KELTY HEARTS boss Thomas Courts says that Saturday’s Scottish Cup cracker with Hill of Beath Hawthorn is all to play for.

Fierce local rivalry will be turned up an extra notch at New Central Park when Haws, winners of the Junior Cup in 1990, make the short journey to face the unbeaten Super League leaders in the fourth round.

Courts’ side go into the tie still unbeaten this season and are on course for a second championship in three years, having established a 17-point lead over Bonnyrigg Rose after winning 16 and drawing two of their 18 games.

They’ve hit the net 53 times in that period and that included five at Keirs Park in September when the clubs last met on league duty.

Courts (below) knows that his side will be favourites to reach the last 16 in front of what is expected to be a packed house but he insists there will be no complacency in his camp.

Dunfermline Press:

Speaking to Press Sport this week, he said: “In any cup tie it is all about what happens on the day but this has the added spice, being against our local rivals. I am looking forward to the build-up to the game; there is a lot of interest in it and we will be favourites because we’re at home and won the last game quite convincingly. But we have to earn it and train harder than ever before because Hill of Beath might have a point to prove.

“If we perform to our maximum then we could expose any vulnerability of theirs but it is all to play for. Could Hill of Beath win? Yes and they’ll know that but if we start as well as we can then we are a difficult team to stop. I want my players to start how they have been, get on the front foot and try to maximise home advantage.

“We’re still unbeaten and on a good run so I hope my players use that as a source of motivation. We will give them total and utter respect.

“It is an exciting prospect.”

Player-boss Courts, who took the reigns at Kelty in 2013, is a veteran of derby clashes between the two, having also played for Hill of Beath in his career.

When asked if this was one of the biggest games the two have played each other in, he continued: “To the best of my knowledge, there have been a couple of title deciders between the clubs, but I’d say this is as big as that. We want to be a team that challenges in the Scottish Cup and Hill of Beath have a great tradition in it, so it has all the ingredients to be a cracker.

“It is a unique set of circumstances because we still have to play them four times (Junior Cup, Super League, East of Scotland Cup and Fife and Lothians Cup) but Hill of Beath won’t have watched us at as close quarters in the last 18 months, where we’ve had to adapt to the astro pitch at home.

“At this moment, we are delighted to be in the cup in January and I am hoping that, over the next few months, the occasions will get bigger and more important.

“There is a positive pressure there but I can feel that everyone at the club is totally behind us. We’re looking to go out and do them proud and it’s a game that everyone will do everything in their power to be available for.

“It should be a cracker.”

Hearts, whose Super League clash at Camelon on Saturday fell victim to the weather, played Brechin City in a friendly on Tuesday night and Courts should have a full squad to choose from.

Dunfermline Press:

Meanwhile, Scottish Cup winner Bobby Wilson has described Saturday’s tie as the biggest Junior Cup match-up in Fife that he can remember.

The Hill of Beath Hawthorn manager is looking forward to taking his side to New Central Park for what he believes will be a “superb occasion”.

The Keirs Park outfit go into the game with their great rivals as underdogs, with Kelty flying high at the top of the Super League and having beaten Haws 5-2 on their own patch in September, but Wilson says his team will go all out to “win the tie”.

While Kelty have reached the final twice – most recently in 2007 – they have yet to match their opponents’ feat of bringing the trophy home to the Kingdom.

Hill of Beath enjoyed their greatest hour in 1990 when, with Wilson instrumental in an attacking midfield role, they brought the cup back to Fife after beating Lesmahagow 1-0 at Kilmarnock’s Rugby Park thanks to Brian Ritchie.

The closest they have come to emulating that feat came in 2004 when, despite leading 3-1, they were knocked out in the semi-finals by eventual winners Carnoustie Panmure.

A win over their neighbours could help the class of 2017 on their way to a place in club folklore and Wilson said: “In the modern era it certainly has to be the biggest Scottish tie on the Fife scene and one which has certainly caught the imagination of the public.

“Hearts have been doing superbly well this season and deservedly lead the Super League by some distance but we are going to Kelty to try to win the tie.

“Our biggest problem this season has been consistency. We have a young side and they have produced some superb performances and results but at times they have failed to produce their best form week-in, week-out. That is something we have been working on and hopefully this weekend the fans will see the Haws at their best.

“It will be a superb occasion and a real showpiece for the junior game in this area.”

Wilson’s only absentee is suspended midfielder Lee Reid and he will look to former Rosyth hitman Tam Hampson to provide the ammunition in attack.

The big match, which kicks off at 1.45pm, is expected to attract a large crowd and admission prices are £6 for adults and £3 concessions.