Kelty Hearts v Airdrieonians: John Potter reacts to Kelty win

Alfredo Agyeman stepped off the bench to score his first league goal of the season, with five minutes to go, to earn a 1-0 success over high-flying Airdrieonians at New Central Park.

The 22-year-old's well-taken finish ensured that Kelty made it six points from their last six on their own turf, and bounced back from their loss at Peterhead in their previous League One outing.

It also secured two wins on the bounce, having defeated Annan Athletic in the SPFL Trust Trophy eight days previously, the draw for the fourth round of which will take place this afternoon.

The success against the Diamonds lifts second bottom Kelty on to seven points, level with Clyde, who are immediately above them, and means that Airdrie, along with Dunfermline, who picked up a point, and Falkirk are the third of the current top four teams that have failed to win at New Central Park.

"I thought we were very good," Potter said post-match.

"Probably two different performances; first half, they had a lot of the ball, but we had a good shape, were compact, hit them on the break and had a couple of good opportunities.

"Second half, we probably had more of the ball, but we looked a threat, had a couple of good opportunities and scored a good goal, so I'm delighted.

"We tried to squeeze a little bit higher second half. First half, we had to be careful because they're a good team, and they can hurt you. I'm not saying we had to stay in the game, but we had to keep a good shape when we didn't have the ball. We did that, to be fair.

"Second half we were a little bit more expansive, got forward, and I'm delighted to get the win."

On Agyeman's match-winning contribution, Potter continued: "It's great.

"Alfie was our best player pre-season. He started the season being maybe a little bit inconsistent, probably been a little bit unfortunate, but he's a threat with what he's got.

"It's great for him to come on and get the goal. Hopefully it does his confidence good, and we kick on from here.

"It helps when you're bringing quality players on. I think we're missing Kallum Higginbotham, which hopefully is not too bad, just a little niggle. Hopefully we get him back soon, and we've got a bigger squad and a better squad.

"We need all our players. We need all the players, the subs coming off the bench, guys sort of in and out, and it's great to have."

The return of Nathan Austin, who made his third successive start after an injury-disrupted start to the campaign, has also been a boost for the manager, who explained the decision to allow Ross Philp to join Stenhousemuir on loan until January.

"Ross has been here a long time and he's loved at the club," Potter noted.

"We were perfectly happy to keep him here because he'll always make an impact, and he's a good player, but he wanted to go and try and get regular game time at this point in the season.

"We allowed that to happen and hopefully he goes and does well."

Before Agyeman's winner, Kelty had struck the post through Austin, had a goal by Jason Thomson disallowed for what referee Steven Kirkland deemed to be a foul, and a strong case for a second half penalty turned down when Austin was sent crashing to the ground by Airdrie keeper, Alex Henderson.

"I genuinely couldn't see the first (disallowed) goal, but everyone's saying that there wasn't much in it," Potter added.

"There was a hand, a challenge, nothing really in it, and the second one I think it's a penalty.

"I think he (Henderson) comes over the top, and I think anywhere else on the pitch that's a free kick. I actually thought the one after that, when he (Austin) was right through, he got dragged back a little bit as well.

"I'm not saying they're all definite penalties, but you would think you would maybe get one.

"It wasn't to be but, thankfully, it wasn't too important."

Midfielder Nicky Low, who made his home debut, having signed from Arbroath on loan last month, said: "We knew coming into the game that Airdrie were going to have a lot of the ball; it's the way they play, they play out from the back.

"You've got to work really hard to match them and, to be fair, I don't think our goalkeeper's had a save to make, which tells its own story. We had the better chances in the game so, overall, we absolutely deserved to win the game.

"The defence was brilliant to be fair. They spoke really well because the way Airdrie move, they move you in the middle of the park, so our back four had to speak to us a lot and they did that while also looking after their own performance.

"A clean sheet was well deserved. It's a massive win for the club, so hopefully we can kick on, that's two wins in a row now."

For Diamonds player / boss, Rhys McCabe, it was a third defeat from four games for his side, who stay third in the table.

David Wardle. (Image: David Wardle.)

Rhys McCabe (number four) tracks Michael Tidser. Photo: David Wardle.

They trail his former club Dunfermline, who stay top of the pile despite throwing away a two-goal lead with three minutes to go against Peterhead, by two points, missing out on the chance to climb to the summit themselves.

"In terms of the game itself, we were probably the better team, in terms of dominating and creating," he said.

"If there was ever going to be a team going to win, it was probably going to be us. We knew that Kelty would make it hard for us, they would sit in and be compact, and, in fairness to them, they were good at it.

"They made things tough for us, especially round about the final third. They forced us into a few half chances but nothing really clear-cut, and then obviously they nick it at the end with a mistake on our part.

"They've had good results here so, just because of their position in the league table, it doesn't tell you too much because they had a good result against Dunfermline here, Falkirk, so we know it's going to be a tough place to come.

"It's a tighter pitch, they make it compact, and they were good at it to be fair, but a moment of an individual lapse in concentration cost us the game."