Brora Rangers 0 - 2 Kelty Hearts: Fifers take commanding lead in key play-off

Kelty Hearts will take a commanding 2-0 lead over Brora Rangers into the second-leg of the pyramid play-off.
Kelty defeated Brora Rangers 2-0. Picture: SNSKelty defeated Brora Rangers 2-0. Picture: SNS
Kelty defeated Brora Rangers 2-0. Picture: SNS

The Fifers were too strong for their Highland opposition and could have won more handsomely if they hadn’t missed two penalties.

Goals in either half from Dylan Easton and Kallum Higginbotham did, however, provide Barry Ferguson’s men with the result they were looking for.

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Higginbotham was the first to test Brora’s Joe Malin, trying to fool him with a panenka but the goalkeeper read it.

It was then Nathan Austin’s turn after being felled by Malin.

The goalkeeper again came up trumps with a fine save to his left.

He had no chance with Easton’s opener on 22 minutes, the midfielder firing a dangerous strike from the edge of the box.

Kelty doubled the lead 11 minutes after half-time, having had a goal disallowed prior to the interval.

It was a case of third time lucky for the visitors as Higginbotham beat Malin from the spot after Ally MacDonald was punished for handball.

Brora did have chances of their own. Bjorn Wagenaar and Andy Macrae went close in the first half but it was Mark Nicolson who produced the most threatening moment with the score at 2-0.

His effort was brilliantly saved by Darren Jamieson.

The teams will meet again on Saturday when Brora travel to Fife for the chance to play Brechin City for a place in the SPFL.