Scottish League 2: Kelty Hearts thump Albion Rovers to retain gap at top
- Published
Nathan Austin and Botti Biabi both scored braces as Kelty Hearts remained seven points clear at the top of Scottish League 2.
Kevin Thomson's side thumped Albion Rovers 6-1 to keep their distance between them and second-place Forfar, who beat Stirling Albion 2-0.
Third-place Annan Athletic were 4-1 winners at home to Elgin City, Stranraer remain four points behind them after their 2-0 win over bottom-club Cowdenbeath, while Stenhousemuir and Edinburgh City drew 2-2.
Austin opened the scoring early on for Kelty, and although Corey O'Donnell equalised for the visitors, the unbeaten league leaders retook the lead through Daniel Finlayson just before half-time.
Austin got his second at the start of the second half before Biabi added two more and Jamie Barjonas added a sixth for Hearts.
Forfar's win over Stirling Albion handed the visitors their fifth league defeat on the trot, and their seventh without a win, in the week that Kevin Rutkiewicz resigned as manager citing a difference of opinion with chairman Stuart Brown.
Second-half goals from Craig Slater and Stefan McCluskey sealed three points for the Loons.
A Dominic Docherty hat-trick made it back-to-back wins for Annan Athletic.
Matthew Cooper got an early goal for Elgin but Docherty equalised just before the half-hour mark.
Docherty struck again to put the hosts ahead in the 64th minute and got his hat-trick just minutes later, before Aidan Smith added a fourth for Annan.
John Robertson's late leveller snatched a point for Edinburgh City as they drew with Stenhousemuir.
Stephen Bronsky put City in the lead just before half-time, finding the bottom left corner.
Sean Crighton opened up the second half with an equaliser for Stenhousemuir and the Warriors took the lead through an own goal from Bronsky, but Robertson rescued a point for Edinburgh in the 86th minute.
Cowdenbeath remain bottom of the league after first-half goals from Matt Yates and Tommy Muir secured victory for Stranraer, who move up to fourth in the table.
