Kennoway Star Hearts 3 - 0 Arbroath Victoria
ht 1-0
Scorers - Murdoch, Boylan, McAllister

Arbroath Vics were the visitors to Treaton Park for this league fixture. The home side went into the game looking to pick up all 3 points as they strive for promotion in their first season at this level. 
KSH made one change to last weeks starting 11 with Hush replacing Brown in defence.
The homeside started the game playing down the slope and with a slight wind advantage. 
In the early exchanges Chris Lornies running and movement was causing concern in the Vics backline and after 5 minutes of play he was crudely brought down outside the box with the Vics no5 receiving a yellow card for the tackle. Alan McAllister swung in the resultant free kick and Sean Murdoch popped up to bullet a header into the corner of the net. Lornie then cut in from the left and cracked a right foot shot of the post with the keeper beaten. The same man then spun his marker on the edge of the box and with only the keeper to beat he skewed his shot wide of the left hand post.
Arbroath themselves had several forays into the KSH half and had several free kicks that were swung into the KSH penalty area. Indeed they thought they had scored but the referee rightly had already blown for offside. Thomas Hush then fired a clearance over his own bar after good work up Stars left by the Vics no11.
After a good early start to the game by the homeside play seemed to get bogged down.The spark that has ignited some great play from them this season just wasnt there and chances were few and far between. Arbroath forced several corners which all came to nothing, partly in due that they were up against a well drilled KSH defence.
ht 1-0

Playing up the slope in the second period the homeside immediately looked to take the game to there opponents. The ever industrious Boylan was setting an example to his team mates as he chased and harried in the middle of the park. With 60 minutes played Liam Craig was upended for the umpteenth time wide right of the goals. McAllister swung in a superb free kick that Hush seemed to get a glance onto. The Vics sub keeper could only parry onto the post and the ever alert Boylan was on hand once again to snap up the rebound and fire home for a 2-0 lead.
Five minutes later and it was 3-0. Craig was again fouled just outside the 18 yard box. McAllister swung in another wicked left footed free kick that took a nick of a defenders head and flew into the corner of the goal leaving the Vics keeper rooted to the spot and with no chance of getting near it.
Watson was then called into action saving well from a close range header. As the remainder of the half wore on play became a little scrappy as the homeside looked content to hold onto the lead they had established.
With 5 minutes left the game suddenly came to life again with Arbroath coming close with an effort that clipped the bar and then Kyle Wilson firing a shot from the edge of the box that flew just over.
ft 3-0

Not one of the homesides best displays but a victory that was ground out over a hard working Arbroath side.

Next up for KSH is a trip up to Forfar to play against the West End.
kick off is at 2.30pm

Kennoway Star Hearts 3 Arbroath Vics 0  01/03/2014

Arbroath Vics were again out of town on Saturday when they travelled to the village of Star, in Fife, to meet second place, Kennoway Star Hearts in the league.

With Steve Florence, Colin Lawson and Jack Whitton all not making the trip, Vics were forced into a re-shuffle of the pack.  Mark Fotheringham dropped back into defence, while there were recalls to the starting line-up for Andy Cowan, David McLeish and Garry Warren.

The home side kicked-off playing down the considerable slope on the ground, but it was Vics who carved out the first opening when a Gary Warren cross from the left was only partially cleared by the Hearts defence allowing Andy Cowan to set up Grant Mowatt, but his shot from almost on the 18-yard line was held low down to his left by goalkeeper, Michael Watson.

With five minutes played, however Star were in front.  Matty Johnston was yellow carded for swiping the feet from under Chris Lornie out on the far touchline and when Alan McAllister swung the resultant free-kick into the box, SEAN MURDOCH rose unchallenged to send a header beyond Lee Hutcheson.

Hearts came close to increasing their lead two minutes later when Chris Lornie set off on a surging run down the left before firing in a drive, which beat Lee Hutcheson but crashed back into play off the foot of the post.

It took Vics a while to get into some sort of rhythm but they eventually managed to get a foothold into proceedings and Ross Kenny caused a moment of anxiety in the Hearts defence when he got on the end of a Garry Warren corner in the 17th minute, but his header dropped wide of the post.

At the other end, George Field played the ball downfield to Chris Lornie, who looked to have got the better of Matty Johnston, but the centre-half just recovered in the nick of time to block his shot.

Another period of Hearts pressure saw Sean Murdoch pick out Chris Lornie who flicked the ball into the box beyond Mark Fotheringham, but the Vics number eight just got enough of a touch to it to knock it back to Lee Hutcheson before he could line up a shot.

Chris Lornie had an even better chance in the 22nd minute when he gathered in an Alan McAllister pass and turned the defence to make space for a shot, but he shot wildly offer as Lee Hutcheson raced off his line to try and narrow the angle.

Lee Hutcheson was then forced into a save when an Alistair Gray throw-in saw George Field and Kevin Byers combine to set up Chris Lornie again, but the keeper comfortably held his drive.

