GeoSonic Scottish Football Lowland League:

Kelty Hearts 1 Spartans 1

A PENALTY from Stephen Husband ensured Kelty Hearts remain top of the Lowland League after a keenly-contested game with Spartans.

The former Pars midfielder's spot-kick with 15 minutes to go earned a point for Barry Ferguson's team, who remain unbeaten at New Central Park this season and after two matches under their new manager.

After a crowd of 560 turned out for their previous match at home to Gala Fairydean, this meeting with the reigning champions attracted another attendance in excess of 500 – a good 200 more than Cowdenbeath managed to attract for their senior clash with Elgin on the same day.

Spartans went ahead six minutes from half-time when Blair Tolmie powered home a header.

The equaliser came when Stuart Cargill was sent sprawling inside the area and that allowed Husband to step up and net his eighth goal of the season.

Kelty's lead at the top has been reduced to a single point from East Kilbride, who have a game in hand.

Ferguson commented: "It was a pretty even game; I don't think any team dominated. I don't think we were at our best but you're going to get games like that.

"What I can say about these boys is the effort they gave me because that was top-notch. We could've played a wee bit better but that's me being picky.

"I said to them in the dressing room be disappointed but this is our first year in the league, the champions have come and we've come away with a point.

"At times we could've been a bit better on the ball but that's something we'll work on in training."

East of Scotland League, Conference B:

Crossgates Primrose 2 Tynecastle 1

SCOTT HYND was the home hero as his last-minute goal earned Crossgates Primrose a fourth successive win on Saturday.

The game looked as though it was heading for a draw until the former Alloa Athletic hitman's late intervention, which handed the Humbug Park outfit a fifth league victory of the season.

Primrose started the game superbly and were in front after just three minutes thanks to Darren Aitken, but Tynecastle equalised midway through the first half.

With the wind in their favour, Crossgates dominated for long spells after the break, and their persistence eventually paid off when Hynd struck.

Manager Alan Campbell, whose team host Dunipace in the preliminary round of the League Cup this weekend, said: "I thought we dominated for the whole of the second half and I always thought a goal would come, although I didn't think it would take until the 88th or 89th minute! We went 3-4-3 for the last 15 minutes and had five strikers on the pitch, and you could see that they were playing for time.

"That's four wins on the bounce so we just have to keep it going. I'm delighted with where we are from where we've come from."

Conference A:

Tweedmouth Rangers 0 Oakley United 2

OAKLEY UNITED made the perfect start under new manager Stewart Kenny by seeing off the challenge of Tweedmouth Rangers.

Kenny, who was appointed as Richard Fox's successor last week after leaving Tullibody Amateurs, inherited a side that had lost six league matches in a row and had conceded 29 goals in nine games.

They made sure of a clean sheet against the basement side, who have lost all 10 of their games so far and have scored just twice, and three points thanks to goals from Mark Allan and Jack Cowan.

Kenny said: "It's a great opportunity and, I have to say, the first week has been brilliant. The response from the players after everything that has gone on has been fantastic, and I take my hat off to them.

"The tempo we played at and the way that we dictated the game was fantastic. Based on what I've seen so far, Oakley are in a false position and should be higher up.

"I feel that the only way is up."

Conference C:

Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts 3 Stirling University 2,

A DOMINANT first-half performance was the catalyst for Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts to rack up their third successive league victory against Stirling University.

The Ballast Bank outfit's recent resurgence under manager Lee Duffy continued against the students, who found themselves 3-0 down at the break.

Ally Griffin's close-range finish on 16 minutes put them ahead and, after Brodie Hamilton fired home a superb free kick just before the half-hour, Griffin headed in his second a minute from the interval.

Although Stirling pulled two goals back in the second period, the home side had done enough, and Duffy said: "In the first half, we were outstanding. We nullified their threat to zero, were 3-0 up at half-time and forced them into mistakes that created good opportunities.

"In the second half, we had to make a few changes but we got a bit complacent, and that gave them a bit of confidence.

"I said to the boys at half-time that I think there's still a bit more to come, and that's a compliment to the players. They know the standards I expect and we're going the right way."

Thorntons Property East Region League Cup:

Kinnoull 7 Rosyth 1

ROSYTH boss Brian Muirhead said he would shoulder much of the responsibility after his side were humbled by Kinnoull.

The visitors went into the match on a three-game winning streak in league and cup but, for this Section K opener, they were without six players.

Fielding a rotated squad, and deploying a different formation, Rosyth got off to the worst possible start when the hosts went in front after just four minutes.

However, midway through the first half, Muirhead's team levelled through Conor Drury, but then went behind at the interval.

The game started to slip away from the Rec's grasp 10 minutes into the second half when Jamie Stewart conceded a penalty – and was red-carded – for handball.

Kinnoull scored from the spot and then added four more to condemn Rosyth to a heavy defeat.

"I take a lot of the responsibility and maybe I shouldn't have made as many changes as I did," Muirhead reflected.

"We had six missing and I wanted to rotate the squad. The plus signs for me are that there are four guys who have not had much game time got 60-70 minutes, and it's a learning experience. How we'll react to it, I'll find out in training.

"At the start of the season, our aim was to be competitive, get the club on a sound footing and finish as high as possible in the league. That's still the case."

Rosyth, who have completed the return of Mikey McMillan, have been drawn at home to Ayrshire side Annbank United in the fourth round of the Scottish Junior Cup.

Saturday's fixtures (kick-offs 2pm unless stated): East of Scotland League, Conference A – Hawick Royal Albert v Oakley United (2.30pm). Conference C – Edinburgh United v Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts. League Cup preliminary round – Crossgates Primrose v Dunipace (1.30pm). McBookie.com Premier League South – Rosyth v Lochore Welfare.