Kirkcaldy & Dysart 4-2 Lochore Welfare: Craig Ness's side go top of the league

John Smith opened the scoring for the hosts after only four minutes when he headed home from close range at the back post from a Jay Bridgeford cross.

In the 23rd minute Bridgeford brought out the best save of the match from the visitors keeper Witherspoon, with a fantastic diving stop high to his right to tip the ball over the bar.

Seven minutes later, Smith was put through on goal and hauled back in the box for what appeared a blatant penalty, but the referee waved play on much to the disbelief of the home coaching staff.

In the 37th minute K & D missed a great opportunity to double their lead when Bridgeford cut in from the left wing and crossed the ball into the waiting forwards who not only missed the easiest of chances once, not twice but three times right in front of goal.

After surviving this scare the visitors then dominated the play as half time approached but without really troubling home keeper Dion Gear until right on the stroke of half-time when home keeper Gear made a stunning save low to his left to tip a header round the post as the Lochore players and fans celebrated what they thought had been the equaliser.

The second half started with Lochore picking up where they left off and doing the majority of pressing and after a number of close calls they finally beat Dion Gear on the 56th minute for a deserved equaliser.From a corner, Anderson was left with a totally free header to make it all square.Home manager Craig Ness then introduced Keiran Johnston to try and get a grip of the midfield and get K & D back in the game.

The change made the difference and the 60th minute the hosts took the lead from a Owen Andrew corner that was crossed directly to Bridgeford at the near post to glance in to the bottom corner despite the efforts from Wotherspoon in the Lochore goal.

The move of the match resulted in goal number three for K & D with a slick move down the right wing which eventually saw Smith cross for Bridgeford to skilfully place his shot past keeper Witherspoon.

Totally against the run of play, the visitors did get a lifeline when from a corner in the 85th minute, with no defenders in sight, Kirby scrambled in their second goal to change the complexion of the last few minutes.

Lochore pushed everything forward as they went in search of an unlikely equaliser and caused a few nervous moments on the home box although without really being able to directly trouble Gear in the home goal.

However in the dying seconds from a breakaway, Smith ran onto a great pass from Owen Andrew to slot home number four and wrap up the three points for the home side.

K & D have 23 points from 11 league games this season, putting them above second-placed Glenrothes and third-placed Dunbar United on goal difference.

Ness’s side travel to eighth-placed Preston Athletic in the league this Saturday with kick-off in this fixture at 2.30pm.