Kelty Hearts have one boot in League Two after earning themselves a narrow advantage in front of their own fans at a raucous New Central Park.
With a place in League Two at stake, strikes from Kallum Higginbotham and substitute Cammy Russell were sandwiched either side of a Jonathan Page equaliser for Brechin City.
This was the shot at the SPFL that Kelty were denied last year when the season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. Right from the off, it appeared they were unwilling to let the opportunity slip through their grasp.
With a squad, never mind team, filled with players buoyed by Premiership and Championship experience, the Lowland League champions were never likely to shy away from the task of trying to earn themselves an advantage to take to Brechin on Sunday.
There were only 15 minutes gone when they made their early dominance count. A long, searching ball from Paddy Boyle eased Nathan Austin into space for a shot. When David Hutton repelled the effort, Higginbotham swept the loose ball into the bottom corner via the upright.
However, the lead lasted just six minutes as Brechin restored parity. A corner from the training ground saw Bobby Barr find Chris McKee with a low delivery and his shot was poked in from close range by Page.
Kelty’s dominance waned but they burst to life again a minute from the interval to regain the initiative. Dylan Easton and Higginbotham combined with slick interplay before the former found Russell running beyond the visitors’ defence. He fired firmly beyond David Hutton.
Hutton spectacularly denied a stunning shot from Higginbotham shortly after the restart and counterpart Darren Jamieson brilliantly stopped Kieran Inglis twice in succession at the other end. Ross Philp then brought out another save from Hutton before Austin looped a header onto the roof of the net, but Kelty had to make do with a single-goal lead ahead of the return this weekend.
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