Six goals see off struggling local rivals.

Saturday 21st January 2012.

Kingdom Caledonian League.

Cupar Hearts welcomed local rivals Kettle United to Duffus Park last Saturday. Kettle travelled with a very depleted squad and kicked off with the very strong wind to their advantage. Cupar were first to show in front of goal when Stuart Beveridge’s cross was cleared for a corner but Hearts couldn’t capitalise. Moments later Barry Sibanda broke through but was brought down 25 yards out. The resultant free kick was fired against the defensive wall by Barry Sibanda then Stuart Nicoll fired the rebound high over. Cupar were controlling proceedings and were playing some excellent neat football despite the soft pitch and strong wind. As the half wore on Kettle rarely tested Steven McEwan in the home goal. After 28 minutes a good ball was sent in by Scott McInroy but Michael Reilly’s effort was well wide. Two minutes later Hearts opened the scoring after good work by Charles Anderson. His pass found Barry Sibanda after a neat one-two with Michael Reilly and Sibanda blasted his shot straight down the middle and into the back of the net. Then a good dummy by Iain Boylan after a cross by Stuart Beveridge fooled the defence but resulted in his shot coming back off the post and Stuart Nicoll firing high. Cupar kept pressing right up until the break but failed to increase their slender lead before half time.

An early corner in the second half for Cupar resulted in a Scott McInroy effort going just past the post. Then Barry Sibanda did well to square to Stuart Nicoll but his 30 yard drive flew just over the bar. The same player had Cupar’s next effort on goal after 52 minutes with another rasping drive but it was well saved by Stephen Hamilton. The home side kept the pressure on with Iain Boylan heading the ball over. Kettle had an effort through veteran Neil Grewer who did well to volley but his spectacular effort was not to be. Cupar’s Stuart Beveridge soon found himself in acres of space and should have doubled the Hearts’ lead but he fired high and wide. Barry Sibanda was unlucky with two efforts on goal then soon after he collided with the Kettle keeper chasing after a loose ball and Stephen Hamilton came worse off, still hobbling after treatment. Cupar’s second goal came soon after when Stephen Gilfillan’s corner was punched off the line but the Cupar man was in the perfect position to see the ball had crossed the line. However Stuart Beveridge was on hand to blast the clearance into the roof of the net to remove all doubt. Cupar kept pressing for goal number 3 and it became too much for the Kettle keeper and he was replaced by another veteran Graeme Turnbull and his first job was to pick the ball out of the back of the net. With 15 minutes to go Iain Boylan did excellently to neatly lob the ball over him from 25 yards following a corner kick. Cupar substitutes David Simpson and Stephen Kane entered the fray with Scott McInroy and Michael Reilly making way. Soon after, following a scramble Iain Boylan stabbed the ball in off the post to make it 4. Then one minute later captain Charles Anderson added to his tally for the season when he beat the offside trap and flicked the ball over the substitute keeper. Kettle rarely gave up the ghost but it was the homesters who had the last say with virtually the last kick of the game when following a neat move Barry Sibanda side footed easily past Graeme Turnbull for his second and a very comfortable win for Cupar. But credit to Kettle United who fought out the game but the Hearts defence should be commended for playing some excellent football in very difficult conditions.

Hearts: McEwan, Halley, Gilfillan, Anderson (c), McInroy, Beveridge, Boylan, Nicoll, O’Leary, Sibanda and Reilly. Subs: Simpson, Laing, McLean, Kane, Crawford and Rintoull.