MATCH STATS
KELTY HEARTS 1
Higgenbotham (83)
LINFIELD 1
Mckee (pen 44) Kelty won 5-4 on penalties
Kelty are through to the quarter finals but manager John Potter admitted it was a nail-biting finish as the game was decided with a penalty shoot-out.
“I’m just delighted with the result because Linfield were a really good team, especially in the first half. But we made a couple of positional changes at the interval and we worked hard to get back into the game after they went ahead before the turn.
“I’m just delighted for the boys for they never gave up.
“This is a great competition, especially for the lower clubs and it’s one that we want to win. We just hope that we can continue to progress.”
The Blues opened strongly and forced two early corners but the home defence cleared the danger.
Kelty’s first real chance came just before the half hour when Jamie Barjonas found Alfredo Agyeman but the striker brought the ball down with his chest and defender David Walsh managed to get to it first and cleared the danger.
The home side were coming into things now and in the 33rd minute Agyeman broke clear and he fired in a shot from 15 yards which keeper David Walsh’s diving save saw the ball come out to Kallum Higgenbotham but his shot from the six yard box was blocked by defender Daniel Finlayson.
Minutes later at the other end Chris Mckee almost put the visitors in front but his glancing header from a Cammy Palmer cross went inches past the upright.
Disaster struck Kelty a minute before the turn when the visitors were awarded a penalty when Lewis Martin brought down Vertainen in the box and the referee pointed to the spot.
Mckee stepped up and made no mistake as his right foot shot sent Jamieson the wrong way and the visitors went in a goal ahead at the turn.
In the 72nd minute Linfield almost went ahead but keeper Jamieson got his hands to a Michael Dewberry shot and then three minutes later he saved the day when he topped a Lee Mcstravick hot.
The home fans had plenty to cheer about in the 83rd minute for Higgenbotham found then net when he drove a 20-yarder low into the bottom corner of the net to force a penalty shoot-out.
Austin got Kelty’s final one in after Connor Pepper had missed for the visitors.