Keith 3 v Banks O'Dee 0
MAROONS SCRATCH 19 YEAR ITCH!
What a fantabulous win this was! – we all thought we’d died and gone to a Maroon Heaven as Craig’s Commandos dismantled Banks O’Dee with a devastating three goals in a 12 madcap minute spell in the first half. The comprehensive win not only signalled Keith’s first win over Dee since defeating them 3-1 in the District Shield 1st Round in October 2006, but it meant an eighth successive unbeaten league match, with six wins and two draws.
A terrific Eightsome Reel for the Maroons, though this was no Ceilidh, and there wasn’t a Fiddle in sight, but Dee were left dancing to Keith’s tune as the homesters orchestrated proceedings for most of the game. Jordan Lynch’s opportunist opener, Scotty Barron’s first ever goal for his home town Club, and wee Nathan McKeown’s 7th strike of the season had the visitors gasping.
Kynoch Park paid tribute with a minute silence pre match in respect of former Maroons centre Forward Ged Wallace, who sadly passed away on Friday. One of the Championship Flags also flew at half mast for big Ged who was a part of the Highland League Cup winning squad in 1988, ending up with 21 goals from 63 appearances from 1988-90, and was joint top scorer in 1989-90. Ged, you’ll never be forgotten at the Field of Dreams!
A strong wind was blowing around the Stadium, but the Maroons adapted quickly. With 10 minutes on the clock it was 1-0 when a Horace Ormsby’s cutback wasn’t dealt with and Lynch was the one who punished the visitors by ramming the ball home from close range. Ya Beezer Lynchy was the Maroons’ cry!
Five minutes later Scotty Barron was the “Local Hero” when he got on the end of a perfect Jordan Cooper cross to powerfully head home his first ever Maroon goal – Scotty ya beauty, get in there! Jings, but then midway through the half we were up aff our seats and gleefully cheering as buzzbomb McKeown clinically rifled home a low drive. Michty – up 3-0 after only 22 minutes against a team that hadn’t lost a league game since August!
To say Keith were firing on all cylinders is perhaps an understatement, but then, with 28 minutes gone, Dee stand in goalie Rodrigo Vitols, a former Keith loanee, pulled off a terrific save to deny Aberdeen colleague Jack Searle.
Phew, we needed the half-time break after a pulsating first half that’s a fact. What would the second period bring we thought? Well, Dee pushed for a 10-15 minute spell but there only real attempt was a half hearted shot which Craig Reid dealt with easily enough. Then, as Keith began to impress once again, Dee were let off the hook in the 73rd minute when wee Nathan contrived to blaze over the bar from 8 yards. For Dee, probably the best bit of the afternoon was when referee Will Adam blew his peeper to put them out of their misery.
This was a team performance full of vim and vigour, every single player chasing, harrying, tackling, helping each other, and not afraid to shoot. You don’t go on an 8 game unbeaten run through luck, and the proof was there for all to see. The convincing victory cemented Keith’s 10th place in the Table, and it was great to watch Keith fans troop out of the Top Gates at the end with huge smiles on their faces!
KEITH – Reid, Lynch (R Robertson 90), Barron, Bird, Spink, Gill, Searle (Craib 90), McKeown (Duncan 90), Cooper (C Robertson 86), To, Ormsby (Paterson 84). Subs unused – Smith, Addison, Ironside.
Referee – W Ada
Saturday 13th December 2025, KO 3pm
Report by Charlie Simpson