Keith 1 v Nairn County 1

MAROONS STRETCH UNBEATEN RUN  TO FIVE

Prior to kick off there was a minute’s silence observed in respect of former Club Chaplain Colin Murray, who sadly passed away recently, with one of the Club’s Championship Flags flying at half mast.

Jordan Cooper’s 6th goal of the season earned Keith a deserved share of the spoils in midweek, against a Nairn County side sitting eight places above them in the league table. The draw also stretched the current unbeaten run to five matches, their best no loss sequence for over 12 years.  

Nairn looked sharp and sprightly in the opening stages with Andrew Macleod and Ben Barron both going close, before Maroons custodian Craig Reid denied Barron with a fine stop using his feet. However, he was helpless to prevent what was really a freak goal in the 24th minute when a Ryan Robertson clearance cannoned back of Horace Ormsby, the ball flying into the roof of the net.

Keith, as befits recent displays, worked back into the game and Mikey Taylor headed into County goalie Dylan Maclean’s arms with 37 minutes played. A minute later the No:10 stabbed the ball home from 8 yards, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside – it must have been a close call. Then, two minutes on and Maclean denied Jake Stewart with a fine stop with his feet.

 Whilst Nairn probably looked the likelier side in the first half, the homesters drove forward in search of a leveller. 18 minutes after the turnaround, Taylor was sent tumbling inside the penalty area by the visiting goalie, but penalty appeals were waved aside. However three minutes it was all square when summer signing Cooper kept a cool head to rifle home from 16 yards.

Eight minutes from the end, Stewart squandered the chance to seal the points following a defensive slip, the on loan striker racing clear only to hit his parting shot straight at the goalie.

KEITH – Reid, Lynch, Yeats (Addison), Coull, Robertson, Gill, Killoh (McKeown), Brownie, Cooper (Elphinstone), Taylor, Stewart. Subs unused – Smith, Hanover, Macleod. 

Referee – B Baxter

Wednesday 6th March 2024, KO 8pm

Report by Charlie Simpson