Keith 2 v Formartine Utd 1
MAROONS STUN TITLE CHALLENGERS
Well, I just don’t know what is in the water in the Keith Dressing Room these days, but jings, yet another Title Challenger bit the dust on Wednesday night under the dazzling Kynoch Park Floodlights, when Formartine United left Balloch Road empty handed for the first time since Kieran Mooney nabbed the only goal of the game on 3 September 2022.
Although Jordan Cooper and Horace Ormsby were the goal heroes, the entire starting Eleven and the five substitutes, played their part as the Maroons followed up the draw at Brora Rangers and away day wins at Clach and Fraserburgh. This was only the Men from Pitmedden’s second league defeat of the season, and...of course Keith came away from North Lodge Park last August with a share of the spoils.
It was a night that was preceded with a minute’s applause in honour of my life-long best pal Jimmy Coull, who sadly passed away in January. Jimmy was a valued Committee Member for a number of years, a spell that coincided with the League Title in 1984-85, the Flag being flown at half-mast as a mark of respect, and his family was present for the occasion.
Keith’s first home fixture for 81 days, saw the Kynoch Park faithful treated to a thrilling match. The Maroons almost drew first blood in the 9th minute when Nathan McKeown forced a fine save out of Stuart McKenzie. Three minutes later at the other end, Conor Bird sliced a Hamish Ritchie cross against his own crossbar. It’s hard to believe that ex-Maroon Hamish made his Keith debut at the tender age of 16 years 242 days in January 2014.
With 18 minutes gone, Finlay Murray was denied by a super Craig Reid save. However, when the deadlock was broken it came at the other end in the 31st minute when Cooper started off a move that also involved McKeown and Jack Searle, whose cross saw the bold Jordan score his 5th goal of the season. “Coops ya beauty”! We all howled – “Get In”!
The lead was only held for seven minutes sadly, Ritchie’s left wing free kick being bundled home by Marc Lawrence.
I’ll tell you what, this was an end to end game, and with 74 minutes on the old egg timer, came what turned out to be the winner. A superb through ball from Aberdeen loanee Zak To set Horace Ormsby homing in on target and ever so coolly clipping the ball into the far corner of the old ingin bag for his 3rd goal of the season. “Yahoo H!” we shouted as we jumped aff our seats with me pressing the Green Button beside me to trigger off “Chelsea Dagger” at the same time.
There was more drama when ex Keith loanee Rhys Thomas received a second yellow card in the 88th minute, then in stoppage time, another former Maroons loanee Brody Alberts was denied by Reid’s point blank stop.
A great three points to celebrate Craig Gill and Liam Duncan’s birthdays and make it nine wins, three draws and one defeat for Craig’s Commandos from their last thirteen league outing. They don’t shout from the rooftops, but it’s very difficult to stay under the radar with that sort of record. Guys, you did my pal Jimmy proud!
KEITH – Reid, Barron, Searle (R Robertson 89), Bird, Spink, Gill, Craib (Lynch 67), McKeown (Killoh 89), Cooper (Duncan 81), To, Ormsby (C Robertson 81). Subs unused – Ironside, Nicol, Stephen, Smith.
Referee – J Coull.
Wednesday 4th March 2026, KO 8pm
Report by Charlie Simpson