Kelty Hearts fell to a home defeat against Alloa Athletic after goals from Kurtis Roberts and Stefan Scougall.  Goals either side of half time secured victory for the Wasps as they moved into the top four. 

After a promising start for the Maroon Machine, Andy Graham’s side took the lead just before half time.  Trying to build from the back, Ryan Adamson’s pass was cut out by Scougall who set up Roberts for a first time finish from outside of the box.  

The second goal put the game beyond doubt for the visitors, coming in the 81st minute through Scougal.  Kalvin Orsi led the Alloa counter and slipped through Burnside down the right, the substitute cut back across goal where the former Sheffield United midfielder provided a calm finish.  

Things went from bad to worse for Kelty Hearts as Ricco Diack was shown a second yellow card in the 90th minute.  The first yellow came in the first half for reacting aggressively to a shirt pull which stopped his run.  The second yellow which saw him dismissed was similarly for dissent, after lashing out when he had been fouled.

The evening may have gone differently however had it not been from a number of good saves from Tochukwu Ogayi.  The first came in the first half, when Joe Teasdale skinned O’Donnell and curled an effort destined for the top corner only to be kept out by Ogayi’s arm.  

Teasdale was a bright spark for Kelty, and he was kept out again by the Alloa shot-stopper at the start of the second half.  After beating the Wasps full-back for pace, Teasdale tried to sneak it in at the near post but Ogayi parried over.

Reflecting on the match to Kelty Hearts TV, Thomas O’Ware believed “overall, the quality from us wasn’t good enough.  The biggest disappointment for us was the quality up front… we’re giving really cheap goals away and we’re not creating anything.”

Written by: Jamie Szmitz

Photography: Kevin Marshall (@KayemPhoto)