Kelty Hearts 1 Falkirk 5
KELTY HEARTS new boy Alfie Bavidge said he relished making his New Central Park bow on Saturday less than 48 hours after travelling to "gorgeous" Frankfurt.
The 17-year-old forward, together with fellow loan signing, Fergus Owens, was given his debut by player / manager Michael Tidser for the clash with Falkirk after agreeing a move from Aberdeen just before kick-off.
Bavidge, a product of the Dons' youth system, will be with the 'Maroon Machine' until January and was "buzzing" to be involved so quickly, despite his new side being on the end of a tough 5-1 defeat.
An SFA performance school graduate, the teenager turned professional last season and, in February, made his first team debut for the Reds against Motherwell.
He has, so far, made five appearances for the Pittodrie club and was part of their travelling squad for last Thursday's Europa Conference League match in Germany, which they lost 2-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt.
"I got back from Frankfurt yesterday (Friday) and I got a phone call saying that I could go on loan," Bavidge told Times Sport after the Bairns clash.
"When I realised Kelty were in for me, I thought it was a great opportunity to come and play games and hopefully score some goals."
When it was put to him that there was a bit of a difference between playing in Kelty as opposed to Frankfurt, he added: "Aye, but that's football! I'm just buzzing to be here and get playing.
"We did well (Aberdeen) but they're a top team (Frankfurt), and the stadium is gorgeous. It was a great experience and experiencing these things is big for me at my age. It's good to get a taste of it."
His first taste of League One action didn't go to plan, however, as the hosts were taken apart by an impressive Falkirk side in front of the TV cameras.
Kick off was pushed back to 5.30pm to accommodate BBC Alba's live coverage, with Tidser's men looking to build on an encouraging start to the campaign, and earn a third win from five meetings with John McGlynn's side.
However, with just two minutes on the clock, Liam Henderson rose to head home Brad Spencer's corner for Falkirk, setting the tone for a dominant performance by the visitors.
In the 20th minute, Callumn Morrison was deemed to have been felled inside the box by Tidser, and he stepped up to net the resulting penalty.
The Bairns striker then bundled in a third from close range just after the half hour after goalkeeper, Kyle Gourlay, couldn't hold Coll Donaldson's shot.
TADHAL!
— BBC ALBA (@bbcalba) September 23, 2023
Callumn Morrison makes it 2-0 to Falkirk after the referee awards a disputed penalty. pic.twitter.com/vRzaUYXZv0
Lewis O'Donnell, with his first for the club, pulled one back for Kelty on the stroke of half-time with a superb volley, but any notion of a comeback was quelled as Falkirk continued to boss proceedings in the second half.
TADHAL!
— BBC ALBA (@bbcalba) September 23, 2023
O'Donnell scores an absolute screamer on the stroke of half-time! Kelty Hearts 1 - 3 Falkirk. pic.twitter.com/xXZdrBoY5C
Ex-Kelty player, Alfredo Agyeman, appeared as a second half sub for the Bairns and he had a hand in their fourth, with his shot parried by Gourlay into the path of Ross MacIver, who tapped in from close range.
Aidan Nesbitt rounded off the scoring with a low drive from outside the area, completing a tough night for the home side.
Owens, who joined on loan from Hamilton Academical last midweek, added: "It wasn't the easiest game to go into obviously - Falkirk are doing really well just now - but I was up for the test. We didn't get the result we wanted, but I'm just glad to be playing games now.
"Hopefully all the new boys can gel quickly and get a feel for how we do things. We can only get better from there."
Kelty Hearts: Gourlay, B. Owens, O'Ware, F. Owens, Walker, Lyon, O'Donnell, Tidser (Johnston 70), Cunningham (Daramola 55), Bavidge (L. Owens 81), McCluskey.
Subs not used: Cameron, Moore, Campbell.
Goal: O'Donnell (45).
Booked: O'Ware (19), Johnston (83).
Falkirk: Long, Lang, McCann, Henderson (Oliver 69), Donaldson, Morrison (Allan 81), Spencer, Nesbitt, Yeats (Bisland 81), MacIver (Lawal 81), Ross (Agyeman 66).
Subs not used: Honeyman, Walker, Sinclair, Hogarth.
Goals: Henderson (2), Morrison (20, pen, 33), MacIver (74), Nesbitt (80).
Booked: Henderson (45), Spencer (83).
Referee: Iain Snedden.
Attendance: 1,128.
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