Tynecastle FC boss: 'Now we are going to find out how good we are'

Calum Elliot upset as Lothian Thistle fight back from two goals down

Jak Townsley was Lothian's saviour

Tynecastle boss Calum Elliot has challenged his side to show him what they are made of after they threw away a two-goal lead to drop their first points of the season in East of Scotland First Division Conference B.

The Meggetland-based men had maintained a 100 per-cent record in the league until Saturday under former Hearts striker Elliot, winning 18 out of 18 and scoring more than 100 goals prior to Christmas.

Striker Jordan Smith looked to have fired them to another three points with his 37th and 38th goals of the campaign after a goalless first half, but local rivals Lothian hit back in the final ten minutes with a double from Jak Townsley.

Elliot, while recognising how well his side have done so far this campaign, wasn’t pleased with their performance.

He said: “It’s been coming for weeks. Albeit, yes we got a point, but the standards that we set previously have dropped and the result on Saturday was a reflection on that. We had a lot of chances and their keeper made a few good saves, but they were saves you would expect him to make.

“We can’t come away from it saying we should have won, because if you can’t defend your box properly then you are going to drop points. We have to learn from it.

“What they’ve done for 19 games is remarkable, to go and win 18 and draw one is outstanding and you have to applaud them for that, but if you want to get to the next level and continually push on, you have to keep wanting more.

“I’ll find out what boys want to continue with us on this journey. If the boys have got a little about them we will get the reaction I want going forward this week. They should be hurting losing two late goals to your rivals. Now we are going to find out how good we are.”

Elsewhere, Bo’ness United increased their lead at the top of the Premier Division to ten points with a derby-day 2-1 defeat of Linlithgow Rose at Newtown Park. Ryan Stevenson and Brian Ritchie had given Max Christie’s men a two-goal cushion by half-time, but Tommy Coyne reduced the deficit with ten minutes remaining. Whitehill Welfare boosted their survival hopes with a 1-0 win at Newtongrange Star thanks to Scott Wright’s first half effort. Penicuik were beaten 1-0 away at Jeanfield Swifts, while Musselburgh and Tranent ended goalless at Olivebank.