Kevin Thomson and Maurice Ross on Kelty Hearts' win over Cowdenbeath

After losing at nearest League Two challengers Forfar Athletic on Saturday - a week on from their Scottish Cup, fifth round exit at St Mirren - the League Two leaders looked like being held by a Blue Brazil side battling to stave off the threat of relegation.

READ MORE: Kallum Higginbotham's penalty gives Kelty Hearts win over Cowdenbeath

But their resolute defensive performance was broken down with seven minutes left as Higginbotham, with his sixth goal of the campaign, converted a penalty won by substitute Max Kucheriavyi.

The 19-year-old, who joined on loan until the end of the season from St Johnstone on Monday, showed quick feet and skill to advance into the penalty area, where he was felled by Jamie Todd.

Cowden boss, Maurice Ross, was adamant that referee, Steven Kirkland, got the decision wrong post-match, but Thomson backed his player, who had been booked in the 76th minute for what was deemed by the official to be simulation.

"It would be great to have replays and VAR, but we're in League Two unfortunately!," he said.

"I'll trust wee Max. I'm delighted with the impact he made. I thought he looked smooth, he's a great talent, and we're delighted to have him. I thought just how fast he travels, and how he moves the ball, his balance is always going to put pressure on defenders.

"We're delighted to get it. Minus the penalty, we felt that we should've put the ball in the back of the net two or three times before that anyway.

"Sometimes you get what you deserve in footy, sometimes you don't."

The result moved Kelty nine points clear of Forfar at the top, still with a game in hand, and he continued: "It's a massive three points.

"We were massively disappointed after Saturday. I felt we had enough chances to probably win the game on Saturday but, ultimately, we fell short. I think tonight, the way we played, the way we passed the ball, was more what we looked like.

"I'm delighted for the boys. Mo Ross is a good manager, he's got a good group of players, and they're on a right good run to be fair to them, so we knew it would be difficult, but ultimately I felt like we got what we deserved.

"I felt the boys showed good belief, a great mentality and great character to keep on going and, ultimately, we're going to need that for the next 12-13 games."

Match winner Higginbotham said afterwards: "It was a good game. I thought we played really well.

"Obviously we controlled large parts of the game and I think they just came to set up and frustrate us, and they had a game plan to do that.

"Fair play to them, it works for the majority of the game, but delighted to get the win, delighted to get the goal as well, but the most important thing was getting those three points, taking advantage of that game in hand, and make that gap even bigger now at the top of the league.

"All credit to the boys. We were patient, we didn't rush anything, we didn't overhit balls, we didn't try to force the ball - we stayed with the game plan. We passed the ball well and I thought that's one of the best performances we've had in recent weeks."

Blue Brazil boss Ross admitted his players were "absolutely gutted" to come away with nothing from the match.

"The boy's dived," he said of the penalty decision.

"If If one of my boys gave a penalty, they would say, gaffer, it's a penalty.

"It is what it is. Looking at how far we've came in the last 10-12 weeks, I'm pretty impressed by the players to be honest.

"You look at your players, and you look from where they've come from to now, they're so loyal. Their shape is fantastic, they're so in control of what we're doing, and we've had the two best chances of the match.

"Alex Ferguson, from eight yards out, puts it over the bar, and the guy two yards out, front post, puts it past the post. It's the two best chances of the match.

"We are absolutely gutted.

"I said in there, I said I've been involved in some football clubs, with professional football players, that are top players, that have not had discipline and shape like that.

"I was really proud of what I was watching. I thought there was no chance we were getting beat today.

"Our form's good, we've got two games in hand, so we're looking good. We're quite positive but it's just galling. That's the word I would say."