Published: Thursday, 29th January, 2009 8:35am

Kelty Hearts close in on Super League summit

by Simon Harris

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Kelty players celebrate a goal against Linlithgow.
Pic by: Dunfermline Press

KELTY HEARTS are just three points off the Super League summit in second place after Saturday"s 3-1 win over leaders Linlithgow Rose.

Two goals from John Martin and one from Tam McGeorge sunk Rose while goalkeeper Gregg Fleming bounced back from his stinker at Tayport the previous week to make key saves at vital times.

'We are looking powerful again,' admitted delighted Kelty gaffer Stevie Leighton.

'We just feel no-one is going to overrun us. If we contain teams at the start we can take it from there.

'The boys have been working hard in training and they were fired up for the game because they were really disappointed after the Tayport match as they would have gone top if they had won.'

With away matches against Camelon, Whitburn and Bonnyrigg still to come, Leighton isn"t getting carried away but he admitted, 'Looking at the league table on Monday morning was great.

'I just feel that if you finish above Linlithgow Rose you will win the league.

'They are still the team to beat and that"s us unbeaten against them this season.

'What pleased me more than anything is that after what happened to our keeper last week, at 1-1 he made some really good saves.

'He had the backing of everyone at the club and he has bounced back.'

Kelty face a massive game this weekend with a trip to Bonnyrigg Rose, who are third on the same number of points.

Ian Mauchlan, Dennis Currie and Scott Lawrie all come back into consideration for that one and Leighton said, 'We are all really looking forward to it.

'We have been through our fair share of injuries and it"s great to be sitting second. We"re back to strength for a big push.'

Less happy was Oakley boss Stevie Kay, who saw his side"s two-month unbeaten run end in spectacular fashion with a 4-1 drubbing at home to Kinnoull denting their hopes of staying in the Premier League.

'We"re all shellshocked,' he told Press Sport.

'We"ve got to take something from our home games if we want to consolidate in the league.

'We knew the run was going to come to an end but not like this.

'We needed at least a draw but we will just have to bounce back.'

Kay has not spent a penny since succeeding John Allison earlier in the season with United rooted to the bottom of the table.

They are now fifth from bottom but all the teams below them have at least three games in hand and the average age of his squad is just 22.

'The main problem is that, because they"re so young, inconsistency comes with it,' Kay said.

'We beat Cowdenbeath 5-3 in a bounce game last week but we can"t expect them to play well week in, week out.

'Because it"s a transition period we can"t afford the hit of having four or five boys having an off day.

'The Kinnoull game was never a 4-1 but they were the more streetwise and had more guile and craft.'

In the Central League Rosyth"s game at Steelend was postponed but Crossgates came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Lochgelly thanks to goals from Ross Cowan and Peter Goodwin.

Saturday"s fixtures: East Super BuktaTeamwear.com League – Bonnyrigg Rose v Kelty Hearts. East Premier BuktaTeamwear.com League – Penicuik Athletic v Oakley United. East Central BuktaTeamwear.com League – Crossgates Primrose v Rosyth Recreation, Scone Thistle v Steelend Victoria. Kick-offs 2pm.