KELTY HEARTS are working "continuously" to make further additions to their squad but one of their trialists has impressed and won himself a deal.

Michael Tidser has admitted that they are "still short" in terms of numbers in their squad, despite taking the number of signings he has made since taking over to nine over the course of the last week.

His former Greenock Morton team-mate, Reece Lyon, joined the club ahead of last Saturday's Fife Cup match with Raith Rovers, and was followed by the arrival of former Heart of Midlothian and Queen's Park winger, Lewis Moore, prior to that game.

Although Moore was not involved against Rovers, played ahead of a friendly with Partick Thistle last night (Tuesday), Lyon played his first game for the 'Maroon Machine'.

Joining him was Craig Johnston, signed from Montrose, whilst Tidser's other summer recruits - Kyle Gourlay, Jamie Walker, Adam Corbett, Ross Cunningham, and Stefan McCluskey - also started.

Tiwi Daramola, who was signed in January from Bo'ness Athletic, but returned there on loan for the remainder of the season, also played, as did trialist, Billy Owens.

Before the game with Thistle, Owens was announced by the club as having signed, having featured in the games with Raith and Gala Fairydean Rovers, Kelty's first pre-season friendly.

When it was put to him that there was plenty of encouragement from his summer signings, Tidser told Press Sport following last Saturday's game: "When I was going through the summer, and I was trying to sign players, these were the boys I'd identified early doors because, probably the good part is that I've played against them, so I know what they can do.

"You could feel it on the park, who's good players and the way I wanted to play, the system. I don't like using the word philosophy, but they know how I want to play, in terms of quick strikers and good players round about them.

"Rossco (Cunningham) and CJ (Johnston) certainly add that, and have good quality as well.

"I'm really pleased but, listen, I'm still short. As you can see, I'm still playing kids at times as well, so it's something me and the staff are working on, continuously, every day, to try and bring in good quality players."

One of those was Owens, who was one of four trialists to feature in Kelty's first friendly against Gala, but the only one involved last weekend.

A product of the Partick Thistle youth system, the 20-year-old, who has previously turned out for Lowland League East Kilbride on loan, began the Raith match at right back, but can also play in midfield.

"The trialists have been doing well. I've had young Billy Owens in, who's been at Partick Thistle, and he's handled it really well," Tidser continued.

"He's only a kid, so it's about him trying to get first team football, and that's a conversation I'll have with him privately.

"I've been pleased with him the last two games, and we'll see if we can sort something out with that."

Tidser has also been encouraged with the way his new-look Kelty side have started their preparations for the upcoming campaign.

They produced an impressive display in an entertaining draw with Rovers and, when asked if it was possible to see signs of an identity and way of playing were beginning to form, he commented: "I suppose you probably could.

"Obviously, it's hard for me to judge how people see it, but I like to control the game and, then, when we do get in the forward areas, I like us to spring quick and get bodies in the box. I think you could probably see that on three or four occasions where boys are really bursting a gut to get in the box and cause problems, because that's how games are won.

!I'm really pleased. Listen, it's early doors. I'll keep emphasising that point. If you sit here at Christmas time, and I'm saying the same things, then there's an issue, but I'm really pleased with how the first couple of games have went."

This afternoon, Kelty played their final warm-up match at Bo'ness Athletic, and emerged with a 5-1 victory.

Ross Cunningham's deflected early effort gave them the lead before Jason Thomson's header, and a Tidser free-kick, put the 'Maroon Machine' three goals up after 13 minutes at Newton Park.

Craig Johnston made it four shortly afterwards before Stefan McCluskey added a fifth in the second half, before the East of Scotland League, Second Division side pulled one back late on.