Broxburn Athletic 1 Kelty Hearts 2

KELTY Hearts continued their stunning start to the Super League season by making it 14 games unbeaten with victory at Broxburn on Saturday.

Thomas Courts’ high-fliers earned their 13th win of the season with a hard-fought success in West Lothian that extends their lead at the summit to 13 points over Bonnyrigg Rose, who impressively held Dumbarton to a draw in the senior Scottish Cup.

Although they left it late – Stephen Husband’s winning goal didn’t arrive until 10 minutes from time – player-boss Courts was thrilled with a performance that had “loads of guts, determination and desire”.

Kelty, who were still without Scott Dalziel but were able to name Jordan Moore on the bench after a back injury, started well and Stuart Cargill twice came close to the opening goal inside the first 20 minutes.

Kelty didn’t have to wait long to draw first blood, however, as, four minutes later, they were in front.

A quickly-taken, flighted free kick from halfway picked out Cargill, who sent an excellent first-time ball to the edge of the box where Nelly McCabe was on hand to send a controlled finish low into the bottom corner of goalkeeper Shaun Donaghue’s net.

Kelty then had a lucky escape just before the break when they scrambled the ball off the line.

The West Fifers weren’t having things all their own way and, in the 69th minute, Broxburn levelled when former Cowdenbeath striker Darren Gribben’s free-kick was headed into his own net by the unfortunate Sean O’Neill.

But Kelty’s battling qualities came shining through and, with the clock ticking into the final 10 minutes, they grabbed the winner.

A free-kick from the right by Craig Thomson was cleared out to the edge of the box, only for Conrad Courts to lob the ball back in to the area. With the home defence static, the ball fell for Husband, whose initial shot was blocked well by Donoghue, but the former Pars midfielder tucked home the rebound to seal the victory.

Saturday’s fixtures (kick-offs 1.45pm): ETHX Scottish Junior Cup, third round – Luncarty v Rosyth. McBookie.com Super League – Kelty Hearts v Fauldhouse United. McBookie.com South Division – Crosssgates Primrose v Livingston United.