Falkirk 2 Kelty Hearts 2

KELTY HEARTS maintained hopes of gate-crashing the League One promotion play-offs after earning a point in an absorbing game at champions Falkirk.

They twice fought back to level in a first half that saw home defender, Coll Donaldson, sent off after just 17 minutes for violent conduct after he felled Alfie Bavidge.

By then, Calvin Miller had slotted the hosts ahead but, in bizarre circumstances, Leon McCann's pass back ended up in his own net to square the game.

Callumn Morrison put the Bairns back in front in 32 minutes but, within a minute, Reece Lyon's low strike via the post, for his eighth of the campaign, brought Michael Tidser's side level once more.

They had plenty of chances thereafter, coming closest when Bavidge struck the crossbar with a well-taken first-time effort on the volley just after the hour, but they couldn't become the first team to defeat John McGlynn's side in the league this season.

Ahead of fifth-top Cove Rangers playing Alloa Athletic in the late kick off, Kelty moved to within three points of Montrose, who sit fourth, ahead of meeting them at New Central Park next weekend.

If Cove drew in their match, they would also be three points above Kelty, but a win over the Wasps would take them fourth and five points clear with two games left.

"I think when they go down to 10 men, we probably dominate the game from there," Tider said post-match.

"They're obviously trying to hit us on the break, which is natural when you're down to 10. They were hanging on to their (unbeaten) record as well, and we knew that as well.

"We threw the kitchen sink at them but we just couldn't get that third goal. I'm just really pleased with how far we've came, the progression we've made this season, and we just need to keep going.

"Two more games to go, and we'll see where we are come May 4."

Bairns counterpart, John McGlynn, commented: "It was a great start from us.

"Calvin gets the goal, it gets ourselves in front, and, of course, the game changes on the sending off.

"I've not seen it back but it was a complete accident. I can understand why the referee's showed red, but Coll's an aggressive player, but he's not an overly aggressive player.

"It was a freak actually. The ball was up there at a funny height, he's went in, it was so quick, and the referee was equally as quick with red card, so he didn't have any hesitation.

"Of course, we lose a goal, and then we managed to get ourselves back in front, which was great. Callum did brilliantly to get the goal, big Ross MacIver did great to dispossess Jason Thomson, and Callum's done great.

"There's a mishap in our defence with regards to the second goal, a mistake, so we can't legislate for that, but we defended really, really well.

"We had to sit off the game. We just wanted to keep our unbeaten run then and, if we could, on the counter-attack, score a goal.

"I'm very, very proud of the second half performance to get a clean sheet with 10 men. We played there for 70-odd minutes with 10 men. Kelty have won their last three games, they're in good form, have got good players, so it was a different tactical game for us in the second half with regards to sitting in, denying space in behind and frustrating the opposition, which happens to us quite a lot, most of the time, but against 11 players.

"We made it difficult for them and, barring probably hitting the bar, and Dylan Tait clearing a ball off the line, which is important of course, I thought we were well worthy of the point and to keep our unbeaten record intact.

"I can't really compliment the boys enough on the work-rate, the discipline they showed, and their attitude."

The visitors were forced into one enforced change to the team that secured their League One status with a win over Stirling Albion last weekend.

Central defender Brad McKay, on loan from Falkirk, was ineligible to play against his parent club, so he dropped out, with the experienced Jason Thomson coming in.

However, in the run-up to kick off, they had to make another when Tam O'Ware, who was due to start, dropped out after feeling his Achillies, with Lewis Owens replacing him.

The champions also made one alteration to their side following their 2-0 win at Hamilton Academical last Saturday, with Liam Henderson returning in place of McCann, as McGlynn signalled his intent by naming a strong side.

Falkirk were aiming to complete their title-winning campaign without losing a game in the division, and had won all three meetings with Kelty this season going into this one.

However, the visitors ran the Bairns close in the previous two, netting an equaliser at the Falkirk Stadium in December, before losing 2-1, and then being edged out by a single goal at New Central Park in February.

They also picked up four points from six on the other side of the Kincardine Bridge last season, and, ahead of the game, player / boss Michael Tidser - who previously had a short spell with Falkirk - had admitted it would be "sweet" to be the team to end his old club's unbeaten run.

