Published: Thursday, 21st May, 2009 9:20am

Kelty look to cup final after league ends with defeat

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DESPITE their league campaign ending on a disappointing note, Kelty Hearts can console themselves with the fact they have secured a spot in their first cup final of the season.

In their last league fixture Kelty lost 4-3 on Monday night at home to a Lochee United side battling for their Super League lives at the bottom of the table.

Kelty gaffer Stevie Leighton was angry at the cheap manner in which his side gave away goals, including a short back pass for the first and the incredible sight of Lochee scoring straight from their goalkeeper"s clearance. The Hearts keeper misjudged the bounce and could only watch in horror as it sailed over his head and into the empty net.

Leighton said, 'The entertainment value was good but we gifted them three goals. We got ourselves back into the game after being 2-0 then 3-1 down to make it 3-3. They were on the ropes and we never took advantage of it.

'I think the most disappointing thing was that after making the mistakes we had got ourselves back in the game. Their fourth goal was a long kick again. It was criminal. You can"t make those mistakes at this level as other teams have the players to punish you for it.

'It would have been good to go out with a win in our last league game, especially at home, but we still have a wee bit to look forward to with a cup final and the semi of the Redwood Leisure Cup as well.'

Hearts secured a Maloco Cup final slot with a 3-1 win away at Kirkcaldy on Saturday courtesy of a Tam McGeorge header and a Craig Morrison double early in the second half.

However, it took some stern words from manager Leighton at half time to shake his troops out of a lethargic first- half performance where Kirkcaldy had given their Super League opponents a run for their money.

In the East Central League Rosyth continued their end of season free- scoring form with a thumping 6-0 win away to Newburgh, notching five second-half goals for the second game in succession.

Rosyth were 1-0 up at half-time through Charlie Scarborough, despite Clark Kay having missed a penalty, and a second for Scarborough, a double from Kay and a goal apiece from Ryan Thomson and Davie Ritchie helped secure a comfortable victory.

Manager Jock Lumsden said, 'The last two weeks we have banged in five second-half goals maybe because there is no pressure at the end of the season. There is no difference in the players, we are just starting to go out and play attacking football again.

'If we win on Saturday in our last game away to Bankfoot we will officially finish second in the league. We just want to finish as high as we can.

'We know what we are looking for with regards to next season. We know what players we want. It has been a good season as after 14 games we were unbeaten and had won 10. It was just a couple of results that put us back. I take my hat off to St. Andrews. Any team that goes unbeaten for the whole season deserves to be promoted.'

Saturday"s Fixtures: East Central Bukta Teamwear.com League –Bankfoot Athletic v Rosyth.