YFS
There was a goal bonanza in Kelty on Sunday afternoon, as Hillfield Swifts scored six and conceded three in their victory over Kelty Hearts.
Two goals from Jack Moffat, as well as strikes from Zack More and Logan Donaldson, put the visitors in a commanding four-nil lead at half time.
Donaldson got his second after the restart, with Scott Cameron’s late penalty ensuring Joseph Kirby’s brace and a well taken Darrin Hilton strike were not enough for Kelty to stage a comeback.
Despite the final score, this is a match Kelty will feel they could easily have taken something from had they not squandered a host of chances over the course of the 90 minutes. Indeed, it was the hosts who started the much brighter side, carving out three golden opportunities before their visitors had managed a single shot on goal.
First, a short corner caught the Swifts defence napping, and when a low ball was fired across goal Jordan Galloway looked certain to score, but Andrew McDonald in the Swifts goal pounced on the ball to stop it from crossing the line.
Then, as a corner was this time sent looping into a crowded penalty area, Jake Wood found himself completely unmarked at the far post, but could only blaze his effort over the bar.
Kelty were desperate to capitalise on their fast start, and they had another sight of goal when a long diagonal ball across the pitch picked out Galloway in acres of space, but he side footed his shot agonisingly wide of the post.
The home side were made to rue those missed chances just moments later, when a free kick was pumped into the area and the ball fell kindly for Moffat, who arrowed his shot straight into the bottom corner.
Kelty were soon back in opposition territory however, with Jack Smith having a go from distance after a corner was only half cleared, but he couldn’t keep the shot down and the ball went harmlessly over the bar.
Smith then had another shot that this time was on target, but McDonald got down well to make the save.
There was another big chance as Kelty looked for an equaliser, when Connor Parks beat McDonald to a long through-ball, but his deft touch eluded both goalkeeper and post.
Having been unable to profit from their chances, Kelty were punished yet again as Swifts doubled their lead out of almost nothing. Moffat received the ball from a throw in and, after being allowed to turn and run at the Kelty defence, fired a shot through the hands of Lee Elder in the Kelty goal to double the trouble for the home side.
Smith was inches away from pulling one back for Kelty, as he sent in a curling free kick that almost crept in at the far post, but with McDonald rooted to the spot the ball cannoned back off the crossbar and away from danger.
With another chance coming and going, Kelty were soon even further behind. Moffat this time turned provider, feeding the ball to More who, after fainting to shoot, pulled the ball onto his right side and fired it into the far corner.
Given the number of chances they had created, as well as the amount of possession, Kelty could have been forgiven for wondering just how they were three nil down. But there was no time for them to dwell too much as things went from bad to worse before half time.
Some great play by Sam Morman on the right got him into the Kelty penalty area, and he cut back for Donaldson who rifled in his sides’ fourth goal of a remarkable half, putting his side in a seemingly unassailable lead at the half time break.
Much like the first half, it was Kelty who started the brighter as they looked to put a forgettable first 45 minutes behind them.