Kelty Hearts Six Pointer Alert

 

With Kelty Hearts seemingly in free-fall, they have parted company with their manager Charlie Mulgrew after a disastrous run of one win in eleven games since he took charge in January. That run has yielded just six points from a possible thirty-three which has scuppered their play-off hopes unless they drop further into the relegation zone, then anything is possible. However, not all the news coming out of the Caledonian Stadium this week is about events on the park. It has been a massive step in the right direction as the news broke that Alan Savage has been accepted as the preferred bidder by the Administrators (BDO) " A BDO spokesperson said: “We are delighted to have reached this milestone and would like to place on record our thanks to Alan, the loan creditors, shareholders and everyone at the club for their cooperation and for working so hard to get us to this point.“Our focus now is on progressing the CVA to ensure a successful exit from administration and secure the future of the Club. Together with Alan, we will look to firm up timescales in this regard as soon as possible.”

Happy Days, and the feel good factor has returned to the Caledonian Stadium

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Match/Ticket/Bus/Gig/Info

Calum Jones Gig/Bar94

Alan Salvage Preferred Bidder

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2025

Apr 12th	League (League 1)	-	H	-
Feb 22nd	League (League 1)	1 - 0	A	641

2024

Nov 2nd	League (League 1)	1 - 1	H	1,502
Aug 24th	League (League 1)	0 - 0	A	692

2022

Jul 9th

League Cup (Group Stage Group G)

1 - 0

A

601

Only the four competitive meetings between the two clubs and you can't get a fag paper between the two sides. The last encounter saw Alfie Bavidge bagging the winner in the second half.

💔 Kelty Hearts Broken 💔 The two previous encounters this season had ended all square but this Training Ground Derby at New Central Park went the way of the visitors thanks to a strike from Alfie Bavidge. Scott Kellacher had a full squad to pick from with James Nolan dropping down to join new signing Ben Brannan on the bench and Billy Mckay was up front with Alfie Bavidge. Charlie Mulgrew had a defender trialist on from the start who turned out to be Kirk Broadfoot but top Scorer Ross Cunningham missed out. After a goalless first half the Caley Jags upped the pace and Alfie Bavidge opened the scoring with twenty minutes remaining. A late scare as Kelty bounced a header off the crossbar following a corner but the visitors held on for the win in what turned out to be a great day for the Caley Jags with all others round about them losing. Happy days!

INVERNESS CT  The Season So Far

D L  D  D W D D D L   / W L  D W W W L  W L  

W W L W W L W D W / W L  D L  W 

Since Scott Kellacher was handed the reins in game 11, there has been a more positive approach to our matches which has resulted in improved performances and a more enjoyable matchday experience all round. Alas we were brought back to earth with a disappointing result in our last game of 2024, a crushing 1-4 defeat at home to Cove Rangers. We'll have to put that one down to a bad day at the office. However, we bounced back in our first game of the second half of the season in the six pointer against Dumbarton with a hard fought 2-0 win. That win over Dumbarton was a vital one and the introduction of Alfie Bavidge was a welcome one as he opened the scoring early in the first half. Charlie Gilmour slotted in the clincher in the second half to give us a cushion over the Sons and to narrow the gap on Annan to seven points. We took part in the only League1 game the next weekend and came away from Annan with a resounding 3-0 win, Alfie Bavidge netting again with Keith Bray and then Billy Mckay from the spot.  It was then on to Palmerston on the Tuesday night but in a five goal encounter we went down 3-2. Alfie Bavidge notched his third goal in three games and Keith Bray added a second but goals from Adam Brooks (2) and Jordan Allan kept the points in Dumfries. We bounced back with a resilient 1-2 win at Alloa in our third away game on the bounce, Dunfermline bound Keith Bray with his fourth of the season and Alfie Stewart. We got our revenge at home to QotS (1-0) with Alfie Bavidge scoring his fourth goal in five appearances. Alas it was a bridge too far at Arbroath and we went down losing three without reply. The Stenhousemuir fixture was postponed and was re-arranged for March 11th. We went to Kelty and came away with a narrow 1-0 win thanks to Alfie's 5th goal in 7 appearances. Montrose proved to be stubborn opponents and it took a superb diving header from Keith Bray to rescue a point in a rather turgid encounter after Sandilands had opened the scoring in the first half. A last gasp win at Dumbarton on the Saturday with Alfie Bavidge scoring his 6th goal in 9 games. Unfortunately Alfie was injured early on against Stenhousemuir in midweek but that didn't stop us running up a 4-1 win with goals from Brannan, Gilmour, Bray and Allan. Annan came North on Saturday in a six-pointer and it was a disappointing defeat after Annan parked the bus after scoring in the third minute. Next up was a 1-1 draw with Alloa despite hitting the woodwork twice and missing a penalty. Another bad day at the office last weekend at a wet and windswept Palmerston after Queen of the South blitzed us with three second half goals to run away with a 4-1 win in Dumfries. Meh! We bounced back with a rout of our own as a Keith Bray hat-trick sunk Cove Rangers 3-0 at Balmoral Park. What a result that was!

