Brora Rangers 1 Keith 0: Weakened Maroons give deposed Highland League champions Brora Rangers a test at Dudgeon Park
Despite travelling to Dudgeon Park for their penultimate match of the season with a depleted squad due to injuries, Keith gave newly crowned Highland League Cup winners Brora Rangers more than a run for their money.
For sure, nobody would have begrudged the battling Maroons a share of the spoils, and it was only a quick fire goal after half time by ex-Keith loanee Gregor Macdonald that separated the sides.
The Maroons were minus Rhys Thomas and Tom Andrews, whilst Finn Yeats’ loan spell had ended, manager Craig Ewen bringing assistant manager Chris Craib’s 17-year-old son Ronan into the squad at the very last minute.
There were chances at both ends in the first half, with on loan goalie Bal Demus denying Max Ewan early on.
At the other end Ryan Robertson wasn’t far away with a downward header.
Demus excelled again on the stroke of half-time with a superb parry to thwart Tony Dingwall.
Within two minutes of the restart, the Maroons failed to clear and Macdonald reacted to sweep home at the back post.
This stung the visitors into searching for a leveller and Matty Tough whipped a low drive inches past the post.
At the other end Demus pulled off fine saves to stop Ali Sutherland and John Pickles from increasing the lead.
A spell of Keith pressure failed to reap any reward, and had they been a bit more clinical in the firing line perhaps a deserved equaliser would have been on the cards.
A wholehearted display from the whole side against one of the top four sides on their own stamping ground could easily have earned a share of the spoils on another day.
Keith: Demus, Hutcheon, K Yeats, Abdulkarim, Robertson, Yunus, Ironside (Craib 85), Brownie, Tough (Nawrocki 64), Mooney (Gray 70), Selfridge. Unused sub: Thompson.
Referee: Billy Baxter
