Kelty Hearts suffered a damaging defeat to Annan Athletic on the road despite taking the lead.  Liam Brown gave Kelty Hearts the lead mid-way through the first half before two goals in five minutes turned the game on its head.

The opener from Liam Brown was his first for the club, but it was a memorable strike.  Picking up the ball from Kirk Broadfoot, the midfielder skillfully duped two defenders with a turn and curled a shot home from distance.

In the 75th minute the equaliser arrived from a corner.  Wullie Gibson’s corner sailed to the back post where Max Kilsby cushioned the ball into the back of the net.  

Only five minutes later, the hosts were in front again from a corner swung in from the right.  Gibson’s corner was headed back across goal towards the path of Luca Ross who from six yards out couldn’t miss.  

Kelty Hearts almost doubled their lead in the first half after latching onto a mistake.  The pass back to Jamie Smith was sloppy across the box and Luke McCarvel was a whisker away from getting there before the goalkeeper.  

After a dominant first half from Kelty, Annan grew into the game after the second goal never came.  The hosts looked more threatening from set pieces and crosses as the match went on.  In between the two goals, Wullie Gibson’s audacious curling effort from 30 yards out went just wide.  

The 2-1 win closes gap to only goal difference between Annan and eighth placed Inverness.  Kelty Hearts sit four points ahead of both, with the promotion playoffs now five points away.  

Written by: Jamie Szmitz

Photograhy: Kevin Marshall (@KayemPhoto)