Stenhousemuir 2 Kelty Hearts 0
Tam O'Ware hit out at "two horrendous goals" Kelty Hearts conceded at Stenhousemuir and said that they got what they deserved as a consequence.
The New Central Park boss watched his team suffer a big blow to their League One survival hopes as a goal in each half earned the Warriors victory.
Whilst Gary Naysmith's impressive hosts moved to within a point of leaders Inverness Caledonian Thistle, the Maroon Machine face a huge challenge to avoid bottom spot.
They're six points adrift of second bottom Hamilton Academical, who occupy the relegation play-off spot, and nine behind Cove Rangers, who are eighth and in a position of safety, with six games to go.
With just three wins in the division all season, O'Ware's side are in a precarious position, and he was unhappy with their defending before Ross Taylor and Matty Aitken found the net.
"I know what they're capable of doing but, at the end of the day, if you concede goals like that, you're not going to win games," he said.
"It's a simple message. You concede two horrendous goals, you don't deserve to win games."
The visitors crossed the Kincardine Bridge having drawn five of their last six outings, and had shared the spoils on their last visit to Ochilview in November.
Ricco Diack, during his loan stint from Partick Thistle, had them two goals up before Aitken and Scott McGill struck inside the last six minutes to give Stenny a draw.
The Warriors, though, had won the two other meetings of the teams this term, and it was they who drew first blood in seventh minute.
They worked the ball well out to the left hand side and, from Euan O'Reilly's cross, which was slightly behind him, Taylor took a touch, swivelled, and fired a fine effort beyond Kyle Gourlay into the roof of the net.
Taylor, Aitken and Nicky Jamieson all threatened for the Warriors, before Gourlay did well to push an O'Reilly header behind, but Kelty ended the half encouragingly.
Their ex-goalkeeper, Darren Jamieson, had comfortably held an Alex Ferguson drive, and saved from Ross Cunningham, whilst James Graham blasted an effort over.
From a Taylor cross, Stenny skipper, Gregor Buchanan, should have done better than head straight at Gourlay, who then produced good saves from a free-kick taken by the former, and then from Ross Meechan on the follow-up.
Substitute, Cammy Cooper, had an effort blocked behind, and Lewis Moore sliced wide, but Kelty, as has been the case for much of their season, having scored the fewest goals in the league, struggled to create much to get back into the game.
With eight minutes to go, the game was over when Ollie Simpson advanced down the left, and cross the ball into the box for Taylor.
With the ball taking a difficult bounce, he controlled well on his chest and, despite the attentions of Dylan Corr and Graham, poked it on for Aitken, who ran beyond Jack Brydon and finished from six yards.
"There was not much in the game, but we concede two, carbon copy goals, a ball into the box that we don't deal with," O'Ware said.
"You're not giving yourself a chance. It's six minutes into the game, you concede a goal that you're in full control of the situation.
"We don't deal with the first ball up to Aitken, it then goes out wide, and it's a nothing ball into the box, to which he (Taylor) brings it down.
"I thought it took us 30 minutes to show a bravery to play, and, then when we do that, we get joy from it.
"But, again, overall, not enough. Nowhere near enough.
"I said it after the game against East Fife, I've said it today.
"Seven draws out of eight before today. We know the situation in front but, when you concede goals like that, you don't deserve anything."
Share