Keith FC 0 v Buckie Thistle 6

MAROONS HIT FOR SIX BY JAGS

This was always going to be a tough ask for Keith, and so it proved as Buckie Thistle kept their title hopes very much alive with a remarkable 17th successive league win. On a dreich, wet night, that made conditions very greasy and slippery the Maroons stuck manfully to the task, but still ended up shipping six goals against the powerful visitors. 

Jags broke the deadlock after only seven minutes, Max Barry firing a low drive into the bottom corner. With 20 minutes gone, ex Maroon Andy Macaskill was upended inside the box, and he duly rapped home the resultant spot kick.

It was game over four minutes later when another ex- Maroon Sam Pugh cracked home a 15 yarder. Although the homesters were battling bravely, they were struggling to make any inroads against their high flying opponents.

Despite trying to take the game to their visitors in the second half, Craig Ewen’s side lost another goal within two minutes of the restart, Scott Adams rifling home from 8 yards. Two goals in the last 15 minutes gave Jags a six hit.  First, substitute Kyle MacLeod was toppled inside the penalty area, and Pugh made no mistake with the penalty award. With nine minutes remaining the scoring was wound up when Adams steered the ball home from 10 yards.

It’s been three tough games for a young Keith side, facing Brechin, Fraserburgh and Buckie all in quick succession, so credit to them in the Buckie tussle especially for gamely trying to make a game of it.

KEITH – Demus, F Yeats, K Yeats, Thomas, Robertson, Yunus, Ironside, Brownie, Gray (Tough 68), Strachan (Hutcheon 80), Selfridge (Nawrocki 80).  Subs unused – Andrews, Irvine.

Referee – Mr F Mazzoni

Wednesday 9th March 2022, KO 8pm
Report by Charlie Simpson