Keith 1 v Huntly 2
INJURY TIME HEARTBREAK FOR MAROONS
What a heartbreaker this was for those of us of a Maroon persuasion. Five successive league defeats broken up by a Scottish Cup penalty shoot-out win, heading into the 177th Highland League tussle with near neighbours Huntly, stretching back to 1929, and fielding Murray “Muz” Addison for the first time this season, with suspension free Ryan Spink also back in the starting line-up. Leading at half-time, deservedly so, I may add, thanks to Jordan Cooper’s first goal of the season, only to gift an equaliser two minutes into the second half. Even then, once we settled down again, we were making a fist of it against the Aberdeenshire Cup Finalists, only for disaster to strike 3 minutes and 23 seconds into injury time, when a scrambled goal saw the Strathbogie Sizzlers head back along the A 96 with three points in the Hamper. Enough to mak’ ye greet!!
A bumper crowd of 230 souls, bathed in the Field of Dreams autumn sunshine, included Keith FC icons, Bobby Gray, Doug Gallacher, Lewis Duncan, John Curran, Raymond O’Hara and Mike Winton – 1593 appearances, 306 goals and 36 Winners Medals between them – wow! Astonishing stats from halcyon Kynoch Park days!
Anyway, Keith set their stall out right from the first toot of Filippo Mazzoni’s peeper, belying their current lowly league position. Twice in the opening stages Horace Ormsby went close, firing a drive inches past the far post, then ending a surging run with a parting shot which hit the side net.
A goal was only delayed though, and with 24 minutes on my old sun dial, that man “H” saw another shot deflected out, only for the alert Jordan Cooper to crash a measured, low drive right into the bottom of the net for his first goal of the season – ya beezer Coops, get in lad!!
You didn’t need a degree in rocket science to see that the Maroons were in the ascendancy, forcing a string of corners that brought no reward. Perhaps the nearest they came to scoring again was skipper James Brownie’s header landing on the roof of the net barely a minute before the referee fussled for the half-time cuppa.
As the second half got underway, what we didn’t want to happen, happened! Within two minutes of the half-time cuppa being guzzled, it was all square. Indecisive defending proved costly for Addison and Ormsby, allowing ex- Keith loanee Ross Still to whip over a left wing cross for Brodie Allen to easily nod home from 6 yards. A soft, soft goal out of nothing, which made it really galling.
A flurry of Huntly substitutions gave them fresh impetus, and they took control for quite a spell before the Maroons worked their way back into proceedings. It was end to end in the latter stages with both sides going for the win. It was looking like a share of the spoils when the game entered injury time. Keith then lost possession deep into the Huntly half, and a long punt upfield ended with Angus Grant’s drive parried by Craig Reid, only for Lewis Crosbie to scramble the loose ball over the line, in spite of Reid’s frantic efforts.
Was that a sickener, or was that a sickener? You bet – especially given Keith’s recent run and the way they performed for most of the game. Anyway, it gave the Strathbogie men their 68th win compared to Keith’s 80 triumphs in the 177 game sequence, and consigned the Maroons to a sixth successive league defeat.
KEITH - Reid, Addison (Craib 60), Lynch, Barron, Spink, Cooper, Ormsby, Brownie, McKeown (Alberts 83), Park (C Robertson 83), Ironside (Duncan). Subs unused – Tough, Milne, Smith, Wilson, Macleod.
Referee – Mr F Mazzoni
Saturday 12th October 2024, KO 3pm
Report by Charlie Simpson