Fourth tier Kelty Hearts pulled off a significant Scottish Cup shock by stunning struggling holders St Johnstone in the fourth round at Central Park.
After a goalless 90 minutes, veteran forward Kallum Higginbotham broke clear to net an extra-time winner for the runaway League 2 leaders.
The sobering defeat extends the losing run of the Premiership’s bottom side to 10 matches and leaves Callum Davidson’s side in crisis just seven months on from completing a historic cup double.
After this dream win, Kelty will face another top-tier opponent, this time travelling to face St Mirren on the weekend of 12/13 February.
On the flipside of St Johnstone’s losing streak, Kelty went into the game having lost just one of their last 23 games in all competitions. They are too good for their division, while their visitors are perhaps not good enough for theirs.
But the gulf is still significant and the Fifers only went in level at half-time thanks to goalkeeper Darren Jamieson, who denied the top-flight side with a stunning double save.
Firstly, Jamieson was at full stretch down to his left to tip away a Chris Kane header before he clawed away Ali Crawford’s curling effort to the top-right corner.
Kelty were comfortable against a woeful St Johnstone, but Kevin Thomson’s side failed to cause a real threat in attack.
The holders tried to up the tempo after the break, with Liam Gordon and Jacob Butterfield going close with efforts from outside the box.
Nadir Ciftci also failed to hit the target with a header and side-foot volley. But in truth, all were half chances as Kelty reduced the away side to ambitious shots and desperate crosses.
The closest St Johnstone came was with an extra-time free-kick as Crawford crashed a set-piece effort off Jamieson’s bar.
But with Davidson’s men pushing for a winner, Kelty broke from a St Johnstone corner and delivered the killer blow as Alfie Agyeman fed Higginbotham, who raced clear, kept his cool and rifled past Clark.
St Johnstone did nothing to merit getting back into the game and Kelty could and should have added to their lead when the impressive Agyeman rattled the woodwork.
But 1-0 it would finish, meaning a 10th consecutive defeat for Davidson, who cut a dejected figure in the dugout all afternoon.
Kelty Hearts manager Kevin Thomson: “I said to the players before the game we weren’t here to make the numbers up. We wanted to have a go and, to a man, the boys were unbelievable.
“I’m proud of them, proud of the town, proud of all the supporters that got behind us. They’re a good full-time team, three divisions above us but at the same time, everybody will know me, if I’m in it, I want to try and win it.”
St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson: “The first half was really disappointing. I asked them to do certain things and for the first 30 or 40 minutes, they wouldn’t do any of it.
“Second half. we started to do those things and put them under a bit of pressure, but ultimately if you lose a goal as bad as that you don’t deserve to go through.”
Player of the match
HigginbothamKallum Higginbotham
with an average of 8.43
Kelty Hearts
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Squad number11Player nameHigginbotham
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Squad number23Player nameNgwenya
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Squad number14Player namePhilp
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Squad number25Player nameO’Ware
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Squad number7Player nameCardle
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Squad number12Player nameTidser
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Squad number9Player nameAustin
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Squad number4Player nameForster
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Squad number15Player nameFinlayson
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Squad number16Player nameMcNab
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Squad number10Player nameBarjonas
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Squad number1Player nameJamieson
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Squad number21Player nameBiabi
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Squad number2Player nameBlack
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Squad number22Player nameAgyeman
St Johnstone
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Squad number1Player nameClark
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Squad number3Player nameGallacher
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Squad number15Player nameGilmour
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Squad number2Player nameBrown
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Squad number9Player nameKane
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Squad number21Player nameCrawford
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Squad number6Player nameGordon
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Squad number34Player nameButterfield
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Squad number23Player nameÇiftçi
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Squad number5Player nameCleary
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Squad number4Player nameMcCart
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Squad number14Player nameMiddleton
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Squad number7Player nameMay
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Squad number11Player nameO’Halloran
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Squad number26Player nameCraig
Line-ups
Kelty Hearts
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Jamieson
- 15Finlayson
- 4Forster
- 25O’Ware
- 23NgwenyaBooked at 116mins
- 14Philp
- 12TidserSubstituted forBlackat 97′minutes
- 10BarjonasSubstituted forMcNabat 105′minutes
- 11Higginbotham
- 7CardleSubstituted forAgyemanat 78′minutesBooked at 117mins
- 9AustinSubstituted forBiabiat 90+2′minutesBooked at 120mins
Substitutes
- 2Black
- 5Hooper
- 16McNab
- 20Donaldson
- 21Biabi
- 22Agyeman
St Johnstone
Formation 3-1-4-2
- 1Clark
- 6Gordon
- 5Cleary
- 4McCart
- 34Butterfield
- 2BrownSubstituted forO’Halloranat 92′minutesSubstituted forCraigat 105+1′minutes
- 15Gilmour
- 21Crawford
- 3Gallacher
- 23ÇiftçiBooked at 77minsSubstituted forMayat 79′minutes
- 9KaneSubstituted forMiddletonat 73′minutes
Substitutes
- 7May
- 8Davidson
- 11O’Halloran
- 12Parish
- 14Middleton
- 17Vertainen
- 25Ambrose
- 26Craig
- 28Northcott
Live Text
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Match ends, Kelty Hearts 1, St. Johnstone 0.