With Bavidge and Longstaff out for the remainder of the season, how timely & satisfying was it to see Keith Bray bang it a hat-trick at Cove last Saturday. A great all round team performance with Alfie Stewart providing all three assists.

Latest Team News: Remi Savage returned to the defence last week after suspension and Calum MacLeod came on as a sub after missing the game at Palmerston. 

Pos	Team	Pld	Gd	Pts
1😎	Arbroath	32	19	60
2😵‍💫	Cove R	32	14	49
3😖	Stenny	32	8	49
4😀	Queen o Sth	32	0	45
5	Alloa Athletic	32	7	44
6🙁	Montrose	32	-5	39
7💩	Kelty Hearts	32	-7	37
8😍	Inverness CT	32	4	36
9	Annan Ath	32	-26	33
10😛	Dumbarton	32	-14	16

 

Following Tuesday's announcement regarding the resignation of Charlie Mulgrew, it has been confirmed that Thomas O'Ware will take charge of the team for the remainder of the season. Tam will be assisted by the coaching team of David McGurn, Jamie McDonald and Dean Robertson.

Last Six: D L  D  D L  L  

Kelty's last six is the worst run in League1 right now. The draws were against Montrose, Stenhousemuir and Arbroath with a heavy defeat at home to Cove (0-4), an away loss at Annan (2-1) and the crushing 6-0 defeat at home against already relegated Dumbarton. Ross Cunningham is joint top scorer with Mitch Megginson of Cove. However, he is suspended for this one. Scott Williamson has seven.

 

Here's the players warming up ahead of this crucial clash at the Caledonian Stadium on Saturday. With big Mulgrew offski, Tam has stepped in to fill the gap after Charlie only won six points from thirty-three leaving Kelty dangling just above the relegation zone.

With Lord Salvage looking to invest in the club, it's happy days down at the dump after a season of hurt.

So much so, that there is a sing-song at the stadium after the Kelty game starting at 18:00.

What's not to like!

Absolutely embarrassing performance today. No desire, no passion, no leadership and no urgency. The substitutions were bizarre I felt. The less said about the goals we conceded the better. 3 cup finals left. 

I’d like to say it was a disappointing result but it’s worse than that, it’s a shockingly bad result against a poor Kelty team in decline in a game that meant so much to save our season with time and games running out.

After reading the comments from those that were there about the poor performance, and seemingly lack of drive and ambition, I find it quite staggering (and quite puzzling) following the great result against Cove last week.

We really ought to be sitting above both Kelty and Montrose in the league table tonight  🙁

1 hour ago, RednBlackComeback said:

We could’ve subbed Billy and pushed Bray up front instead. Anything to try something different because it was so clearly not working today! 

I think we should play Bray centre forward for all the remaining games and in my opinion he should have been there today.

Was planning a trip to Inverness for this one - so glad I listened to the voice in the back of my head telling me NO!

2 hours ago, bishbashbosh said:

Crab football,  side to side. Had a shot that hit post on half time. Apart from that never tested their keeper. No focal point up front as billy was playing defensive mid field most of the game. Felt sorry for the young keeper. As the guy ran to goal for their first, the keeper set himself up outside the left post, giving Kelty 7 eighths of the goal to slot home with ease. Think the post match interview tonight will be ... disappointed, frustrated,  really frustrated, really disappointed. That was our worst display this year. Big duncs football was far better than that today. A few chaps from stornoway behind me, possibly to see bray, saying what a fecking waste of money watching this rubbish. Ah well onwards to next week, was planning an away day, don't think I will bother now.

