Formartine Utd 1 v Keith 2

MAROONS SPARKLE AGAINST FORMARTINE

Football is a funny old game they say. Four days earlier Dean Donaldson's Maroons produced an inept, anaemic display against neighbours Huntly. They then travelled to North Lodge Park to tackle a side that had won the last fifteen league tussles between the sides. Keith had last defeated Formartine in February 2012, and had last won at Pitmedden in October 2010.

They tackled the big spending outfit with great gusto, verve and no little skill and commitment, and as a result came away with three thoroughly deserved points.

David Dey made a return in between the sticks after a 23 game absence due to a black eye Greg Simpson received during the Huntly clash, and more than played his part in an assured Keith display.

The Maroons, looking to atone for the Huntly performance opened the scoring after only 11 minutes. Paul Lawson turning a Craig Macaskill out for a corner. Gregor Macdonald, who was a constant thorn to the home side, pinged in a perfect ball for James Brownie to send a powerful downward header into the net for his 5th goal of the season.

The visitors were giving the home side plenty of food for thought, and as Michael Selfridge raced through, his parting shot was deflected over the bar. Then a curling 25 yard free from Macaskill cracked off the top of the bar. This was followed by another curling free kick, this time from Macdonald, Kevin Main tipping it over the bar.

Ten minutes after the break, Formartine levelled when Jordan Leydon raced in to coolly clip the ball past Dey from 12 yards. That boosted the homesters, and Dey had to look lively to hoof aside a net bound Lisle shot.

However, the lead was regained with 66 minutes gone, Macdonald producing really deft footwork to brilliantly curl the ball beyond the despairing Main  for his 4th goal during his loan spell. The 19 year old was then denied with three minutes remaining when another flash of super play ended with his net bound effort being headed away at the last minute.

A top notch display all over the park, not giving an inch the entire game, paved the way to a real morale boosting victory.

KEITH - Dey, Grant (McAllister 66), Smith, Spink, Robertson, Young, Macaskill, Brownie, Keith (Berton 90), Selfridge (Thomson 66), Macdonald. Unused subs - Yeats, Gray, Scott, Simpson.

Referee - Mr D Nicolson

Wednesday 29th January 2020, KO 8pm
Report by Charlie Simpson