Kelty Provide No Pleasure In The Redwood Leisure
Citylink Scottish Junior Cup finalists Kelty Hearts were Carnoustie Panmure's oppponents at Laing Park on Saturday afternoon.And they returned to Fife with a 2-0 victory and a place in the third round of the Redwood Leisure Cup.
With a strong westerly wind at their backs in the first half, Carnoustie attacked from the kick-off and forced an early corner on the left, but Conway's cross was caught by a gust and carried over the crossbar.
Another corner, this time taken on the right by Russell, kept the pressure on the Kelty goal, but Cumming's header was weak and straight at 'keeper Fleming.
Conway then made a good run up the left and fired a low cross into the box, but Abbot shot over from 15 yards.
It was all Carnoustie at this stage and a Russell 25 yard drive flashed just wide of the right-hand post.
Kelty's first real chance of the match followed a fine solo run up the right by Seath, who held off Cumming, but his shot from the edge of the box was wide of Whyte's right-hand post.
Back at the other end, Fleming had to look sharp to beat Collier to a through ball from Conway.
As the Gowfers continued to press, a Conway free kick from the left was punched for a corner by Fleming. Russell's cross from the right was cleared away by Gordon Findlay, but only as far as Conway, who return shot, however, went weakly past the post.
Currie then got up the left for Kelty and fired in a good cross, which was met by Graham 12 yards out, but his shot lacked direction and flew wide of the target.
Despite their domination of the game, Carnoustie were lucky not to go behind when a short passback by Kerrigan was pounced upon by Bathgate, but Whyte came out bravely to block the shot at the feet of the Kelty striker.
Play then switched quickly to the other end and a great cross from Conway on the home left was met by Hendry, who should have done better than head over from 15 yards.
Moments later, a through ball from Smith once more opened up the Kelty defence, but as Conway went through on goal, he slightly over-ran the ball and Fleming was able to block his shot.
In 37 minutes, Carnoustie were forced to make a substitution when Kerrigan suffered a recurrence of his earlier injury and had to go off. He was replaced by Hall, who went to full-back with Cumming reverting to centre-half.
Still the Gowfers tried to make use of the wind, but their finishing was poor, Conway sending a 30 yard drive well wide of Fleming's left-hand upright.
Shortly afterwards, Rollo attempted to head clear from a Craig free kick, but the ball dropped out to Hall, who shot also failed to trouble the keeper.
Half-time: Carnoustie Panmure 0 Kelty Hearts 0
Kelty now had the wind in their favour and straight from the restart Graham tried a long-range effort, which sailed high over the crossbar.
The visitors continued to press and won a corner, but Seath's cross was headed clear by Voigt, back helping his defence.
The Gowfers had a lucky escape when a Currie 35 yard free kick took a deflection off the defensive wall, but flew straight into Whyte's hand when it could have gone anywhere.
Seath then chased a through ball from Smart, but shot weakly past from the edge of the box.
The visitors mounting pressure eventually paid off in 57 minutes when Currie took a short corner to Lawre, whose 25 yard shot bounced awkwardly in the crowded goalmouth and dropped to the unmarked ROLLO, who headed past Whyte from six yards to put Kelty ahead.
In 65 minutes, McCreadie replaced Gordon Findlay for the Fifers.
Two minutes later, Abbot was booked for dissent.
Lawrie put Carnoustie under further pressure with a well-taken free kick, which Whyte did well to turn over for a corner. Currie's flag kick, however, was headed clear by Conway, also now back helping the overworked Gowfers defence.
Carnoustie were now living dangerously and when Whyte fluffed a free kick midway inside his own half, the ball was quickly fired back by Currie, whose effort was only just too high with the keeper stranded well off his line.
In 75 minutes, the game was over as a contest when the Gowfers fell further behind courtesy of an unfortunate own goal. In attempting to clear a Lawrie corner from the left, VOIGT only succeeded in slicing the ballk past Whyte from six yards, giving the keeper no chance.
Shortly afterwards, it was almost three when a long-range strike by Bathgate had Whyte scrambling across his goal with the keeper relieved to see the ball going just past his left-hand post.
Whyte had another close shave when a Currie snap shot from the halfway line caught the keeper well off his line, but the ball struck the crossbar and went over.
Carnoustie made a second substitution in 85 minutes, Steele replacing Russell.
Although Kelty appeared to be coasting to victory, the Gowfers had a chance to grab a consolation goal in the dying seconds when a Cumming cross to the near post should have been stuck away, but Voigt headed past when it looked easier to score.
Line-Ups:
Carnoustie Panmure : Whyte, Smith, Cumming, Craig, Kerrigan (Hall 37), Abbot, Russell (Steele 85), Hendry, Collier, Voigt, Conway
Substitutes Not Used - O?Boyle, Bollan, Butter (gk)
Kelty Hearts : Fleming, Smart, Fullerton, Gordon Findlay (McCreadie 65), Rollo, Graham Findlay, Lawrie, Graham, Bathgate, Seath, Currie
Substitutes Not Used ? Mauchlen, Vaughan, Moffat, Scott
Referee : C.Duncan, Dundee