The Bairns made the trip over the Forth Road Bridge to Fife this afternoon as they visited Kelty Hearts.Despite Falkirk winning their three previous cinch League One fixtures and playing against a Kelty team struggling for form, the home side started the brighter of the two teams and they had a good chance on eight minutes as Kallum Higginbotham went close with a shot from the edge of the box. The Bairns then had a chance of their own as Leon McCann did well to get on the end of a cross running from deep but couldn’t keep his effort on target.
Falkirk followed this up with two other good chances, with Juan Alegria’s volley and Callumn Morrison’s shot from a tight angle going just wide, but it was the hosts that were to take the lead just before the 20-minute mark. Falkirk failed to clear their lines forcing Nicky Hogarth to make a good save, but Joe Cardle was there to tap home. Shortly after John McGlynn’s side were two down as Scott McGill fired home at the near post to double his side’s lead.
After a disappointing first half The Bairns had much more of the ball in the second period as Kelty looked to protect their lead. Two chances in quick succession came after the break from two half times substitutes as Rumarn Burrell drove down the right before firing just wide and moments later Ola Lawal fired just over from range. With twenty minutes to go Callumn beat his man wide on the left and fired a shot from a tight angle that was saved by the goalkeeper, but chances were few and far between for the visitors.
In the closing stages Kelty nearly added a third, with Kallum Higginbotham firing over from outside the box and late-substitute Alfredo Agyeman went through one-on-one, but he fluffed his lines shooting straight into Hogarth’s hands, and the second half ended goalless and in defeat for Falkirk.
Full Time: Kelty Hearts 2-0 Falkirk
Attendance: 1203
FALKIRK: Hogarth, McCann, Henderson, Donaldson, Mackie, McGinn, Yeats, Nesbitt, McGuffie, Morrison, Alegria
Subs: Martin, Sneddon, Hetherington, Carroll, Oliver, Ross, Burrell, Lawal
KELTY HEARTS: Jamieson, Thomson, Hill, Bell, Martin, Barjonas, Tidser, Lyon, Cardle, Higginbotham, McGill.
Subs: Logan, Forster, McNab, Cameron, Hunter, Campbell, Agyeman, Philp
