East Fife vs Kelty Hearts – Preview by Oli Anderson
📍 New Central Park, Kelty
🗓️ Saturday 19th July | Kick-off: 3:00pm
⚔️ The Challenge Ahead
East Fife’s start to their Premier Sports Cup did not go to plan last week, as we fell 2-1 to SPFL Premiership side Livingston despite a performance which we could take plenty of positives away from. The pressure now ramps up, as anything short of victory today against county rivals Kelty Hearts would see us eliminated from the League Cup prematurely. Kelty are a fellow League 1 side, so the management team will see this as a chance to get points on the board.
📊 Form Guide
East Fife
Kelty Hearts
📈Group H Table
Position |
Team |
Played |
W |
PW/PL |
L |
PTS |
1. |
Kilmarnock |
2 |
2 |
0/0 |
0 |
6 |
2. |
Kelty Hearts |
1 |
1 |
0/0 |
0 |
3 |
3. |
Livingston |
2 |
1 |
0/0 |
1 |
3 |
4. |
East Fife |
1 |
0 |
0/0 |
1 |
0 |
5. |
Brora Rangers |
2 |
0 |
0/0 |
2 |
0 |
PW – Penalty Shootouts Won, PL – Penalty Shootouts Lost
🕰️ Upcoming Group Fixtures
🔁 Recent Encounters
🚑 Squad News
Out
Injury: Jess Norey and Liam Newton continue to miss out through injury.
Suspension: Michael McKenna will serve the final game of his suspension that he picked up last season, while Mamadou Bah also serves his 1 match suspension following his late sending off last week. Manager Dick Campbell is also banned from the touchline this afternoon, following his red card against Annan Athletic in last season’s play-off final.
In
Potential: Adam Laaref could make a return to the squad this afternoon, following promising progress for the winger however a final decision on his inclusion has not yet been made.
New Signing: Lewis Latona is also available for selection following his arrival on loan from Livingston.
Under 20s Players: Kobie Thomson, Neil Blake, James Gordon, James Linton and Daniel Bell will all also make the step up into the first team for the Fife Derby.
🎟️ Match Tickets
Tickets (online purchase encouraged, while pay at the gate available):
🟡East Fife fans should access the stadium through the North turnstiles (via the Kelty Community Centre). There is no strict plans for segregation for this fixture however East Fife fans are asked to accommodate areas within the North terracing/enclosure..
🚗Car Parking
Please use any vacant parking spaces in the Community Centre car park.
📺 Live Streaming
Our overseas supporters can also access the game on East Fife TV through an annual or monthly subscription. The commentator for the tie is Daniel Hughes.
👕 Club Colours
The Fifers will be in the brand-new JADA sponsored away kit, wearing the all-white kit. Our goalkeeper will be in yellow for the clash.
🧑⚖️ Match Officials
The referee for Saturday will be Euan Anderson. His assistants running the lines are Will Pare and John Fairley.
‘Mon the Fife!
East Fife are delighted to announce the signing of Lewis Latona on a season-long loan from Livingston.
The 18-year-old midfielder joined Livingston earlier this summer from Hamilton Academical, where he progressed through their youth system. Last season, Lewis gained valuable first-team experience on loan at East Stirlingshire, making 20 appearances in the Lowland League.
Lewis trained with the squad last night and is available for selection in tomorrow’s match against Kelty Hearts.
Welcome to Bayview, Lewis!
The fixtures for the League Phase of the KDM Evolution Trophy have been confirmed, with East Fife set to face a mix of senior and Premiership B sides in the opening round of this new-format competition.
Our scheduled fixtures are:
📆 Hearts B (H) – 12/13 August
📆 Kilmarnock B (H) – 26/27 August
📆 Dumbarton (H) – 6/7 September
📆 Clyde (A) – 23/24 September
📆 Celtic B (H) – 11/12 October
📆 Edinburgh City (H) – 11 November
The competition kicks off with a league phase involving 10 William Hill League 1 clubs, 10 League 2 clubs, and 10 Premiership B teams, with each club playing six group games based on regional pairings. The top 22 teams will progress to the knockout stage, joined by the 10 William Hill Championship clubs.
📢 Full fixture details and admission prices will be confirmed soon.
East Fife FC would like to extend our sincere thanks to Stevie Kirk for joining us as Guest of Honour in the Matchday Hospitality Suite at the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium on Saturday.
