Inverurie Loco Work 1 v Keith 0
MAROONS PAY THE PENALTY AT LOCOS!
The first ever Highland League game between Inverurie Locos and Keith at Harlaw Park on 16th February 2002 saw the Maroons canter to a 2-0 win with a certain 19 year old Dean Donaldson wearing the Number 11 shirt for Keith. Fast forward over 23 years and the same Dean Donaldson was a winner again, unfortunately, from a Keith perspective, as Locos manager!
A 15th minute penalty was all that ended up separating the teams, the reverse consigning Keith to second bottom spot in the league table. The spot kick scorer, Paul Coutts, also saw red in the 79th minute, but the visitors couldn’t make the extra man advantage count in the last few minutes. At various stages of the game, the Maroons had opportunities to bulge the old onion bag, but the cutting edge needed to be a bit sharper.
Looking for a confidence booster before visiting Bo’Ness Athletic in the Scottish Cup, changes to the starting line were made with Aaron Angus and Conor Bird coming in, and Ronan Craib making his first start of the season. Craig Gill was also making his 50th competitive appearance for the Club.
Playing down the Harlaw Park slope in the first half, Craig’s Commandos were moving the ball about well, but were “derailed” by Locos on the quarter hour mark when referee Owen Lawrence pointed to the spot after Bird was deemed to have impeded Jack McKenzie. The vastly experienced Coutts made no mistake with the resultant penalty award.
Keith though, kept taking the game to the hosts and with 27 minutes played Liam Duncan twisted and turned inside the area but his parting shot cracked back off the post from 8 yards – Ach! Then a surging run from Horace Ormsby ended with his shot producing a fine save from home goalie Zack Ellis in the 35th minute.
There was a sigh of relief three minutes from the half time cuppa when a rare Bird slip let Stewart Gray in, but he fired wide – Phew! Several chances presented themselves at both ends after the break with Taylor Chapman clearing off the line, whilst Gray failed to find the target after Robert Ward headed the ball into his path at the other end.
The Maroons kept plugging valiantly and in the 70th minute an inswinging Zak To corner was somehow kept out, then at the other end Craig Reid had to look lively to tip over an Ethan Cairns net bound effort. Then, with 79 minutes gone, Coutts was booked for a foul in the middle of the park, kicking the ball away in the process, earning a quick fire second yellow card and the opportunity to test the hot water.
Would the extra man count in those final few minutes? Well, we were up aff our seats when another pinpoint To free kick was headed against his own bar by a Locos defender – Jeezo! Then at the very last gasp Lee McAllister couldn’t quite turn the ball into the net, for what to be perfectly honest would have been a deserved share of the spoils. That, was that, as they say, in the 47th League clash between the sides.
KEITH – Reid, Angus (Paterson 80), Searle, Bird, Spink, Craib, Cooper (McAllister 67), Gill, Duncan (McKeown 67), Ormsby, To. Subs unused – Barron, Addison, R Robertson, C Robertson, Lynch, Smith.
Referee – O Lawrence
Saturday 20th September 2025, KO 3pm
Report by Charlie Simpson