the three points."

"It's important we just keep the momentum going now and get back to that feeling of winning games. The lads are absolutely delighted in there because it's not easy to win games of football. We know that.

"We started off the season really well, we had a dip, we couldn't really get ourselves going, you bring back Tam, you bring back Moorey, you bring back CJ (Craig Johnston) after suspension - real men who stand up to it.

"I think we deserved it overall."