Stevie is a true East Fife legend, having enjoyed three spells at the club during his playing career, and taking charge as manager for the final game at the old Bayview Park — fittingly, against Saturday’s opponents, Livingston.
It was fantastic to welcome Stevie back to Bayview to share his memories and stories with our hospitality guests. His contribution to the club, both on and off the pitch, remains an important part of East Fife’s history.
Thank you again, Stevie — we look forward to seeing you back at Bayview again soon!
Kelty Hearts v East Fife
Premier Sports Cup Group H MD3
Saturday 19th July 2025
Kick Off: 3.00pm
Venue: New Central Park
🎟️ Ticket Prices:
⚠️Important Information:
How to Buy Tickets:
🎟️ Online: https://bit.ly/3Uf2OuF
🏟️ Pay-at-the-gate: cash and card accepted
🌍 Watch Live (Outside UK & Ireland)
For supporters unable to attend in person, a live stream of the match will be available to viewers outside the UK and Ireland via East Fife TV. A monthly or annual subscription is required to access the stream.
East Fife 1-2 Livingston
🏆Premier Sports Cup Group H MD1
📍MGM Timber Bayview Stadium
🗓️Saturday 12th July | Kick-off: 3:00pm
Despite a valiant effort from Dick Campbell’s East Fife, they fell 2-1 to Premiership opposition Livingston at the MGM Timber Bayview Stadium on Saturday. A performance with lots of positives was undone by five minutes of madness either side of the half time whistle, which allowed David Martindale’s side to pounce.
The first quarter of an hour saw Livingston hold the majority of the ball, although in areas which did not threaten the Fifers. So, when the hosts were in possession, they hit hard and fast, almost breaking the deadlock in the third minute, when Pat Slattery’s shot was cleared from the Livi goal line.
East Fife’s next chance came from Rob Jones on the half an hour mark. He galloped in behind the Livi centre half and looked to chip the goalkeeper from the by-line outside of the 18-yard box. Miraculously. His shot looked to curve goalwards, and Jones was unlucky that his shot hit the post and bounced back into play, rather than the back of the net.
Livingston has to wait until 35 minutes to really cause issues, but from there until the half time whistle, East Fife were under some real pressure. In their first period of real sustained threat, the visitors took the lead, with Robbie Muirhead finding the breakthrough in in first half stoppage time, firing into the top corner from close range following a misplaced defensive clearance.
The Fifers knew that they would have to start quickly to pull themselves back into the game, following a disappointing end to the first half. However, the second 45 started in disaster as a defensive mishap saw East Fife concede a second goal minutes after the restart. McLellan won the ball in his own half and darted the length of the pitch. His shot was blocked, before Peggie and Rollo both contested for the loose ball, leaving Macaulay Tait unmarked at the back post who nodded the ball into the open net.
The Methil side then got their tails up and started to see some more success with a second wind of pressure. First, Trouten forced Prior into a save, then East Fife pulled one back through Pat Slattery - who is not one to find the back of the net often. Averaging a goal every two years for East Fife, the versatile midfielder/defender cannoned his shot with his right foot, beating Prior via a deflection.
Chances flowed for both teams, but neither side could add to the scoring as the game went on. Slattery came close to a brace, but it was not to be. The game ended in a disappointing manner for East Fife, with defender Mamadou Bah was sent off following a second bookable offence. This now means that the already thin East Fife squad, has lost yet another body early ahead of next weekend’s trip to Kelty.
Man of the Match: Pat Slattery
A strong debut showing from Matty Rollo, but this week’s Man of the Match goes to Pat Slattery for an all-round solid performance — capped off with a rare goal!
East Fife – Rollo, Easton, Peggie, Munro, Bah, Millar, McManus, Slattery, Trouten, Austin, Jones (Nicol 82’). Subs not used: Thomson, Gilfillan, Bell, Gordon, Ramsay.
Livingston – Prior, McGowan, Finlayson, Wilson, Pittman, McLennan (Rudden 82’), Smith (Carey 60’), Sylla (Winter 59’), Muirhead (May 60’), Tait, Montaño. Subs not used: McAlear, Hamilton, Shinnie, Kabongolo.
Referee – Ross Hardie
Attendance – 743
Report by Oli Anderson