Kynoch Park, Highland Football League, 25/3/25
Me still 338, Wee Man still 201
Keith Football Club
Founded – 1910
Nickname -The Maroons
Honours – Highland Football League – 1961/62, 1978/79, 1979/80, 1980/81, 1984/85, 1999/00, 2006/07, Highland League Cup – 1964/65, 1973/74, 1974/75, 1975/76, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1988–89, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2012–13. Aberdeenshire Cup – 1935/36, 1957/58, 1959/60, 1966/67, 1973/74, 1977/78, 1979/80, 2008/09. Aberdeenshire Shield – 1997/98, 2001/02, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07. Scottish Qualifying Cup (North) – 1960/61, 1962/63, 1984/85, 2002/03
The lesser spotted Tuesday night Highland League game. A rarity which just last week Strathy manager Ryan Esson is calling for more of. In a fully selfish way I am with him as they are more achievable for Wee Man and I than Wednesday nighters. But for now we were to settle with a rare one at what is the finest ground in the league in my eyes. To Balloch Road in Keith we headed for another trip to Kynoch Park , one which was in no danger of being off, unlike a couple of other recent visits.
Going by the league table this was as good as an end of season dead rubber with Keith mathematically safe from the wooden spoon. Nairn on the other hand are in the purgatory part of the league where they were not bothering the top, nor the bottom. Luckily for us this was not played out as the aforementioned dead rubber. From a neutral point of view, this was a cracker in the “Friendly Town”.
As we sat in the bar pre-game we would never had imagined the bang this would game would have started with. No more than three minutes were on the clock and Keith were two to the good after a brace from on loan Aberdeen kid Cameron Wilson. The first came from a free kick on the left which found its was to the Dons man to fire home past Maclean in the Nairn goal. The second was an instant retrieval from centre followed by a ball over the top which caught Nairn cold and saw Wilson knock in his second on the rebound off a Maclean save. An incredible an unexpected start for the Maroons. The Wee County’s interim manager Brian MacLeod was apoplectic with the second goal bawling about the ease of the long ball and how it wasn’t dealt with. The ball over the top was to be the story of the half, whether direct down the middle or diagonals, Nairn just could not deal with them. They seemed to be under pressure every time Keith attempted it. A more clinical team would have been up by more than just the two . While on the other hand everything that was thrown at the Keith defence by the “peacock” shirted (Wee Man’s description) County was dealt with by mostly by the head of captain Robertson. Nairn were limited to one decent chance in the half when a free kick was lofted into the box, Dingwall met the ball teeing up Callum Maclean but he sent the ball over when he should have at least tested Vitols in the Keith goal (also on loan from Aberdeen). Nairn should have had a penalty as the half was finishing when a cross into the box was missed by the diving Vitols who instead collided with the incoming Ben Barron. It was a stone waller and I for the life of me cant fathom how the ref or lino failed to see it.
HT 2 v 0
We were certain it was curtains for Nairn in the opening minutes when they were reduced to 10 men. Wayne MacIntosh walked after being sent off for a ridiculous second booking. He had just been cautioned at the end of the first half then within a couple of minutes of the second half commencing, he thought he would take a dive to try and win a pen. We could see it was not a foul from the other end of the park. I am sure he would have known as he was heading down to the deck he was in trouble it was that clear. His reaction to the second yellow or lack off it to be more precise told its own story. Nairn’s already uphill struggle had an incline which was a lot sharper now, or so you would have thought. However, in an old cliched way, the man disadvantage seemed to galvanise them and they soon reduced the arrears when Barron bulleted a header past Vitols, the keeper got a hand to it but it was too powerful. From here there was only one team going to score and it was the visitors. Wee Man and I had had the “Nairn could win this” conversation such was their pressure and dominance of the ball. Keith looked an entirely different team from the first half. Nairn were creating and had a Dingwall effort cleared off the line. It was a matter of time before the equaliser came. It did and it was Barron again. A ball into the box was poorly dealt with, an attempted clearing header dropped short and Barron walloped the ball into Vitols bottom right corner. Game well and truly on at Kynoch Park now. Keith made subs to try and change the game and stem the tide somewhat and they worked. A few chances were fashioned two of which were for substitute Brodie Alberts, I am not sure if it was he had not found he feet in the game yet, but I am positive with a bit more conviction he could have beaten keeper MacLean to the ball on both occasions. When a ball towards the big striker came a third time he got wrong side of the defender Dey who grabbed a fistful of shirt sending the striker to the ground. The referee did not hesitate in pointing to the spot . On his hat trick Wilson stepped up and made sure of his treble. Both teams had a decent chance each before time was up but the final whistle went and the Maroons were victorious and over the whole game I would say deserved to be too. A highly enjoyable, great advert for the best league in the world. Nights like this are why we love it whether Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Fridays
Entrance – £10 Me, Wee Man Free
Attendance – 131 (rough head count)
Pie – £8, pie, sausage roll, coffee
Pint – £3.50, Tennent’s, fan bar
Score Prediction – Me 2 v 2, Wee Man 0 v 2
Season Score Predictions Total – Me 3 v 2 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 