Kelty Hearts: Michael Tidser reacts to Queen's Park defeat

MICHAEL TIDSER branded his Kelty Hearts team's performance in their Premier Sports Cup hammering at Queen's Park as "not acceptable" and questioned the attitude of some of his players.

The New Central Park player / manager lamented an "embarrassing" day for his side as they shipped six goals at Lesser Hampden to bring their Group C campaign to a poor end.

A defeat at home to Peterhead last midweek, just three days after their memorable win over Hibernian, who progressed as group winners, left Kelty all-but out of the competition heading into Saturday's match.

Ahead of the game in Glasgow, Tidser insisted that it was "not a dead rubber", and urged his players to keep themselves in contention to play in this weekend's League One opener at Montrose by putting in a good performance, but they were torn apart by Callum Davidson's outfit.

When asked post-match if there was anything he could take away from the game, Tidser replied: "No. Absolutely nothing.

"Embarrassing day all-round, in terms of performances, working together as a team. The goals we lose are c**p, soft, and, by the way, Queen's Park are a good side, but I felt we just showed them far too much respect.

"We tried to change our shape a wee bit in terms of the midfield area, but just overall, pass marks would probably go to the goalkeeper for keeping it less than what it was.

"Overall, real frustration, and I've let the lads know that. It's not acceptable and I won't accept the way some people are playing just now and some people's attitudes.

"We need to put it behind us and move on to next week."

On-loan goalkeeper Ruairidh Adams, who joined until January earlier this month from Dundee United, made his second Kelty appearance between the sticks but was penalised for a challenge on Roddy MacGregor, in the fourth minute, to concede a penalty.

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Luckily, Dom Thomas blasted his effort well over the bar, but the Spiders captain and ex-Dunfermline star atoned for that miss just seven minutes later by breaking forward, unchallenged, from just inside Kelty's half and into the penalty box, before finishing across Adams and into the far corner.

From there, the Championships hosts were dominant, and Thomas turned provider for Sean Welsh to head in a second just after the half hour mark, before MacGregor made it three before half-time when he netted on the rebound after Adams had saved from Zak Rudden.

A superb Jack Turner strike from 20 yards that flew into the top corner made it 4-0 just shy of the hour, after which MacGregor, after Adams had again denied Rudden, added his second and Queen's Park's fifth.

Turner completed his brace, and Kelty's misery, from close range in stoppage time, leaving them with plenty to ponder before the League One curtain-raiser at Montrose.

"That's the job of a manager, that's the job of the staff," he replied when asked how he would manage to lift spirits.

"First of all boys need to take responsibility, simple as that.

"People are happy to pass the buck. I heard it creeping in the last couple of weeks, it's all 'you do this' - go and do your job. Do what you get paid for and, as I say, take responsibility.

"There's too many just happy to go into a wee lull and blame game. I won't have it. I will not let that culture creep into what I've built over the last year.

"In terms of next week, it's up to us as staff to pick them up and, players being players, hopefully they get a reaction, they can train well this week, and put it behind us."