I’m not denying Syzmon could have possibly done better for either goal but Danny and Remi gave him very little protection. Let’s not be focusing on a 17 year old who stepped up to the plate when called upon. Every time our back 4 comes up against pace we struggle. 

Arbroath 4 stenhousemuir 0.

Smokies champions, 11 pts clear of Cove, 3 games remain.

Do they do what we did at Ayr a few seasons ago when we went back to premier in style putting 6 past them after we were confirmed champs mid week. 

Or do they put in a weakened team to see how the squad players perform, giving the 1st team a break after WORKING and partying all week.

Important, as they are away to Annan next week while we are at stenhousemuir.

Interesting. Well done to them the best team in league 1 this season.

5 minutes ago, LisleRightPeg said:

I’m not denying Syzmon could have possibly done better for either goal but Danny and Remi gave him very little protection. Let’s not be focusing on a 17 year old who stepped up to the plate when called upon. Every time our back 4 comes up against pace we struggle. 

I didn't mean to focus on him, said I was sorry for him. Wouldn't dream of being critical of the young guy, he came on and did his best. 

I was right behind him at the first goal and relayed his position. Guys behind me, to the right of me and in front of me were shouting " what are you fecking doing " I kept stum.

By the way nothing Savage could do for the 2nd, the guy got goal side of him as last man, and had just been booked minutes earlier. Couldn't catch him, couldn't take one for the team.

That's the disappointing thing, is our inability to change  the way we do things. We continually passed the ball around never really believing we would score, but just kept doing it anyway.

Maybe sometimes we need to believe it's not going to be our day and settle for the point, which at this stage is better than none. But today we left ourselves totally exposed at the back, searching for a goal that was never going to come.

That said it was just awful.

 

4 hours ago, Howdenender said:

And if “Kells” is the answer god only knows what the question is!

I'm not even going to try and defend today's performance, but that comment is uncalled for.

We were wrong end of the table before administration and if not for the 15pt deduction Kell would have us fighting it out at the top of the table.

If the question is where would we be without him the answer is likely battling it out with Dumbarton for the auto relegation spot.

That was a poor performance but we’ve been inconsistent recently, particularly at home.

We've three games to secure 8th (or better) and two of those are away. We’ve the second best points per game record away from home in the league so if we can maintain that we will be fine.

For being thrown in at the deep end, Rebillas did well on the whole, but should have been given more protection.

Other than hitting the post and an effort by Bray, both in the first half, I don’t recall us troubling Kelty. Musa made two good saves in the first half, so it could have been worse.

A bad day, but it’s still in our own hands.

Time to focus on next week.

22 minutes ago, Robert said:

That was a poor performance but we’ve been inconsistent recently, particularly at home.

As a result of pretty poor performances in the last 2 home games I decided to give the 3-hour drive to Inverness a miss this time around. I'm sure I wasn't the only one, and no doubt some will avoid the next home game on the strength of what they witnessed today.

This is why it is so important for a struggling team like ours to really up their game in front of the home crowd. The income generated from a healthy gate is our bread-and-butter, and consistent entertaining football and some home wins will surely boost attendances in subsequent matches.

Kells has got his work cut out!

 

1 hour ago, STFU said:

I'm not even going to try and defend today's performance, but that comment is uncalled for.

We were wrong end of the table before administration and if not for the 15pt deduction Kell would have us fighting it out at the top of the table.

If the question is where would we be without him the answer is likely battling it out with Dumbarton for the auto relegation spot.

In such an undeniably poor league such as this almost anyone should have a full time setup “fighting it out at the top of the table”. This is just the latest in what has been a succession of shockingly poor home performances, and I would argue that we should have left the relegation threat behind us weeks ago. There was little evidence of any game plan or structure on show today, and hearing his after match interview, in which he said we should maybe try to get more crosses into the box, and inject more pace into the play - well!!

If my counting is correct...

Ferguson averaged 1.2 points per game for 10 games.

