Keith 2 v Buckie Thistle 8
MAROONS SWAMPED BY EIGHTSOME REEL
Keith fans were left stunned at the end result in this derby tussle. The Maroons had given as good they got in the first half, but visibly ran out of steam and effort as Buckie romped to their biggest ever Kynoch Park league win. Four goals in the last fifteen minutes left the homesters crushed and deflated.
Dean Donaldson was forced to give Greg Simpson the number one jersey with the news that David Dey had broken his wrist, whilst Grant Thomson and Josh Bolton were both unavailable.
Jags drew first blood in what was the 177th league encounter between the sides, after only three minutes Scott Adams having the simple task of sliding the ball home from 12 yards. It was all square though 15 minutes later when Jamie McAllister sent a thunderous 25 yard drive raging into the roof of the net.
This was an entertaining game at this stage and with 31 minutes gone Jamie Lennox had the quickness of thought to realise that Lee Herbert was out of his charge, and his 30 yard lob screwed agonisingly past the wrong side of the post.
Believe it or not, the Maroons actually looked the better side, but then shot themselves in the foot by conceding two slack goals in the space of a minute as half-time approached. First, a poor challenge couldn't prevent Sam Robertson from rising at the back post to nod down into the corner of the net, then Craig Cowie was left unattended on almost the same spot to easily slot home.
There was no coming back a minute after the break when more defensive dithering allowed Kieran Adams to sweep the ball home from close range. The home heads visibly went down after that and had an escape in the 63rd minute when Callum Murray sent a powerful header off the face of the crossbar.
The wheels well and truly came off the Keith wagon in the last fifteen minutes with a four goal barrage leaving them well and truly stranded. Lethargic defending left substitute Sam Urquhart with the sinple task of rifling past Simpson from 15 yards. Then he was left unattended as he gleefully whipped a low 16 yarder into the bottom corner.
Herbert brilliantly parried Ryan Spink's fierce drive in the 80th minute as the Maroons sought a crumb of comfort, but sadly two quickfire goals inside a minute at the other end left the home combine in tatters. Visibly wilted at this stage it was easy peasy for Callum Murray to pounce on a Simpson fumble, then Scott Graham to convert from 10 yards.
Three minutes from the end Spink was sent tumbling inside the area, and Cammy Keith sent the goalie the wrong way to slot home the spot kick for a weak consolation.
KEITH - Simpson, Young, Yeats, Clark, McAllister, Smith, Berton (Spink 53), Begg (Macaskill 22), Keith, Lennox (Brownie 71), Selfridge. subs unused - Gray, Robertson, Paterson.
Referee - Mr H Bruce.
Saturday 10th August 2019, KO 3pm
Report by Charlie Simpson