East of Scotland Challenge Cup, 2nd round: Newton Stewart 0 Kelty Hearts 10

KELTY HEARTS scored a perfect 10 as their rampant form in senior football continued at Newton Stewart on Saturday.

Thomas Courts’ side, fresh from smashing a staggering 13 goals past helpless Eyemouth United to maintain their 100 per cent start in the East of Scotland League, were in ruthless form again to dismantle the Creesiders.

Stuart Cargill, who hit four in that romp, set the ball rolling for another comfortable afternoon by putting the Jambos ahead before Scott Dalziel added a second.

Dalziel, who helped himself to a hat-trick at Eyemouth, had clinched the match ball before half-time to put his team four goals to the good, before he scored again after Cargill grabbed a second to give Kelty a six-goal interval lead.

Jordyn Sheerin then got in on the act to make it a magnificent seven before Cargill, who made a club record 150th appearance against Eyemouth having scored an astonishing 110 goals, completed his own treble to make it 8-0.

Ross Philp’s double completed another easy win for Kelty, who travel to Peebles Rovers this weekend.

Their success on Saturday was followed by another high-scoring win on Tuesday night in what was an historic night for the club.

In their first home game to be played under floodlights, Courts' team returned to East of Scotland League action against Heriot-Watt University and romped to a 7-1 victory.

The goal-hungry hosts led 4-0 at the break thanks to Scott Dalziel's double, Murray Carstairs and Stuart Cargill before Jordyn Sheerin stole the show after half-time.

He struck to make it 5-0 and, although the students pulled a goal back, he added two more to complete a 15-minute hat-trick and a fine night for Kelty.

McBookie.com South Division: Harthill Royal 2 Oakley United 2

OAKLEY UNITED staged an impressive second-half fightback as they rescued a point at Harthill Royal.

But boss Lee Richardson wants his men to start taking their chances after misses late in the game cost them the chance of snatching what would have been an unlikely victory.

The game in West Lothian looked in doubt due to the weekend’s wet weather but, after being given the go-ahead by the referee, both teams fought out an even first half.

The contest came to life after the break and, although the visitors had begun the brighter, they found themselves two goals down thanks to Kyle Richford and Craig Johnstone.

But a tactical switch from Richardson to introduce James McAteer in a 4-3-3 provided the catalyst for a comeback, started by Willie Gardiner rising above the Harthill defence to head home from a corner.

The substitute then set up Barry Allan to fire home the equaliser and despite finishing in the ascendency – with McAteer denied by a double save from the home keeper – Oakley had to settle for a point.

Richardson commented: “The referee did an inspection and we thought the game should’ve been off; the park was a swamp and got worse throughout the game.

“The first half was pretty even; we had a couple of good chances and my goalkeeper, Ross Wortley, had to make a double save, but in the second I thought we were better than them.

“We found ourselves 2-0 down after 15 minutes – we thought the second one was offside – but in the last 10 minutes we should’ve won the game.

“I thought we deserved the three points. You can’t argue with coming back from 2-0 down but we need to start taking our chances when we’re on top.”

Goalkeeper Wortley is unavailable for this weekend’s Scottish Junior Cup trip to Dufftown but Richardson hopes to have the majority of his squad available for the clash with the North Region Super League side.

Pumpherston 2 Crossgates Primrose 0

WASTEFUL Crossgates Primrose were made to pay for not taking their chances as they fell to a fifth defeat of the season at Pumpherston.

The Humbug Park outfit created several good opportunities throughout this closely-fought match but a double salvo from Ally McRitchie in 13 and 54 minutes took the game away from them.

Boss Alan Campbell was disappointed with the result, and his side’s failure to find the net, but insisted he was not too downbeat ahead of this Saturday’s Junior Cup tie at home to Newburgh.

He commented: “I was disappointed with the result but it was a really tight game and it could have gone either way. A mix of bad luck and wasteful finishing cost us and, to be fair to them, they took their chances.

“We gave it a good go and I thought it was a good battle between two honest teams. In the very first minute of the game we had a great chance that didn’t fall for us and we missed five or six, and when that happens you’re thinking it’s not your day.

“The opposition get a lift from that as well but we’re not too downbeat. Any neutral would have been impressed with both teams.

“The Scottish Cup is a day everyone looks forward to; we’re at home and hopefully we’ll get a good crowd in. It’s a great chance to progress as, in the main, we’ve been quite good at home.

“Our pitch won’t be conducive to good football but, in any cup competition, you’re looking to go on a run or maybe draw one of the big boys.”

West Calder United 0 Rosyth 2

ROSYTH moved into the South Division’s top six after an impressive win at West Calder United.

Barry Cockburn’s team recorded their second win in three league games on the road – the other being a 9-0 hammering of bottom side Kirkcaldy YM last month – with a superb success at Hermand Park.

The West Fifers went into the contest on the back of a 2-1 win over Stoneyburn in their previous fixture but faced a tough ask at a United side who were unbeaten in their three home games and top of the table ahead of this one.

But the battling Recreation Park side ripped up the form book and took the lead on the half-hour mark through Scott Russell.

It was a lead they would hold until the latter stages when, with 11 minutes to go, they sealed the points when Gregg Page netted for the second time in as many weeks.

Saturday’s fixtures (kick-offs 2.30pm): Scottish Junior Cup – Crossgates Primrose v Newburgh, Dufftown v Oakley United. McBookie.com South Division – Rosyth v Pumpherston. East of Scotland League – Peebles Rovers v Kelty Hearts.