His team afforded their opponents a guard of honour, before starting brightly in the opening few minutes but, when they fell behind in the eighth minute, you feared they could be in for a long afternoon.

Kyle Gourlay was on hand to parry an effort from Morrison but, when the ball broke loose, Miller reacted quickest to score from around six yards.

Miller soon after drove wide for the Bairns but the visitors gave an indication they carried a threat, with Craig Johnston sending a dangerous ball across goal, with no takers, before Stefan McCluskey, last weekend's goal hero, fired wide from range.

However, in the 17th minute, the momentum of the contest swung Kelty's way when Falkirk were reduced to 10 men.

Donaldson floored Bavidge after an aerial challenge which, despite protests from home players and fans alike, referee Irvine deemed to be worthy of a red card for violent conduct.

McGlynn immediately reacted to that, sacrificing goalscorer Miller for full back McCann, before watching Gourlay prevent Ross MacIver's flick crossing the line after he pounced on a Henderson header.

Then, in the 25th minute, Kelty were level in the most bizarre of circumstances.

There appeared to be little danger when McCann sent the ball back towards his goal but, to the astonishment of everyone in the stadium, it finished beyond Hogarth and into the net.

In an all-action encounter, Aidan Nesbitt dragged a shot wide for Falkirk, and then Henderson charged down a Lyon effort, before the crowd saw two goals in a minute.

The majority of them were on their feet celebrating their side's second when a McCluskey pass put Thomson in trouble, with Dylan Tait seizing the ball and driving forward on the left.

His cross was laid on by MacIver for Morrison and, although Gourlay got a portion of his body on the ball, he couldn't keep it out from close range.

However, the Bairns' celebrations had barely died down when Kelty went up the other end and equalised for a second time when Lyon, from the edge of the area, drove a low shot in off the right-hand post.

It was a brilliant response from the visitors, who saw Finn Yeats clear their bar with a header from outside the penalty area, before Lyon was blocked from Brad Spencer, and Tidser fired wide from distance at the end of a breathless opening 45 minutes.

Kelty started the second period well, with Bavidge sending an effort wide before having another blocked, with Lewis O'Donnell scooping the loose ball over, and they came even closer just on the hour mark.

From a corner kick, Thomson sent a header towards the back post, which appeared to be heading in until Tait did brilliantly to slide for the ball and clear on the line.

The visitors were having the upper hand and, moments later, Bavidge came agonisingly close to putting them ahead.

The on-loan Aberdeen forward met a flighted ball into the box really well, sending a first time effort towards goal, but could only watch as it rattled off the crossbar.

Kelty continued to probe, and Hogarth, having initially punched out a cross he perhaps could've caught, saved well with his feet to deny Moore.

O'Donnell shot over as the clock ticked into the final 10 minutes before sub and ex-Kelty man, Alfredo Agyeman, fired a dangerous low, driven ball right across the box, only to have no team-mates there to capitalise.

Falkirk keeper Hogarth was booked for timewasting, which showed how the game was going, and the hosts' desperation to preserve their unbeaten run.

Despite continuing to apply pressure, a free-kick from substitute Ross Cunningham in stoppage time, which flew over, the visitors couldn't find a winner, but took home a point to keep their promotion play-off hopes alive.

Falkirk: Hogarth, Yeats, Donaldson, Mackie, Henderson, Spencer, Tait, Morrison (Agyeman 83), Nesbitt (Ross 83), Miller (McCann 19), MacIver (Shanley 77).

Subs not used: Long, McGinn, Oliver, Bisland.

Goals: Miller (8), Morrison (32) Red card: Donaldson (17).

Booked: Hogarth (82).

Kelty Hearts: Gourlay, Paterson, L. Owens, Thomson, Lyon, Johnston, McCluskey (Cunningham 77), Tidser, O'Donnell, Bavidge, Moore.

Subs not used: Biabi, B. Owens, McAllister, Campbell, McGlynn, Garvie, McGiffin, Shearer.

Goals: McCann (OG, 25), Lyon (33) Referee: Grant Irvine.

Attendance: 4,607.