Vics were still very much in the match despite Hearts having most of the possession and they created an opening in the 31st minute when Ross Kenny nodded on a Craig Sturrock free-kick, which Abdourahman Njie volleyed goalwards, but the referee ruled him off side as his shot cannoned back off the keeper’s chest.

A double save from Lee Hutcheson kept Vics in the game when he managed to beat away a fierce drive from Chris Lornie then following it up to keep out the rebound from Alistair Gray who seemed set to score.

The keeper was in the wars a minute later when he was flattened in an accidental collision with Alastair Gray as he gathered a cross inside the six-yard box.  After extensive treatment he was passed fit to continue.

Vics almost sneaked an equaliser in the 42nd minute when Andy Cowan sent Garry Warren free on the left and his cross along the six-yard line was sliced over his own bar by Thomas Hush as he stuck out a leg to clear.

Half-time:  Kennoway Star Hearts 1 Arbroath Vics 0

Unfortunately for Vics, Lee Hutcheson was unable to continue after the interval and was taken to hospital suffering from concussion.  With no substitute keeper on the bench, Mark Fotheringham was forced to take over in goal and Kevin Durno came in at centre-half from the bench.

The stand-in keeper made a good block within a couple of minutes of the re-start beating away a fierce effort from George Field after Alan McAllister, Stefan Anderson and Iain Boylan had all combined to create the opening.

In a repeat of the only goal in the fifth minute, Sean Murdoch got on the end of an Alan McAllister free-kick, five minutes into the second period, but on this occasion, he guided his header wide.

Abdourahman Njie had a chance to put Vics on level terms when he was sent through the Hearts defence by Craig Stephen but he wasted the opportunity by shooting high and wide as he cut in from the right.

The home side increased their lead in the 55th minute.  Yet another free-kick saw Alan McAllister send the ball into the box, and although Mark Fotheringham looked to have gathered it, he allowed it to break from his grasp and it struck the inside of the post and ran along the line allowing IAIN BOYLAN the simplest of tap ins.

Two minutes later, and the home team had the points in the bag when they went 3-0 in front.  Craig Sturrock hauled down Liam Craig just outside the area on the right and after David McLeish was booked for disputing the decision, ALAN McALLISTER’S free-kick took a slight deflection leaving Mark Fotheringham helpless as it nestled in the far corner.

Vics tried to respond and Kevin Durno brought out a save from Michael Watson when he got a header on target from a Garry Warren corner, but it was straight down the throat of the keeper.

Both teams made substitutions; Vics sending on Craig Watson and Jake McWalter for Grant Mowatt and Garry Warren, before Hearts replaced George Field with Kyle Wilson before withdrawing Liam Craig in favour of Ryan Thomson.

A dangerous cross whipped into the Hearts box by Matty Johnston almost allowed Craig Watson and Abdourahman Njie a shot at goal, but neither could make proper contact and the ball ran through to Michael Watson.

Hearts made their third change of the afternoon in the 73rd minute when Stefan Anderson was replaced by Scott Gilbert.

Vics were denied what would have been a consolation goal four minutes later when Abdourahman Njie broke down the left and pulled the ball back for Jake McWalter to set up Andy Cowan but his 20-yard drive struck the bar and went over.

Before the close Kyle Wilson should have bagged a fourth for the home side when he seized upon a slack pass from Matty Johnston but shot high over the bar with only Mark Fotheringham to beat.

After a shaky start, Vics managed to get back into the game to go in only one goal behind at the interval.  Playing down the slope they might have thought they had a chance of taking something out of the game, but the injury to Lee Hutcheson, resulting in Mark Fotheringham taking over in goal, proved too much and the two quick goals early in the second period eased Hearts to a comfortable victory.

Teams:

Kennoway Star Hearts: 1 Michael Watson  2 Stefan Anderson (15 Scott Gilbert 73 mins)  3 Alistair Gray  4 Sean Murdoch  5 Thomas Hush  6 Iain Boylan  7 Liam Craig (sub 14 Ryan Thomson 65 mins)  8 Kevin Byers  9 Chris Lornie  10 Alan McAllister  11 George Field (sub 16 Kyle Wilson 62 mins).  Unused subs: 12 Lee Bremner  20 Ian Brown.

Arbroath Vics:  1 Lee Hutcheson (sub 16 Kevin Durno 46 mins)  2 Craig Stephen  3 Craig Sturrock  4 Andy Cowan  5 Matty Johnston  6 David McLeish  7 Grant Mowatt (sub 15 Craig Watson 60 mins)  8 Mark Fotheringham  9 Ross Kenny  10 Abdourahman Njie  11 Garry Warren (sub 12 Jake McWalter (60 mins).  Unused sub: 14 Chris Simpson.

Referee: Mr. J. Curran (Dunfermline).

Yellow Cards: Kennoway Star Hearts: None.  Vics: Matty Johnston, David McLeish.  Red cards: None.

After being out of town for a couple of weeks, Vics are back on home territory this Saturday when they play host to Lochee Harp in the league.  Kick-off is at 2.30 p.m.