A Hearty Performance

A visit to table topping Kelty Hearts was the next challenge for a United team still without Donnelly and Deans, out suspended and McQuillan on the comeback trail through injury. The first chance of the game fell to O'Reilly for the home side shooting straight at keeper Murphy with ten minutes gone. Rees Smith for United tried a shot himself from 30 yards which sailed over the bar. The breakthrough came on eighteen minutes when a free kick given away just outside the 18 yard box was dispatched from O'Reilly round the Fauldhouse wall and into the back of the net.... Kelty 1 Fauldhouse 0. Fauldhouse came back at Kelty and were unfortunate when the ball was pinging about inside the box, and Mark Wilkins and Brian Ross could not get the ball under control for a shot before the home side cleared, no more chances for either side this half with the Hearts going in at the break in front.

The House came out with more purpose in the second half and with just five minutes gone Jamie Robertson combined with Brian Ross who cut it back for Michael Browne to poke home the equaliser. Andy Murphy had a crucial stop at his near post as Kelty tried to get back at United but it was Fauldhouse who was dominating at this stage, Wikins, B. Ross, and Robertson were all posing problems to the Kelty defenders. A good shout for a possible penalty when the ball hit a Kelty defenders arm in the box but the ref adjudged not to be. As the game was heading into the last ten minutes Kelty stole it when a header hit the post and Dalziel was on hand to tap it in. United tried valiantly for an equaliser but time ran out .Full time Kelty Hearts 2 Fauldhouse United 1.

Once again close but no cigar, a draw was more than the house deserved with Alan Lawson at the back having an outstanding eighty minutes before going off injured. We will move on from this and if we play our Scottish Cup game as we have played the last two games it will be a cracker.

Fauldhouse United: Murphy, K. Ross, Smith, Scott, Lawson, Campbell, Robertson, Browne, Wilkins, B. Ross Gibson. Subs: Trialist(kg), Fallon, Mahoney, Gallagher, McQuillan.

Kelty Hearts: Allison, Duffin, C. Courts, Layton, T. Courts, Ritchie, Currie, Greig, Dalziel, O'Reilly, McCabe. Subs: Marley(gk) Morrison, Grady, Hughes, Cargill.

                                                                     "The Parkview"