Clach 2 v Keith 0
MAROONS FAIL TO MAKE THE LILIES WILT!
This was always going to be a tough encounter for Craig Ewen’s side in the Merkinch, Grant Street Park to be exact, with Connor Gethin’s Lily Whites pulling off a fine win at Lossiemouth the week before. Clach, who finished second bottom last season, strengthened during the summer, adding, notably, experienced duo goalie Joe Malin and central defender Josh Meekings.
Yet, the Maroons, without injured defenders Ryan Robertson, Murray Addison and Scott Barron, as well as the suspended key midfielder Craig Gill, gave as good as they got, especially in the first half. Mind you, in the early stages, Scott Davidson, son of Caley Legend Roddy, was proving to be a hot handful. In the first six minutes he forced Craig Reid into a fine diving save, and also a safe catch from a neat header.
In response the Maroons went close through Jake Stewart twice and Matty Tough, before Fergus Adams pulled a fine diving save out of Reid from 20 yards on the half hour mark. Malin showed his class with 37 minutes gone keeping out Tough’s net bound 16 yarder – Ach!
An end to end first half in what was the 185th Highland League encounter between the teams, saw the first corner kick awarded to the Maroons in the 39th minute, bearing no fruit. Then a couple of minutes later Reid came quickly off his line to bravely dive at striker Davidson’s feet to clutch the ball as he raced through.
A goal-less first half though plenty of entertainment. My entertainment carried on in the Boardroom when I bumped into Inverness Thistle and Clach Legend Roshie Fraser. Roshie was a defender in the exciting Jags side that scored goals for fun in the late 1960’s, early 1970’s. It pained me to recall with him the time in January 1970 when I cycled a 20 mile round trip to Kynoch Park to watch the Maroons lose 0-7, Ian Stephen scoring the lot!!
Within a minute after the half-time cuppa, and the reminiscing with Roshie, Reid was ever alert to catch the ball right on the line with Davidson breathing down his neck. The deadlock was then broken with 54 minutes on the clock, when Allan McPhee took advantage of the wind to cleverly curl a corner kick right over everybody in the goalmouth and into the far top corner of the net. Bidding to get back into the frame, the Maroons produced a triple substitution midway through the half, but unfortunately failing to put the home defence under any real threat.
Indeed the only real save Malin had to make came in the 89thminute when he stretched to tip over Connor Killoh’s curling 20 yard free kick for a corner. This sparked the sight of Craig Reid leaving his charge to try and replicate his goal at Huntly last season. Worth a try, nothing to lose, but the ball didn’t reach the spot where he had taken up residence.
Then, two minutes into stoppage time, it was well and truly tatties ower the side when McPhee raced through to hammer a 15 yarder into the top corner, giving Reid no chance. No chance then of replicating Keith’s first ever visit to “The Ferry” - 4th April 1925, a 3-0 win and a hat-trick from Tom Cowie.
KEITH – Reid, Callum Robertson (Killoh 81), Lynch, Smith, Moroney, Ironside (McKeown 67), Ormsby, Brownie, Tough (Duncan 67), Stewart (Taylor 67), Cooper. Subs unused – Wilson, Craig, Macleod.
Referee – R MacKinnon.
Saturday 3rd August 2024, KO 3pm
Report by Charlie Simpson