ETHX Energy Scottish Junior Cup, third round - Kelty Hearts 7 Ashfield 1

KELTY HEARTS produced a magnificent seven on Saturday as they thrashed Ashfield to advance in the Scottish Junior Cup.

Thomas Courts’ free-scoring side were too good for their west region opponents in the only fixture on the junior card involving West Fife teams to beat the weather, thanks to New Central Park’s plastic pitch.

Hearts have twice finished as runners-up in the competition, most recently in 2007 when they lost to Linlithgow Rose at East End Park, and player-boss Courts wants his team to go one better this season.

He told Press Sport: “I was really pleased on Saturday and the guys were really ruthless. It was good to see us taking our chances and the fact that it was a team from the west meant they were a bit of an unknown entity.”

Kelty meant business from the first whistle and it took them just eight minutes to make the breakthrough when Brian Ritchie headed home powerfully from six yards.

Eight minutes before half-time, the hosts doubled their lead when Ritchie tucked home Conrad Courts’ cross and it was quickly 3-0 as Ritchie turned provider, heading down for Stephen Husband to take a touch away from an Ashfield defender before shooting home.

The tie and Kelty’s passage to the fourth round was all but sealed on the stroke of half-time when Stuart Cargill was taken out inside the box, allowing Ritchie to slot home the resulting spot-kick and complete his hat-trick.

Another penalty was awarded to the Jambos after the break when Cargill was again felled just inside the area and he took the kick himself to send the goalkeeper the wrong way and make it 5-0.

Ashfield pulled a goal back but two minutes later, Cargill added a sixth for Hearts as he latched on to a poor defensive header before slotting home.

Sub Archie Campbell completed the scoring and Courts added: “Scott Dalziel and Jordan Moore were unavailable through injury so I put Brian Ritchie up front. He’s a real handful and on Saturday he was unplayable.”

Kelty are back in league action on Saturday when they travel to Broxburn Athletic. Rosyth’s postponed third round tie at Luncarty has been rearranged for this weekend.

Saturday’s fixtures (kick-offs 1.45pm): ETHX Scottish Junior Cup – Luncarty v Rosyth. McBookie.com Super League – Broxburn Athletic v Kelty Hearts. McBookie.com South Division – Lochgelly Albert v Crossgates Primrose, Oakley United v Craigroyston.