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Second Half Extra Time ends, Kelty Hearts 1, St. Johnstone 0.
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Attempt saved. Stevie May (St. Johnstone) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
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Botti Biabi (Kelty Hearts) is shown the yellow card.
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Attempt saved. Ross Philp (Kelty Hearts) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
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Attempt blocked. Botti Biabi (Kelty Hearts) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Alfredo Agyeman (Kelty Hearts) is shown the yellow card.
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Kieran Ngwenya (Kelty Hearts) is shown the yellow card.
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Thomas O’Ware (Kelty Hearts) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Stevie May (St. Johnstone).
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Alfredo Agyeman (Kelty Hearts) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box.
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Attempt blocked. Kallum Higginbotham (Kelty Hearts) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Corner, Kelty Hearts. Conceded by Liam Gordon.
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Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Kallum Higginbotham.
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Second Half Extra Time begins Kelty Hearts 1, St. Johnstone 0.
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First Half Extra Time ends, Kelty Hearts 1, St. Johnstone 0.
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Substitution, St. Johnstone. Liam Craig replaces Michael O’Halloran because of an injury.
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Attempt missed. Kallum Higginbotham (Kelty Hearts) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
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Substitution, Kelty Hearts. Robbie McNab replaces Jamie Barjonas.
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Attempt missed. Jacob Butterfield (St. Johnstone) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Kallum Higginbotham’s goal gave League 2 leaders Kelty Hearts victoryFourth tier Kelty Hearts pulled off a significant Scottish Cup shock by stunning struggling holders St Johnstone in the fourth round at Central Park. After a goalless 90 minutes, veteran forward Kallum Higginbotham broke clear to net an extra-time winner for the runaway League 2 leaders.The sobering defeat extends the losing run of the Premiership’s bottom side to 10 matches and leaves Callum Davidson’s side in crisis just seven months on from completing a historic cup double.After this dream win, Kelty will face another top-tier opponent, this time travelling to face St Mirren on the weekend of 12/13 February.Kelty to face St Mirren in last 16My job is under threat – DavidsonOn the flipside of St Johnstone’s losing streak, Kelty went into the game having lost just one of their last 23 games in all competitions. They are too good for their division, while their visitors are perhaps not good enough for theirs.But the gulf is still significant and the Fifers only went in level at half-time thanks to goalkeeper Darren Jamieson, who denied the top-flight side with a stunning double save.Firstly, Jamieson was at full stretch down to his left to tip away a Chris Kane header before he clawed away Ali Crawford’s curling effort to the top-right corner.Kelty were comfortable against a woeful St Johnstone, but Kevin Thomson’s side failed to cause a real threat in attack.The holders tried to up the tempo after the break, with Liam Gordon and Jacob Butterfield going close with efforts from outside the box.Nadir Ciftci also failed to hit the target with a header and side-foot volley. But in truth, all were half chances as Kelty reduced the away side to ambitious shots and desperate crosses.The closest St Johnstone came was with an extra-time free-kick as Crawford crashed a set-piece effort off Jamieson’s bar.But with Davidson’s men pushing for a winner, Kelty broke from a St Johnstone corner and delivered the killer blow as Alfie Agyeman fed Higginbotham, who raced clear, kept his cool and rifled past Clark.St Johnstone did nothing to merit getting back into the game and