Keith 11 v Fort William 0
MAROONS OUT FOR THEIR ELEVENSES AGAINST FORT
Poor Fort William were swept aside by an avalanche of goals at Kynoch Park as their hosts Keith broke an 87 year old Club record. The Maroons set their previous home league record win as far back as April 1932 when they thumped Nairn County 11-2.
You could only help but feel sorry for the young Fort side that battled gamely to the bitter end, but they were swept aside by a more experienced, fitter and stronger Keith outfit. Skipper and all time top scorer Cammy Keith led the rout with a quartet of goals, his fourth four goal haul for the Maroons. It was also the 150th game that he had been on the mark for the Club.
The homesters could have been at least a couple of goals ahead before Cammy Keith broke the deadlock in the 5th minute, followed five minutes later by Michael Selfridge slotting home his 6th goal of the season.
Cammy Keith again, Scott Gray and James Brownie all went close before Selfridge was upended inside the penalty area in the 26th minute, Keith stepping up to easily convert the resultant spot kick. Cammy Keith was denied again before Marc Young nabbed his first goal for the Club with 38 minutes played.
The constant one way traffic continued after the break and within four minutes centre half Ryan Robertson headed home his first goal of the season. Max Berton then fired into the roof of the net, scoring for the third successive match with 58 minutes on the clock. Then five minutes later Keith had the simple task of sweeping home his hat-trick from close range.
The Fort goal area led a charmed life for a few minutes after that with goalkeeper Mateusz Kulbacki pulling off some fine stops, as he did in the first half. Keith substitute Calluim Porteous hit the bar in the 77th minute, but his first Keith goal was only delayed by a further three minutes, firing home from 15 yards.
Three goals in the final six minutes well and truly wrapped up the record score. First, Jamie Lennox tapped home from close range, Marc Young grabbed his second goal of the game from six yards, then who else but Cammy Keith scrambled the ball over the line in the dying seconds for his 24th goal of the season.
An interesting foot note to the 1932 match was, that season 1931-32 Keith were believed to be the first Highland League side to use whitening instead of sawdust for their pitch lines.
KEITH - Simpson, Young, Spink, Rae, Robertson, Smith, Gray (Porteous 59), Brownie (Hutcheon 68), Keith, Berton (Lennox 59), Selfridge. Subs unused - Begg, Stewart.
Referee - Mr A Proctor
Saturday 23rd March 2019, KO 3pm
Report by Charlie Simpson