Forres Mechanics 2 v Keith 1

MAROONS LOSE OUT AT FORRES

Keith played their part in this exciting tussle at Forres, but the old failing of lack of game management and absence of a cutting edge, came back to bite them and they lost out by the odd goal in three.

The swirling wind didn’t help matters, though it was the same obviously for both sides and the first half remained goalless. Murray Addison saw his downward header cleared off the line in the 14th minute, whilst later in the half, Craig Reid was at full stretch to finger round Mark McLauchlan’s well struck 18 yarder.

Within a couple of minutes of the re-start Forres broke the deadlock when Calum Frame reacted quickly to turn a low Craig MacKenzie left wing cross past Craig Reid from 6 yards. However, the Maroons knuckled down and it was game on midway through the half when they levelled matters with a super goal. A Gavin Elphinstone free kick cannoned back off a defender and co-captain James Brownie pounced to curl a beauty right into the top corner of the net from 18 yards – ya beezer!

Unfortunately, as has been happening lately the Maroons score, but then within a few minutes concede, and that is what they did two minutes later. A McKenzie flew right over to the back post and experienced pivot Lee Fraser rose to head home what turned out to be the winner. Three minutes later the veteran had the ball in the back of the net again, but it was chalked off for offside.

Four minutes from the end, Keith’s lack of cutting edge hit them when Nathan McKeown did well to win the ball on the edge of the box and raced in on goals only to fire his shot straight at the goalie when he really ought to have slotted home.

KEITH – Reid, Addison, Yeats (Wilson), Coull, Robertson, Gill (McKeown), Duncan (Lynch), Brownie, Cooper, Taylor (Tough), Ironside (Elphinstone). Subs unused – Killoh, Morrison, Macleod.

Referee – Mr K Buchanan

Saturday 19th August 2023, KO 3pm
Report by Charlie Simpson