Kelty Hearts signed off from the 2025/26 campaign with a win in Aberdeenshire against Peterhead.  Late goals from Lewis Moore and Arran Pettifer clinched the Maroon Machine’s sixth victory of the season.

The deadlock was eventually broken in the 85th minute through Moore.  Murray Thomas played a good pass through to Innes Murray who teed up Moore in the box.  Kelty’s number seven took the time to pick his spot and slot in his third goal of the season.

All three points were clinched two minutes into injury time with the last kick of the season.  Kyle Gorulay’s goal-kick was chased all the way through to opposite goalkeeper Jack Newman who cleared with his head.  The clearance was only as far as Pettifer who calmly lifted a volley over the ‘keeper for Kelty’s second.

Peterhead thought they had taken the lead in the first half when Kieran Shanks leaped to head in a cross from close range.  However, the referee adjudged the PFA League One Player of the Year nominee to have fouled Dylan Corr with a shove in the back.

The Balmoor side would have the ball in the back of the net again in the 61st minute but it was once again ruled out.  This time Andy McCarthy was caught offside from the second ball after a corner, with his close range finish being disallowed.

Reflecting on the closing 90 minutes of the 2025/26 campaign, Thomas O’Ware said it was “pleasing to end with a positive in a season that’s had so many negatives.  It was an opportunity to give a lot of players minutes, especially the younger ones, so it was pleasing to end the way we did.”

Written by: Jamie Szmitz

Photography: Kevin Marshall (@KayemPhoto)