IT was third time unlucky for Crossgates Primrose and Oakley United as the weather once more dashed their Junior Cup hopes at the weekend.

Prospects of third round ties with Ayrshire big shots Beith Juniors and East Region Super League Linlithgow Rose were hit by the freezing temperatures that swept the country and decimated the cup card.

A fourth attempt will be made this Saturday for the glamour matches to take place as West Fife’s remaining cup representatives each eye a major shock.

Primrose take on a Beith side who are top of the West Region Super Premier Division and were cup winners in 2016.

South Division Oakley have a tough task against Super League table-toppers and four-time cup winners Rose, who last won the trophy in 2010.

Rosyth’s league clash at home to Harthill Royal was also postponed.

Leith Ath 0 Kelty Hearts 2

THOMAS Courts felt that Saturday’s testing trip to Leith went “according to plan” as Kelty strengthened their grip at the top.

Manchester City may be enjoying the adulation of winning 14 league games in a row in England’s top flight but the New Central Park side are not far behind, having made it 12 from 12 in the East of Scotland League.

The levels of football may be very different but Hearts’ consistency since moving from the juniors is just as commendable as they seek to win instant promotion to the Lowland League.

Boss Courts anticipated that the game at Peffermill would be his team’s toughest test and he was proven correct, with this match the lowest winning margin of their season so far.

They struggled to create many clear-cut opportunities against a well organised home side – who are second in the table – during the first half and it was from a set-piece that they made the breakthrough.

Errol Douglas headed in from a corner and, although he missed a chance to double his tally, Kelty added a second when Conrad Courts thumped home another header from a near-post corner.

The visitors saw the game out in the second period and a delighted Courts said: “I knew we were in for a match and that’s the way it transpired.

“Their gameplan in the first half showed a lot of respect to us; they retreated a bit and allowed us to have possession, but we struggled to break them down.

“We managed to score two set-piece goals, which we’ve been strong at this season, and I was a bit relieved and thankful at half-time that our quality shone through.

“We seemed comfortable at the back in the second half and were hitting them on the counter-attack – which is where we had some of our best chances in the game – and we were well worthy of the win.

“I was hopeful the third goal would come but we went into game management mode. I’ve tried to impress on the players that we’ve no divine right to win games, even though we’ve had a couple of resounding victories, and there are teams who could hold their own in the (junior) Super League. Leith are one of them.

“They were coming into it in really good form – I think they had won nine and drawn one of their previous 10 – but we fought tooth and nail. It sets us up nicely for Stirling Uni.”

The students’ visit to New Central Park on Saturday will be the third meeting between the teams in league and cup.

Hearts were 3-0 and 7-1 victors in those games but Courts said: “We’ve played twice and had two convincing victories, but we will take the game on its own merit.

“They’re a team that took points off last season’s champions but we want to send our fans away for the Christmas break with smiles on their faces.”

Kelty, who played Penicuik Athletic in a friendly on Tuesday night, have arranged matches with Tayport and Dundonald Bluebell before and after Christmas.

Saturday’s fixtures (kick-off 1.30pm unless stated): Scottish Junior Cup third round - Crossgates Primrose v Beith Juniors, Oakley United v Linlithgow Rose. McBookie.com South Division - Rosyth v Harthill Royal.