Keith 1 v Forres Mechanics 0
MAROONS MAKE FORRES TO THE LINE!
Well abiddy, this wasn’t a game to remember, but hey, who cares as Craig’s Commandos got back on the winning trail three days after Strathspey Thistle ended a marvellous seven game winning streak. On a chilly, windy Field of Dreams afternoon, the only goal of the game saw Zac make Forres “To the line” as it were!
A 15th league win of the season, a ninth clean sheet, and..Craig Ewen’s 50th league win as Keith gaffer, took the Maroons over the 50 point mark for the first time in ten years, cementing 7th spot in the Table into the bargain. It was also perhaps appropriate that the win was achieved over the Can Cans, as the Club’s first ever Highland League win saw them defeat Forres 5-3 at Kynoch Park on 22 November 1924, with Tom Cowie nabbing four goals.
Anyway, furling forward to present day 2026, and there was little to warm the cockles until the 36th minute when Keith might, or might not, have been awarded a spot kick when Mikey Ironside appeared to be wrestled to the ground.
Three minutes later, a bit of To magic had “Chelsea Dagger “ blasting over the PA when young Zac brilliantly jiggled the ball onto his right foot and dispatched a low 18 yarder into the far corner of the net for his 4th goal of the campaign. “Ya Beezer Zac”! we all howled, exercising the vocal chords to the full!
If truth be known, the second half saw Forres, with the wind in their favour, have the bulk of pressure, but dogged defending kept them at bay. Indeed, it was Keith that could have scored again with 73 minutes gone when eager, beaver To was taken down inside the penalty area, but goalie Sean McCarthy was equal to the task, diving to his right to palm away Nathan McKeown’s spot kick. The goalie excelled again five minutes later when he brilliantly blocked Liam Duncan’s downward header right on the line, following a quick, slick move up the right wing.
That was as good as it got at either end, with the final peep of referee Owen Lawrence’s whistle signalling a loud cheer from those of us of a Maroon persuasion, and the perfect tonic to the midweek reversal. All Clubs suffer injuries at this time of the season, Keith being no different, and the way Saturday’s squad showed such resilience to get the result, does them great credit
KEITH – Reid, Barron, Addison (Killoh 75), Bird, Craib, Gill, Ironside (Duncan 72), McKeown, Cooper (Nicol 88), To, C Robertson. Subs unused – Murray, Smith.
Referee – O Lawrence
Saturday 28th March 2026, KO 3pm
Report by Charlie Simpson