GOALSCORER Joe Cardle said that his latest brace for Kelty Hearts "doesn't really mean much" after they conceded a last-gasp equaliser on Saturday.

The 34-year-old, who notched a double in a 3-0 win at Stirling Albion seven days previously, scored twice to put the League Two leaders in command against Edinburgh City.

With second placed Forfar Athletic drawing at Annan Athletic, they looked as though they would extend their lead at the summit to nine points, only for Danny Handling and Jack Brydon - in stoppage time - to ensure the visitors fought back to claim a share of the spoils.

READ MORE: Last-gasp City deny Kelty victory

Kelty's advantage at the top remains seven points, having played two games fewer than the Loons, ahead of this weekend's Scottish Cup tie at home to holders St Johnstone.

Speaking to Press Sport after the draw with Gary Naysmith's outfit, Cardle said: "Obviously two goals is always nice to score, but three points is what we wanted.

"We're just disappointed going in, the way it went in at the end. I felt like we were inviting a bit of pressure towards the end and it's kinda killed the momentum a wee bit.

"We can't get down about it. It's a point, it should've been three, we've just got to push on to next week now. I know it's a cup game but we want to win every game. It feels like a loss in there.

"We've just got to pick ourselves up and go again. We've done it before."

Cardle's goals took his tally for the season to 14 in 28 games, something that has pleased the former Dunfermline man.

Dunfermline Press:

Joe Cardle grapples with his opponent. Photo: Dave Wardle.

"Anywhere I've been I want to score goals and set goals up, so I'm glad that I'm making a mark and scoring goals for the team, and helping the team to get to where we want to be," he continued.

"At the end of the day, three points is what we wanted, and unfortunately we never got that.

"We're still there but, we know ourselves, we've set our standards high this season, and we can't let them drop.

"We've just got to look to the next game now and hopefully we carry on a good start to the season."

Manager Kevin Thomson shared Cardle's disappointment at his team not seeing out the victory, and has urged them to use that disappointment to ensure a return to winning ways.

"I've not often had to criticise because the boys have been great, and we need to keep on going," he commented.

"But, at the same time, it's my job to keep on demanding, to keep on making sure the standards are high, and that we don't get sloppy. I thought there was a couple of instances, especially late on, (where we were) still trying to score a goal when you're 2-1 up, and the game's a bit (of) basketball.

"We started to make bad decisions. We couldn't string two passes together; you expect your experienced players to put their foot on the ball, take a bump, slow the game down and manage it.

"We want to play in a certain way, but sometimes you cannot do that for 90 minutes. You need to be a bit streetwise and, to be fair, we normally are. We normally manage the game really well when we get control and we get our noses in front.

"All credit to them (Edinburgh). Gaz (Gary Naysmith, manager) and his team kept on going. When you're 2-0 up and you've got them kinda dead and buried, and you don't score three, you're always culpable to conceding a goal, and you can get a wee bit nervous.

"I thought the team looked a bit nippy and a bit edgy the last 5-10 minutes which, same again, is not really us, but at the same time, it was today and we paid the ultimate price."

Dunfermline Press:

Kevin Thomson was disappointed Kelty couldn't see out victory. Photo: Jim Payne.

When it was put to him that, despite the disappointment, it wasn't the worst afternoon with their lead at the top remaining seven points, Thomson replied: "I want to win.

"We need to keep going and I want the boys to have that mentality, and that attitude, that we've dropped points and we're disappointed.

"It's got to hurt. We've now picked up four points out of nine which, in my opinion, is not good enough. We want to keep on going, we want to keep winning games.

"We all know that Forfar and Annan drew today, which would've been a good result if we had won our game, and then we have our games in hand.

"At the same time, we're under no illusion how long a road we've still got to go. We need to keep working, we need to keep training hard which, to be fair to the boys, they are absolutely fantastic at that. But, for me, I'll never apologise for wanting to win games of football.

"Disappointed but, overall, Gaz and his team, they came, they've got good players, they showed energy, and you could see what it meant to them at the end scoring.

"I always say to our boys that, when teams come and play against them, it's like the cup final. They want to beat you - I'd rather be in that position than be in another - so we need to deal with that as a group."

Defender Jordon Forster felt that "any team would be disappointed" at not seeing out a 2-0 lead with 15 minutes to play, but felt there were plusses for Kelty to take away from the game.

"I think we played quite well in spells actually, but I think they probably edged it a little bit, and I think we should've managed the game a lot better towards the last 20 minutes," he said.

"I think any team, in any game, that are 2-0 up and don't come away with three points are going to be extremely disappointed, and that's us.

"I think you see the way they celebrated their second goal in the last minute; it just shows how much it meant to them.

"We're on the other side - extremely disappointed that we never took three points when we really should have.

"We've got a couple of games in hand, and are obviously seven points clear, which is great. I think after the game now we see the result and it's good for us, but the other side of that is we could've been even further clear.

"That's the disappointing thing for us, but there's a big game next Saturday (St Johnstone), so we need to dust ourselves down and prepare properly for that because it won't be an easy one."

Meanwhile, the club have announced that a "limited number" of home end tickets remain on sale for Saturday's match.

The game with Callum Davidson's Premiership side, who won both the Scottish and Premier Sports cups last term, will be Kelty's first-ever at the fourth round stage.

Briefs cost £18 for adults, £12 for concessions (over-65s and those aged 13-18), and £8 for under-12s.

They can be bought online at https://app.fanbaseclub.com/Fan/Tickets/SelectType?fixtureId=1260.