Keith FC 1 v Forres Mechanics 2

MAROONS’ WINNING RUN COMES TO AN END

Keith’s three game winning streak was brought to an end by a battling Forres Mechanics side who themselves ended a seven game winless run, in what was the 180th Highland League encounter between the teams. In truth, the Maroons failed to reach the heights of recent displays and the Can Cans ran out deserved winners.

The home side fielded 17 year old Finn Yeats, younger brother of full back Kieran, and son of Keith FC Legend Craig Yeats, the youngster being on loan from Aberdeen.

Forres held the upper hand in swirling conditions and were unlucky not to break the deadlock on the half hour mark, Paul Brindle seeing his back post header crash back off the crossbar. He duly got on the score sheet five minutes from the break when the home defence failed to clear their lines,and he fired home from six yards.

Seven minutes after the break the same player spotted Balint Demus off his line and fired a superb 25 yarder high over the goalie’s head and into the roof of the net. With Forres still in the ascendancy pivot Graham Fraser then strode forward to thunder a 20 yarder off the face of the bar. 

The double introduction  of Michael Selfridge and Przemyslaw Nawrocki, the Polish striker having served his six match SFA suspension, on the hour mark, seemed to spark a goal threat into the homesters. There was a glimmer of hope with ten minutes remaining when Kieran Mooney reacted quickly to scramble the ball over the line.  However, Forres managed to keep them at arms length for the remaining 10 minutes to grasp all three points.

KEITH – Demus, Thomas, K Yeats, Abdulkarim, Robertson, Yunus, Gray (Nawrocki 60), F Yeats, Tough (Selfridge 60), Strachan (Hutcheon 77), Mooney. Subs unused – Ironside, Irvine.

Referee – Mr G Morrison

Saturday 12th February 2022, KO 3pm
Report by Charlie Simpson