Rothes 3 v Keith 1

MAROONS CRASH OUT OF LEAGUE CUP

Keith may be record winners of the Highland  League Cup but there will be no Cup triumph this season following the Maroons' exit in the quarter final tie at Rothes in midweek.

Dean Donaldson's men found the Speysiders a tough nut to crack and also had the hindrance of having to play the last half hour with ten men following Andy Smith's second yellow card.

Rothes edged ahead after only four minutes when a Paul MacLeod cross was powerfully headed home  by the unmarked Allen Mackenzie. The visitors struggled to get a foothold in the game but gradually began to make their presence felt. it was all square five minutes from the break when Robert Donaldson failed to hold a Gregor Macdonald shot, and the alert Michael Selfridge pounced to ram home the loose ball for his 6th goal of the season.

The home side regained the lead within three minutes of the start of the second half when Steven Anderson was adjudged to have been tripped inside the penalty area and Ali Sutherland made no mistake with the resultant spot kick.

Keith's cause hit a double stumbling block, when Marc Young was forced to hobble off following a hefty challenge, then on the hour mark Andy Smith, who had been booked earlier, received a second yellow card for apparently tripping Sutherland.

Simpson pulled off two fine saves to deny Anderson then MacKenzie, but was helpless two minutes from time, ex-Maroon Craig Cormack having the simple task of sweeping the ball home from eight yards.

KEITH - Simpson, Grant, Smith, McAllister, Robertson, Young (Thomson 53), Macaskill (Gray 81), Brownie, Keith (Yeats 81), Selfridge, Macdonald.  Subs unused - Scott, Olumofe, Berton, Dey.

Referee - Mr G Seago

Wednesday 5th February 2020, KO 8pm
Report by Charlie Simpson