Stirling Albion 5 Kelty Hearts 0

SOME "honest truths" were aired in the Kelty Hearts dressing room on Saturday after a defeat that their manager described as "not acceptable".

Michael Tidser said he was "embarrassed" after they were routed by rampant Stirling Albion at Forthbank, and that he hoped his players were too, whilst demanding a reaction at Edinburgh City this weekend.

Kelty's winless run in all competitions stretched to seven matches as, in the shadow of the Wallace Monument, Darren Young's Binos put them to the sword with a five-star showing.

Jordan McGregor nodded the home side ahead just before half-time, before Dale Carrick's neat finish from Dale Hilson's pass doubled their advantage early in the second half.

READ MORE: Five-star Binos thump 'embarrassed' 10-man Kelty

Substitute Josh Cooper, however, hogged the headlines by coming off the bench with 22 minutes to go and, by time-up, had collected the match ball by scoring a hat-trick of similarly worked and finished goals.

A miserable day for the visitors, who dropped to eighth in League One after their heaviest loss of the season, was completed in last few seconds when Lewis O'Donnell was shown a straight red card for a lunge on Kyle Banner.

"I'm embarrassed to be honest with you. I'm embarrassed for myself, I'm embarrassed for my players, I'm embarrassed for the club in general. It's not acceptable," player / boss Tidser told Press Sport.

"I feel like a few boys took the easy option, moreso probably Lewis at the end taking the easy option. I don't think that's acceptable to go and sent off, but that's the beside the point. It's the last kick of the ball.

"In terms of the overall game, really really poor. I thought we lacked a real cutting edge, I thought we lacked real leadership, responsibility, communication - all the basics you need from when you're five, six, seven, eight years of age, right up until adults playing professional football.

"It's not acceptable, but it's the first time I can turn round and say that about the lads. It's down to them to show a reaction next week.

"I didn't see it coming but that's football. It can bite you on the backside when you're least expecting it. As I say, the boys have been great this season, but a few home truths have been said, and it's about them aiming to react now and show me that they've got a bit of balls and a bit of character to come back and show me it was a blip more than anything.

"Fair play to Stirling. I thought they managed the game better than us, got their goals, and that's football."

Skipper Reece Lyon agreed with his manager's assessment, commenting: "It was pretty embarrassing to be fair. I didn't see it coming.

"Previous weeks, I know we've been beaten and drew, and not picked up results we want, but I felt as if the performance has been there. We've probably battered teams to be fair but, today, just nothing came together. I felt as if they battered us all over the pitch and it was a deserved defeat."

Throughout the opening period, Kelty were, as they often are, neat and tidy on the ball.

However, much like in their Scottish Cup loss at Ayr United the previous week, they struggled to create in the final third, with a half chance for Alfie Bavidge, and a half-volley over the bar from Brody Paterson, as good as they had in the opening 45 minutes.

Tidser acknowledged that that is an area that requires work, but he will have been alarmed by the nature of the goals his team conceded.

McGregor's header from around six yards came from Adam Cummins nodding Jack Leitch's corner to the far post back across goal, whilst Carrick was afforded too much space when played in to the penalty area before shooting across Kyle Gourlay for the second.

All three of super-sub Cooper's efforts came from moves that started on Kelty's right-hand side, with Lewis Milne, Ewan Wilson and Aaron Dunsmore provided the assists.

"I thought the game was competitive enough. I thought we maybe started the first five minutes a wee bit better, 10 minutes or so, and it turns into everything's too slow, too pedestrian in possession, we don't move the ball quick enough, and then they get their goal," Tidser continued.

"Again, the second phase of a set play, a free header five yards out - somebody's not doing their job. It's as simple as that.

"I'd need to look at it back because there's that many goals there that it's hard for me to put my finger on each and every one of them, but then, when we lose the third, I think you can see a real flatness about us. We're still trying to do the same things and it's not working, so somebody has to try and change it.

"It's hard for me to change it from the side. Of course, you try and make subs, you try and change the formation, you try and get a wee jag out of them, but it's one of those days. I think we could still be playing and we still wouldn't score.

"I thought we lacked real conviction, even when we were in the final third - wrong pass, overhit, underhit. It's everybody involved, staff as well.

"I'll repeat myself, it's not acceptable to come here and get beat 5-0, get beat anywhere 5-0, especially a team round about us.

"It is what it is. You can obviously hear in my voice that I'm not very happy, but there's nothing I can do now. It's done, it's been and gone. It's just about trying to do the right things, get back to what we're good at, and hopefully that will turn the tide for us over the next couple of weeks."