Kell is averaging about 1.7 points per game.

That's around 40% improvement

We've had some poor performances but so do all teams and the poor performances over the first 10 games this season were when the damage was done.

I'm as frustrated as the next person that we've not yet secured our league one status but I don't see how anyone can come to the conclusion that Kellacher was not the answer to the situation we were/are in.

I was not there but from a psychological point of view did we assume after a superb performance against Cove; relief that Savage was appointed preferred bidder; players being showcased in the Eastgate entre; Kelty reeling from a 6-0 home defeat and manager resignation - that this was an easy game?

4 hours ago, STFU said:

If my counting is correct...

Ferguson averaged 1.2 points per game for 10 games.

Kell is averaging about 1.7 points per game.

That's around 40% improvement

We've had some poor performances but so do all teams and the poor performances over the first 10 games this season were when the damage was done.

I'm as frustrated as the next person that we've not yet secured our league one status but I don't see how anyone can come to the conclusion that Kellacher was not the answer to the situation we were/are in.

Apples and oranges. We shouldn’t care who is the better/worse manager, we need to focus on the now. Or AS will get his wish early when he said we hope to be out of this league by next year. The way we played yesterday we might be out of it this year.

i have quoted Lee Trevino before, “ I never think about yesterday, can’t do anything about it”.

If you are going to persist with comparisons you have to compare like for like. 
ferguson 10 games Kellacher 23,  if my counting is correct, more than twice the games of Ferguson. 
 

can’t deny kellacher has done well but as said above we should have made our season safe over the last few games.

watching yesterday was like watching a Ferguson team at its worst. Slow in possession letting kelty get 10 behind the ball. Playing sideways and backwards trying to break them down and then getting hit on the fast break, twice. 
I get admin, no cash, can’t sign players over 20 but yesterday was the same team that put 3 past cove last week.

10 hours ago, forresjags said:

That's the disappointing thing, is our inability to change  the way we do things. We continually passed the ball around never really believing we would score, but just kept doing it anyway.

Maybe sometimes we need to believe it's not going to be our day and settle for the point, which at this stage is better than none. But today we left ourselves totally exposed at the back, searching for a goal that was never going to come.

That said it was just awful.

 

I was thinking that yesterday, our ability to change things. Kellachers substitutions were like for like, playing the same way.

how many times over the years have you seen on TV watching Scottish, English football a team a goal down with a few minutes left on the clock put a centre half up front to be a nuisance and cause a bit of havoc in a comfortable defence. 

billy looked out of sorts yesterday trotting around the middle of the park. An injury, illness, bug or even the trotts themselves?

We have a very young bench and few/none who can influence a game.

with a few minutes remaining could we have taken billy off and replaced him with the loan boy Ewan from RC, a centre half. Decide who is tallest between him, Devine and savage and put that person up front and put crosses into the box for him to try and create a bit of havoc. Might have got a lucky break and scored.

we definitely did not look like scoring the way we were playing. Worth a go?

 

 

1 hour ago, bishbashbosh said:

Apples and oranges. We shouldn’t care who is the better/worse manager, we need to focus on the now. Or AS will get his wish early when he said we hope to be out of this league by next year. The way we played yesterday we might be out of it this year.

i have quoted Lee Trevino before, “ I never think about yesterday, can’t do anything about it”.

If you are going to persist with comparisons you have to compare like for like. 
ferguson 10 games Kellacher 23,  if my counting is correct, more than twice the games of Ferguson. 
 

can’t deny kellacher has done well but as said above we should have made our season safe over the last few games.

watching yesterday was like watching a Ferguson team at its worst. Slow in possession letting kelty get 10 behind the ball. Playing sideways and backwards trying to break them down and then getting hit on the fast break, twice. 
I get admin, no cash, can’t sign players over 20 but yesterday was the same team that put 3 past cove last week.

The point if my last couple of posts was to say that the facts show Kell has done a great job and the suggestion to the contrary was uncalled for.

You then have 3 paragraphs saying the facts don't show how well Kell is doing and the 10 games from before he took over mean nothing and you then immediately follow it with a comment saying people can't deny how well he is doing.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Confused

15 minutes ago, STFU said:

The point if my last couple of posts was to say that the facts show Kell has done a great job and the suggestion to the contrary was uncalled for.

