Nathan Austin is combining an electrician’s apprenticeship with his football commitments with the striker’s hat-trick in this second leg League Two play-off providing the current for Barry Ferguson’s side.
The 27-year-old, one of a number of the Kelty side who have significant experience of full-time, senior football, netted a hat-trick to expunge any hopes Broara had of coming back from the 2-0 opening leg deficit. Dylan Easton chipped in with a fourth to give the Fife men an emphatic 6-1 aggregate victory.
It leaves Kelty looking at a two-leg play-off final against Brechin with the prize for victory a place in the SPFL. After being denied the chance to go into League Two via the pyramid system last term and having to hang on until the last minute this season to have the system open, there is an appreciation of the opportunity that the part-timers have.
Ferguson’s side have been bankrolled by Ian Thomson chairman for over 40 years, with the remit for the former Rangers midfielder to take the club into the senior tier when he and his assistant, Bob Malcolm, were appointed in 2018.
“I think it’s been a little bit mis-read what Kelty Hearts are all about,” he said.
“We just wanted the chance to play Brora and then Brechin. If we get beaten by Brechin then it’s fair and square. We’ve had our chance to go up.
“But the thought of it being taken away from us and not getting the chance to play the play-offs did not make a lot of sense to a lot of the boys.
“‘For a lot of players who play in the Lowland Leagues, the cherry on top is the play-offs. It’s the chance to play in big games like this and to get promoted. If we don’t take it we have still had our chance and we can’t really complain about it.”
Ferguson’s side have already beaten Brechin in the League Cup this term although the two-legged nature of the tie may change the dynamic somewhat. Still, the expectation is that Kelty are strong enough to force their way into the league set-up.
Ferguson kicked every ball from his small technical area on Saturday afternoon and conceded after the game that he had offered a candid assessment at the interval as he sought to gee up his players.
“Barry is very demanding as a manager but we are all behind him and he’s been brilliant for me,” said Austin. “I was coming towards the end of my time at Inverness and the gaffer drove all the way up there to have a little chat with me. As a player it’s things like that make you feel wanted. It was a big decision to come back to part time football but I think it’s been worth it.
"Now I’m desperate to help repay him by helping this club into the SPFL. I’ve done okay over the past two years. I’ve given Kelty everything I have got and hopefully I can carry on. It’s one more push and hopefully the club can get where it needs to be. But we are not taking anything for granted.
“I don’t think Barry is any different as a manager [than he was as a player]. He demands high standards and the players we have brought in shows you the quality he is after. He is very demanding as a manager but we are all behind him and he’s been brilliant for me personally and for a lot of the boys as well.”
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