East Kilbride made a huge statement in their quest for the Lowland League title after downing defending champions Kelty Hearts in foggy Fife.
Kyle Wilkie's second half strike gave Kilby their first victory over Barry Ferguson's side in four meetings after a fraught and feisty top-of-the-table tussle at New Central Park.
It keeps Steven Aitken's men unbeaten this season and puts them two points clear of nearest challengers BSC Glasgow at the summit - and four clear of Kelty, having played a game more.
The clash was in doubt an hour before kick-off with heavy fog descending on New Central Park and Barry Ferguson had some lengthy discussions with referee Dan McFarlane before the game eventually got the go-ahead.
Kelty fielded two former EK men in their starting line-up with defender Craig Reid and winger Cammy Russell getting a game against their old club.
East Kilbride made two changes to the side that beat Spartans 2-0 the previous week, with Craig Malcolm and Anton Brady dropping out to be replaced by Darren Smith and Wilkie, repsectively.
With both sides eager to get a foothold in the title race, the game started at a frantic pace and that made for an end-to-end opening spell.
Kallum Higginbotham tested Kilby keeper Conor Brennan inside the first minute and Jamie Stevenson almost turned the ball into his own net down the other end moments later, as his attempted clearance landed on the roof of the Kelty net.
The frantic start continued as Paul Paton and Dylan Easton clashed after a challenge and had to be brought under control by referee McFarlane.
EK had a lucky escape in seven minutes when the ball was hung up to the back post and Higginbotham's header flew just wide of the target.
Russell's game came to a premature end in 25 minutes when he pulled up injured and Robbie McNab replaced him.
Persistent fouling started to break up the game in a fiesty first half, but McFarlane seemed reluctant to book anyone after a few late challenges from both sides went unpunished.
In 37 minutes the visitors got their first real sight of goal when a looping header from Ricky Miller landed just wide of the far post from a corner, after Kyle Wilkie had headed Paul Woods' delivery back across goal.
Brennan did well to palm away a thumping drive from Higginbotham inside the box, as EK's claims for offside were waved away.
Just before the break Tidser's free-kick cracked off the crossbar with Brennan beaten and Kilby breathed a sigh of relief to go in all square at the interval.
HT | Kelty 0 EK 0
— Lanarkshire Live Sport (@LanLiveSport) November 7, 2020
All square at the break, but Kelty captain Michael Tidser has come closest to finding a goal with this free-kick that cracked off the crossbar just before half-time.
Ricky Miller has had EK’s only real chance with a looping header landing wide. pic.twitter.com/dJ0DQTLJkB
In the second half, Stevenson tried his luck from distance with a driven free-kick that flew just over the top of Brennan's goal.
Tasty tackles continued to fly in and
On the hour mark Miller's powerful header from a Wilkie free-kick took a deflection to take it over the top and, from the resulting corner, Bell was unlucky to see his header land on the roof of the net.
But three minutes later the visitors got the breakthrough.
Great play from Chris Erskine fed Woods and when his low drive hit the far post, Wilkie was on hand to hammer home the rebound.
Kelty should have equalised moments later when Higginbotham turned the ball wide from Easton's cross.
And Erskine should have wrapped up the win in 76 minutes when Smioth's deft ball over the top played him in with a chance to lob the keeper, but his poor attempt went well side of the target.
East Kilbride now head to Dalbeattie Star on Wednesday night looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
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