You then have 3 paragraphs saying the facts don't show how well Kell is doing and the 10 games from before he took over mean nothing and you then immediately follow it with a comment saying people can't deny how well he is doing.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Confused

If nothing more let’s look to the AS era with a more demanding standard.

Any info on Dibaga’s injury? If he’s not back next week we’ll need to try for an emergency loan again.

Hamstring. Needs assessed.

Kells talking to press/P&J

Speaking about Dibaga’s injury, boss Kellacher added afterwards: “Musa has pulled his hamstring – there is no way he could have carried on. “We had to put young Szymon in goals and it was a big ask for the kid. “We will see what the physio says about Musa.”

When you see Szymon’s reaction to the first goal, it’s the realisation that the goalposts weren’t where he thought they were. He’s young, he’ll learn. It’s very rare to see a first team keeper under 21, let alone 16/17.

Edited April 13, 20251 yr by Yngwie

1 hour ago, STFU said:

The point if my last couple of posts was to say that the facts show Kell has done a great job and the suggestion to the contrary was uncalled for.

You then have 3 paragraphs saying the facts don't show how well Kell is doing and the 10 games from before he took over mean nothing and you then immediately follow it with a comment saying people can't deny how well he is doing.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Confused

I often find myself in agreement with you, but in this case to say the facts show that Kell has done a great job is surely stretching it a little? The recent facts are that Kelty Hearts, who have no money, Montrose, who have no money, and Annan, similarly penniless, have all left Inverness with three points in their pockets! Despite these somewhat desperate performances we may still avoid a relegation playoff, due in large part to the poor standards of others.

1 hour ago, big cherly said:

If nothing more let’s look to the AS era with a more demanding standard.

Yeah, although, we've a threadbare inexperienced squad. With a fuller squad, we were second bottom before the 15 points. Without the penalty, we would be easily in the promotion playoffs. We've been pushing for goals but not managing to score. People have been saying we should be more cautious. They tried but we just don't have enough players to just tinker. Mckay can't score and there is no other strikers. We could try centre backs and wingers. Probably will need to but that's not a real solution. Personally, I feel we should just go back to previous. Yes, we couldn't score but as long as we create chances, we still have a route to 3 points. Playing possession with barely any players is not something ICT can do.

The whole squad, including management, have accumulated more points than we should have expected. Let's stick with what we have been doing. It's part of the game to criticise after a bad show. We've still got a better than evens chance of getting out of this. At the end of the season, let's see get any rightful seething out and then appreciate that finishing one above the play-offs is success after being fined the equivalent of 5 wins.

13 minutes ago, Starscape said:

Yeah, although, we've a threadbare inexperienced squad. With a fuller squad, we were second bottom before the 15 points. Without the penalty, we would be easily in the promotion playoffs. We've been pushing for goals but not managing to score. People have been saying we should be more cautious. They tried but we just don't have enough players to just tinker. Mckay can't score and there is no other strikers. We could try centre backs and wingers. Probably will need to but that's not a real solution. Personally, I feel we should just go back to previous. Yes, we couldn't score but as long as we create chances, we still have a route to 3 points. Playing possession with barely any players is not something ICT can do.

The whole squad, including management, have accumulated more points than we should have expected. Let's stick with what we have been doing. It's part of the game to criticise after a bad show. We've still got a better than evens chance of getting out of this. At the end of the season, let's see get any rightful seething out and then appreciate that finishing one above the play-offs is success after being fined the equivalent of 5 wins.

Totally agree with this especially the last paragraph. When we went into admin would we have taken been where we are today with destiny still in our own hands? Of course we would. For the record that game had 0-0 written all over it if Musa had stayed on. Poor Symion is just not ready and I blame DF for allowing us to start this season (before admin) with one suitable keeper. 

Another issue I need to mention is the negativity and pure self entitlement at end of home games. Players came over at full time yesterday to clap crowd. Dammed if they do and dammed if they don't! Several grown men shouting abuse at players some of whom are still teenagers. I get the frustration but what is this meant to achieve? Can we calming down and get behind the team to get them over the line. Thank goodness we are away next week. Home games seem toxic of late.