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COVE RANGERS 2–2 KELTY HEARTS

Cove Rangers will be in the SPFL playoffs for just the second time, the point against Kelty enough to ensure a top four finish. This was a game that should have been out of sight, Emslie and Megginson putting us in a strong position, and we looked to be cruising to victory with an hour gone. That changed when Kelty scored twice in quick order to snatch a draw which guaranteed their survival.

With Connor Scully out through injury, his first absence since March 2023, the manager named an unchanged line-up for our final home game of the League One campaign.

Kelty kicked-off, but we were soon on the attack, Adam Emslie flashing in a dangerous cross which O’Ware hacked clear.

Our next move came from deep, Nick Suman finding Ryan Harrington, and when Blair Yule played in Mikey Doyle, the full-back’s shot was charged down by Paterson on the edge of the box.

Megginson and Fyvie linked-up well as we kept up the pressure, but Emslie was unable to get his delivery in. He did so in our next foray forward, but O’Ware was on hand to block it. Yule was seeing plenty of the ball in the middle of the pitch and set up Dylan Lobban who swept in a fine cross, Mitch Megginson heading just over from twelve yards.

Our first scare came with twenty minutes gone, McCarvel wriggling free inside the area but shooting into the side-netting.

For the most part we continued to dominate, putting together plenty attractive passing moves, but unable to find the killer pass or create clear cut opportunities.

Lobban had another delivery cut out, then his next found Fyvie at the back post, but the captain was unable to direct his volley on target. The breakthrough came in our next attack.

Doyle passed to Dylan Lobban, who turned away leaving Paterson in his tracks. The teenager raced forward, crossing low, and Adam EMSLIE, who had drifted infield, took a touch before angling a shot beyond Adams and into the bottom corner.

As the boys pressed for a second, Megginson held the ball up before laying it into the path of Blair Yule whose effort was blocked on the edge of the area, then Mitch played in Fraser Fyvie, but the keeper was out quickly to save the midfielder’s low strike.

We did increase our advantage in the thirty-seventh minute.

Yule took possession deep before passing to Megginson, who clipped an inviting ball over the top for Fyvie to run on to. Fraser raced past Scott Allan, the Kelty man lunging into a challenge which sent the captain sprawling on the turf. It was a clear penalty, referee Soutar pointing immediately to the spot.

Mitch MEGGINSON stepped up to rifle the ball low into the bottom corner past the despairing Adams.

Emslie had a couple of efforts after the interval, and Dylan Lobban had a shot saved as we looked likely to add to our tally, but the game changed with just half an hour remaining.

Kelty’s opener came out of the blue when MacIntyre cut in from the left and after his curling effort struck the bar, Craig JOHNSTON was on hand to net from close range.

Seven minutes later, the game was level. Having gained confidence from their goal, the visitors were applying pressure, and when Ross CUNNINGHAM saw his shot charged down, the Kelty man reacted quickest to hammer the ball past Nick Suman.

Johnston might have put them in front soon after, his low angled drive whistling just wide of the back post.

We pushed in the last part of the game, Megginson seeing one shot saved and another, after good link-up between Liam Parker and Dylan Lobban, charged down by Flatman, but failed to seriously trouble Adams and had to settle for a point.

It was the fourth league meeting of the teams at Balmoral Stadium, all four having ended in draws. Of those, three have finished 2-2, with one side or the other coming back from 2-0 down. Strangely, we have won on all four visits to New Central Park.

The result worked for both, Kelty avoiding a relegation contest while we kept our promotion dream alive, although the schedule for the playoffs will only be confirmed after the final round of fixtures next Saturday.

COVE RANGERS (4-2-3-1): Suman; Doyle, Gillingham, Parker, Harrington; Darge (Glass 88), Yule; Lobban, Fyvie (c), Emslie; Megginson,

Substitutes: Demus, Murray, McGrath, Coulson, Marshall, Gaffney

Goalscorers: Emslie (30), Megginson (pen 37)

Booked: Doyle (67), Parker (73), Fyvie (90)

KELTY HEARTS (4-2-3-1): Adams; Thomas, Flatman, O’Ware (c), Paterson; Cunningham, S. Allan (C. Allan 57); MacIntyre, McCarvel, Moore (Cole 57); Johnston

Substitutes: Adamson, Owens, Mercer, Hobbs, Lyon, Fellows

Goalscorers: Johnston (61), Cunningham (68)

Booked:

Referee: Greg Soutar

Attendance: 389

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