Kelty Hearts 1-1 Stirling Albion
Albion made it nine games without defeat as our first visit to New Central Park ended all square.
The result leaves undefeated Kelty six points clear at the top while we go into Saturday’s home match with Stenhousemuir sitting second, a point ahead of Forfar.
Joe Cardle gave Kevin Thomson’s men the lead just after the hour mark but substitute Daniel Scally equalised soon after with his first goal for the club.
Skipper Ross McGeachie returned from injury and Marc Laird and Nathan Flanagan were also back in the side to face a Kelty team who beat us 3-1 in August.
The match, watched by almost 1,000 fans, was preceded by a minute’s silence in memory of former Rangers and Scotland manager Walter Smith, who sadly passed away last week at the age of 73.
The opening 20 minutes were fairly quiet but Kelty enjoyed a good spell as the game wore on and Blair Currie had to make a big save from Cardle before Martin McNiff made a last-ditch tackle.
The second half was a more even affair. Kelty went ahead in 62 minutes when Cardle smashed the ball high into the net from 12 yards after a well-worked free-kick involving Michael Tidser and Kallum Higginbotham.
We had scored in every League 2 game this season and maintained that record when Scally scored with a fine header into the corner following a superb left-wing cross from Dylan Bikey.
The big away support showed their appreciation at full-time as we became only the third team to deny the Fife club all three points this season with a determined and well-organised display.
Kelty Hearts: Jamieson, Hill (Ngwenya 73), Forster, O’Ware, Finlayson, Black (Philp 79), Tidser, Barron, Cardle, Austin (Agyeman 73), Higginbotham.
Subs (not used): Donaldson (GK), Hooper, McNab, Biabi, Finnan.
Goal: Cardle 62
Stirling Albion: Currie, McGeachie, McNiff, Cummins, McGregor, Laird, Roberts, Leitch (Omar 88), Flanagan (Scally 63), Bikey (Moore 86), Mackin (Carrick 63).
Subs (not used): Law (GK), Watson, Heaver, Banner, Grant.
Goal: Scally 65
Referee: Ross Hardie
Crowd: 937