Kelty Hearts 2 Stenhousemuir 0

HEARTS stunned the Warriors with a lightning quick start to claim their first win of the League One season.

Scott Allan fired Kelty ahead inside the first minute - his first goal for the club - and Ross Cunningham netted in the second half to give the New Central Park side a deserved win.

Player boss Michael Tidser picked the same starting 11 that claimed a point in the opening day draw at Montrose and they got off to the perfect start.

Scott Mercer lifted the ball down the right, Craig Johnston did brilliantly to control the ball, hold it in and then roll it into the path of Allan who guided a superb side-footed effort into the top corner.

There was just 50 seconds on the clock.

The Warriors almost hit back immediately when Kinlay Bilham swung in a left footed cross that found Matt Yates all alone 10 yards from goal but his volley struck the bar when he should have scored.

The newly promoted side were also aggrieved not to get a penalty when Ross Taylor went down in the box - Stenny boss Gary Naysmith later saying it was "100 per cent" a spot kick. 

Striker Scott Williamson, on loan from Queen's Park, was proving a real handful in attack for Kelty as they went in search of more goals.

He took Tidser’s pass, spun his marker and thumped an effort on goal that ex-Hearts keeper Darren Jamieson just managed to hold on to.

Kelty almost found another goal when a short corner routine saw the ball worked to Cunningham on the edge of the area. His ferocious strike would have given Jamieson real problems but a forest of legs got in the way.

There was a strong wind at the back of the home team – an attempted clearance from Jamieson was blown back after travelling barely 15 yards – and a neat combination between Lewis Moore and Johnston allowed the latter to get a shot away, only for Gregor Buchanan to get in the way.

Tam O'Ware had to be perfect as Yates looked to slide a killer pass in behind him, the interception preventing Taylor from getting a free run at goal.

It was Brody Paterson to the rescue just before the half hour when Yates’ found Euan O'Reilly in the box. The winger looked to have time to pick his spot but the Kelty defender was quickly across to make a goal-saving block.

The home side missed a great chance to extend their lead when Tidser’s inswinging corner was met by Scott Mercer but his glancing header saw the ball drop just wide of the far post.

Goalie Ruairidh Adams shovelled a speculative Mikey Anderson effort round his post as Naysmith’s men struggled to pose problems for the hosts.

Stenny tried to snatch a leveller when the second half got underway – Anderson and Taylor both had efforts off target – before Hearts nabbed the killer second goal in the 56th minute.

Tidser sent a high ball over the top, Williamson did well to keep it in and pull it back for Cunningham, who was just outside the box.

There was still work to do but the Hearts man skipped past a challenge before arrowing a low drive across the keeper and into the bottom corner.

That same combination almost paid off again in the 62nd minute when Williamson fed Cunningham and his sweetly struck half volley was well parried by Jamieson.

Yates had a chance to halve the deficit when he was fouled just outside the penalty area. He lifted the free kick over the wall but couldn’t get the ball to dip in time as it cleared the bar with something to spare.

Kelty could have been three and easy when O’Ware showed some silky footwork to evade two challenges and his slide rule pass put Williamson clear with Stenny looking in vain for an offside flag.

The striker hit it well but Jamieson was out smartly to make a fine save.

There was a sigh of relief for Moore as he got caught in possession in the box to gift sub Finlay Allan an instant chance but he got it all wrong and lifted the shot well over the top.

Williamson must have known his luck was out as he was denied again in the 76th minute. He cleverly slipped round the side of Banner but his angled drive was pushed away by Jamieson.

The away side pushed for a goal and Adams was forced into a smart stop from Allan’s snapshot, but Kelty saw it out for a fine three points.