Kelty Hearts 1 Cowdenbeath 0

KALLUM HIGGINBOTHAM was Kelty Hearts' hero as he earned them a hard-fought derby win over Cowdenbeath.

The Englishman's sixth goal of the season, from the penalty spot, gave Kevin Thomson's team victory to send them nine points clear at the top of League Two, and bounce back from Saturday's loss at Forfar Athletic.

The goal came courtesy of a penalty won by substitute Max Kucheriavyi, who came off the bench after signing on loan yesterday from St Johnstone, after he danced his way into the box and was bundled over by Jamie Todd.

Kelty, overall, had the better of the game's opportunities, but Cowden will feel harshly done by.

For long spells, they defended stoutly and resolutely, and they looked like they would prove too stubborn for Kelty to break down.

Despite the loss leaving them six points adrift of Elgin City at the foot of the table, the Blue Brazil have two games in hand, and Maurice Ross can take plenty of encouragement from how they went about things against the leaders.

Home boss Thomson, who named Kucheriavyi on the bench, made two changes to the team that started their defeat on Saturday.

Daniel Finlayson and Alfredo Agyeman dropped to the bench, with Andrew Black and Joe Cardle coming in, whilst Blue Brazil boss, Maurice Ross, also made two changes.

Scott Dunn and Gavin Morrison went out of the team that defeated Elgin City, and they were replaced by Todd and Craig Thomson.

Ross, watching on from the stand, saw the home side have the contest's early opportunities.

Scott Hooper headed over from a Michael Tidser corner then, following good work by Jamie Barjonas to set him up, Nathan Austin fired wide from around eight yards.

The 10 minute mark still hadn't been reached when the Blue Brazil created a good opportunity of their own.

On the right hand-side, Fraser Mullen sent over a lovely cross to the far post, where Alex Ferguson was waiting, but he could only send his effort over from around eight yards.

There were appeals from Austin for a penalty as he tried to get on a Kieran Ngwenya cross - but it looked as though referee Steven Kirkland called it correctly, with both the Kelty striker and his opponent grappling as much as each other - before Barjonas attempted an ambitious free-kick from around 30 yards, which cleared Cammy Gill's crossbar.

The Blue Brazil would've been relatively content with the opening quarter, only to then need their goalkeeper to keep them level.

After a short corner to Cardle was cleared out, Kelty kept the ball alive and when it arrived at the feet of Ross Philp, at the edge of the box, he sent a fine curling effort that Gill leapt to his left and palmed out brilliantly for a corner.

From that set piece, a header towards goal was nodded away but Tam O'Ware had a go, but his acrobatics were in vain as the visitors blocked and cleared again.

Visiting gaffer Ross would've been pleased with his team's defensive work, led brilliantly by Craig Barr, but he would've had his heart in his mouth half an hour in.

The hosts forced a succession of corners - requiring Gill to show brilliant reflexes to keep out an O'Ware header - while Philp had an effort blocked.

Cowden weren't shy in putting their bodies on the line for the cause and, although Barjonas sent an effort well off-target on the stroke of the interval, they'd have had plenty of reasons to be content heading off for the break.

Shortly after the restart, they had a couple of good moments in attack.

Firstly, Andrew Barrowman did well to move forward on the left and get a shot away, which was blocked, before David Carty contrived to head wide from a cross from the right when it looked as though he'd find the target.

Austin sent the ball wide just beyond the hour mark, from a Tidser cross, before Gill once more showed his worth to Cowden with a fine stop to beat away a fierce Kallum Higginbotham drive.

Kucheriavyi was introduced for his debut in the 66th minute, replacing Cardle, and still Kelty probed, with Philp having an effort blocked, before crossing for O'Ware to head over.

Todd then tried his luck with an ambitious header from 15 yards, from a long throw into the box, but it wasn't troubling Darren Jamieson in the Kelty goal, before Kieran Ngwenya wasn't too far off target with a fine drive from range.

Kucheriavyi found himself in the book for what ref Kirkland perceived as simulation at the edge of the Cowden box, and the game was finely poised heading into the final 10 minutes.

Then, all of a sudden, it swung the home side's way when they were awarded a penalty kick.

Harvey Swann lost possession to Kucheriavyi, who showed great feet to work his way into the box, where he was bundled over by Todd.

Higginbotham expertly sent Gill the wrong way to give Kelty the lead, and it was one they protected as they bounced back from Saturday's defeat to go nine points clear at the top.

Match stats

Kelty Hearts: Jamieson, Philp, Hooper, O'Ware, Ngwenya, Black, Tidser, Barjonas (Agyeman 84), Cardle (Kucheriavyi 66), Higginbotham, Austin.

Subs not used: Peggie, Reilly, Finlayson, McNab, Biabi, Donaldson.

Goal: Higginbotham (83, pen).

Booked: Kucheriavyi (76).

Cowdenbeath: Gill, Swann, Mullen, Todd, C. Barr, Denham, Ferguson, Thomson, Carty (B. Barr 77), R. Buchanan, Barrowman.

Subs not used: Dunn, Coulson, McDowell, Moore, L. Buchanan, Renton.

Booked: Mullen (56), Ferguson (68), Thomson (85) Referee: Steven Kirkland.

Attendance: 1,092.