Kelty Hearts are ready to put their Scottish Cup disappointment behind them and have a "point to prove" when they return to league business this weekend.

Michael Tidser's team sit proudly on top of League One ahead of entertaining Alloa Athletic at New Central Park on Saturday, where they will hope to bounce back from going out of the cup to Elgin City.

Just four points separate Kelty from seventh-placed Queen of the South, with the 'Maroon Machine' ahead of Arbroath on goal difference.

The visiting Wasps are one point behind, as are Stenhousemuir, in third, and were 1-0 winners when the teams met at the Indodrill Stadium in September.

READ MORE: Kelty 'couldn't get going' in Elgin cup loss

"It'll be a massive test," Kelty assistant boss, Kevin McDonald, told Press Sport.

"We didn't play very well when we went to Alloa, and we were a bit disappointed with our performance, so we've got to bounce back and we have a little bit of a point to prove.

"We're the (joint) top goalscorers in the league. I think we're conceded round about the least amount of goals, and that's why our goal difference is so healthy.

Kelty Hearts have hit 23 goals in League One so far this season.Kelty Hearts have hit 23 goals in League One so far this season. (Image: David Wardle.) "We are a good team - we just need to find a bit of consistency. That's probably the biggest problem what we've spoken to the boys about. We go two or three games of looking like a right good team, and we're there or thereabouts, and then we chuck in a little bit of a disappointing performance.

"We need to get everybody fit, try and get a string of results, and see where it takes us."

"I think over this next month, we're going to have five league games in the month of December so, starting with Alloa, we want to get off to a good start.

"We didn't do ourselves justice at Alloa, so it's going to be important to put that right. Our form against them last season was pretty good, so we want to replicate that on Saturday.

"In any cup game, anybody can beat anybody on any given day. I think that's been proven over the whole history of the cup, but, when it's league business, it's over the course of the season.

"At the end of the day, the best team wins the league, so we'll be judged on our league position rather than a cup run.

"That is the important bit for me and the gaffer."

McDonald continued: "I think this month will probably tell us where we're at, in terms of, are we going to be in a position to be in a play-off position and have a little go at the play-offs, or are we going to fall short?

"I definitely think this month will prove where we are as a group, with the big fixtures that are coming. We've got Queen of the South before Christmas, obviously we've got Alloa, Arbroath, Cove - they're all massive games.

"I think a gap will form at some point in the league. It won't be as tight come the end of the month."