Clacknacuddin 1 v Keith 2
MAROONS WILT LILIES ON VALENTINE’S DAY
“Roses are Red
Violets are Blue
Great day for Fitba
Clach 1 KEITH 2!”
Yep, Craig’s Commandos came up smelling of Roses as they wilted The Lilies in the Merkinch on Valentine’s Day. In what was Keith’s 12th ever competitive Valentine’s Day game, going back to 1931, marvellous goals from Jordan Cooper and Ronan Craib sealed a terrific win against 3rd placed Clach, and make no mistake, this was no smash and grab either. Nope, it was a spirited, structured, collective effort from each and every player involved.
This was always going to be a tough game in the 188th league tussle between the sides stretching back to August 1924, with the first ever visit to Grant Street on 4 April 1925 seeing Tom Cowie nab a ha-trick as Keith won 3-0. It’s never easy in the Merkinch, in fact it was a first win in four years, when a Matty Tough header grabbed the points in a 1-0 win.
Anyway, back to current affairs as it were, and would lack of match time affect the Maroons? After all this was only a second game since 20 December last year. Well, not a bit of it, as right from the first peep of Referee Stuart Randall’s whistle they were at it. Less than four minutes on the clock and the ball should have been in the back of the Clach ingin bag when Nathan McKeown somehow failed to scramble home Jack Searle’s searching pass at the back post.
A goal was only delayed by another four minutes as the sprightly visitors found the mark, when Cooper got on the end of another Searle cross, to stab home from eight yards. Ya Beezer Coops we a’ howled as we loupit aff our cold seats in the Stand, celebrating his 4th goal of the season.
Of course Clach aren’t 3rd in the League for nothing and it was the unlucky 13th minute for them when Allan MacPhee rattled the foot of the Craig Reid’s post. It was end to end after that with the Lilies firing several shots with no impact. Then, six minutes before the half-time cuppa it was indeed all square when an edge of the box Craig Lawrie free kick wasn’t properly cleared, and Kuba Leszczynski pounced to rifle home a low drive.
That didn’t really faze the Maroons and on the stroke of half-time yet another Searle cross saw “Coops” fire straight at Clach custodian Mark Ridgers.
Conor Gethins’ side looked intent on getting on the front foot after the break, but Keith were having none of it, not giving them a minute’s peace. Always dangerous on the counter attack, Craigie’s Boys had us up aff oor seats again, when who else but young Searle pinged over another cross, and Ronan Craig fired an unstoppable volley into the far corner – a goal from the second it left his boot – Ya Beezer Ronan!
The Maroons could have extended the lead at the very last gasp when wee Calsy Robertson sprinted upfield with the ball and unselfishly cut the ball across into the path of Zak To who was denied by a brilliant stop from Ridgers.
Not a Valentine’s Day Massacre by any means, but a most worthy win, making it 7 wins, 3 draws and 1 defeat from the last 11 league outings. Must be doing something right eh!
KEITH – Reid, Barron, Searle, Bird ( R Robertson 84), Spink, Gill, Craib (C Robertson 77), McKeown (Duncan 84), Cooper (Paterson 90), To, Ormsby (Ironside 84). Subs unused – Stephen, Nicol, Killoh, Smith.
Referee – S Randall.
Saturday 14the February 2026, KO 3pm
Report by Charlie Simpson