Published: Friday, 23rd January, 2009 12:45pm

Kelty Hearts boss defends red-carded keeper

by Graham Gibson

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ALTHOUGH he may not be Artur Boruc Kelty keeper Gregg Fleming will surely sympathise with the under-fire Celtic keeper this week.

Fleming had a day to forget as he received a red card and was at fault for two of Tayport"s four goals as Hearts went down 4-2 in their Super League fixture.

Manager Stevie Leighton was quick to defend his keeper after what he labelled just a 'bad day at the office'.

'I don"t think we realised how good a keeper we had until he made his first blunder in three years,' he told Press Sport.

'Saturday just showed he was human. Even Artuc Boruc has bad games and gets stick.'

Kelty started the game well, taking the lead after John Martin dispatched an eighth-minute penalty, and continued to have the upper hand until Tayport managed a well-worked equaliser five minutes later.

Just before the interval Fleming"s bad day began when he dropped a cross allowing Tayport to sneak in front, before Kelty went further behind when he miskicked a clearance that left the goal gaping.

To compound matters, a short Tom Courts backpass led to Fleming giving away the penalty that handed Tayport their fourth goal and led to his red card.

Although Tam McGeorge pulled a goal back, a further red card to sub Stan Winiarski added to Kelty"s misery.

Leighton said, 'I felt for him as he has been the best trainer and most consistent player at the club by a mile.

"For a goalkeeper not to have a mistake in such a long spell is a great ratio and he"ll bounce back.'

One bright point for Fleming is that he will not be banned for the forthcoming Super League fixture at home to Linlithgow as he will only be fined for committing a professional foul.

Kelty have Iain Mauchlen back from injury and Cowdenbeath loan player Dene Droudge back from suspension this week while Stefan Winiarski will be suspended.

Rosyth stumbled slightly in their quest for promotion from the East Region Central League when they were held at home by Lochgelly.

The match may have ended goalless but there were plenty of talking points with each side being reduced to nine men.

Manager Jock Lumsden had no complaints about the end result but he was not so subdued when it came to the performance of the referee.

'I don"t like criticising referees but the referee spoiled what was going to be a good game.

"There was not a bad tackle in the whole game and that is coming from both sides.

'In the end both teams were scared to put in any kind of tackle as he was giving straight reds instead of producing yellows.'

Lumsden admitted Lochgelly deserved their share of the spoils, saying, 'The end result was disappointing but if we"d played all day I don"t think we would have scored.

"The park was heavy as well which played a factor.

"We are a good footballing side and like to play on the deck.'

Despite the setback Rosyth remain unbeaten and top of the league and hope to get back to winning ways away to Steelend this weekend, who lost 2-1 at Bankfoot Athletic in the first round of the Redwood Leisure Cup.

Oakley"s revival continued thanks to a 2-1 East Premier League win at Fauldhouse Utd and this week they host Kinnoull.