Kelty could and should have added to their lead when the impressive Agyeman rattled the woodwork.But 1-0 it would finish, meaning a 10th consecutive defeat for Davidson, who cut a dejected figure in the dugout all afternoon.Kelty Hearts manager Kevin Thomson: “I said to the players before the game we weren’t here to make the numbers up. We wanted to have a go and, to a man, the boys were unbelievable. “I’m proud of them, proud of the town, proud of all the supporters that got behind us. They’re a good full-time team, three divisions above us but at the same time, everybody will know me, if I’m in it, I want to try and win it.”St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson: “The first half was really disappointing. I asked them to do certain things and for the first 30 or 40 minutes, they wouldn’t do any of it.”Second half. we started to do those things and put them under a bit of pressure, but ultimately if you lose a goal as bad as that you don’t deserve to go through.”Player of the matchHigginbothamKallum Higginbothamwith an average of 8.43Kelty HeartsSquad number11Player nameHigginbothamSquad number23Player nameNgwenyaSquad number14Player namePhilpSquad number25Player nameO’WareSquad number7Player nameCardleSquad number12Player nameTidserSquad number9Player nameAustinSquad number4Player nameForsterSquad number15Player nameFinlaysonSquad number16Player nameMcNabSquad number10Player nameBarjonasSquad number1Player nameJamiesonSquad number21Player nameBiabiSquad number2Player nameBlackSquad number22Player nameAgyemanSt JohnstoneSquad number1Player nameClarkSquad number3Player nameGallacherSquad number15Player nameGilmourSquad number2Player nameBrownSquad number9Player nameKaneSquad number21Player nameCrawfordSquad number6Player nameGordonSquad number34Player nameButterfieldSquad number23Player nameÇiftçiSquad number5Player nameClearySquad number4Player nameMcCartSquad number14Player nameMiddletonSquad number7Player nameMaySquad number11Player nameO’HalloranSquad number26Player nameCraigLine-upsKelty HeartsFormation 4-2-3-11Jamieson15Finlayson4Forster25O’Ware23Ngwenya14Philp12Tidser10Barjonas11Higginbotham7Cardle9Austin1Jamieson15Finlayson4Forster25O’Ware23NgwenyaBooked at 116mins14Philp12TidserSubstituted forBlackat 97’minutes10BarjonasSubstituted forMcNabat 105’minutes11Higginbotham7CardleSubstituted forAgyemanat 78’minutesBooked at 117mins9AustinSubstituted forBiabiat 90+2’minutesBooked at 120minsSubstitutes2Black5Hooper16McNab20Donaldson21Biabi22AgyemanSt JohnstoneFormation 3-1-4-21Clark6Gordon5Cleary4McCart34Butterfield2Brown15Gilmour21Crawford3Gallacher23Çiftçi9Kane1Clark6Gordon5Cleary4McCart34Butterfield2BrownSubstituted forO’Halloranat 92’minutesSubstituted forCraigat 105+1’minutes15Gilmour21Crawford3Gallacher23ÇiftçiBooked at 77minsSubstituted forMayat 79’minutes9KaneSubstituted forMiddletonat 73’minutesSubstitutes7May8Davidson11O’Halloran12Parish14Middleton17Vertainen25Ambrose26Craig28NorthcottLive TextMatch ends, Kelty Hearts 1, St. Johnstone 0.Second Half Extra Time ends, Kelty Hearts 1, St. Johnstone 0.Attempt saved. Stevie May (St. Johnstone) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.Botti Biabi (Kelty Hearts) is shown the yellow card.Attempt saved. Ross Philp (Kelty Hearts) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.Attempt blocked. Botti Biabi (Kelty Hearts) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.Alfredo Agyeman (Kelty Hearts) is shown the yellow card.Kieran Ngwenya (Kelty Hearts) is shown the yellow card.Thomas O’Ware (Kelty Hearts) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Stevie May (St. Johnstone).Alfredo Agyeman (Kelty Hearts) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box.Attempt blocked. Kallum Higginbotham (Kelty Hearts) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.Corner, Kelty Hearts. Conceded by Liam Gordon.Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Kallum Higginbotham.Second Half Extra Time begins Kelty Hearts 1, St. Johnstone 0.First Half Extra Time ends, Kelty Hearts 1, St. Johnstone 0.Substitution, St. Johnstone. Liam Craig replaces Michael O’Halloran because of an injury.Attempt missed. Kallum Higginbotham (Kelty Hearts) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.Substitution, Kelty Hearts. Robbie McNab replaces Jamie Barjonas.Attempt missed. Jacob Butterfield (St. Johnstone) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.