Keith Football Club set to have more players available for Strathspey Thistle clash and manager Craig Ewen wants to cut out errors that cost his team victory in matches at Inverurie Locos and Wick Academy
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LATE lapses are costing Keith dear and manager Craig Ewen is targeting a return to winning ways today.
Ewen takes on former Forres Mechanics colleague Charlie Brown when the Maroons host Strathspey Thistle in a game both teams will believe they can take three points from.
A depleted Keith surrendered an advantage for the second game running when they lost 3-2 at Wick Academy last week, having led 2-1 midway through the second half through goals by Michael Selfridge and James Brownie.
They were also 3-1 up at Inverurie Locos in their previous outing, only to lose 5-3.
Ewen was again encouraged by his team’s efforts at Harmsworth Park, especially with ten players missing due to a combination of Covid issues, injury, suspension and unavailability.
“It’s disappointing we didn’t take any points,” he said. “In the first half we were poor for whatever reason.
"But in the second half for a lengthy spell we were good and created a few good scoring chances and turned it around to go 2-1 up.
“But again we haven’t been able to see it out at the back end.”
Ewen started with trialists James Ross and Connor Killoh to make up numbers, but he expects to have a bigger squad to choose from against Strathspey.
Liam Strachan is free from suspension but nursing an ankle injury while Matty Tough and Tom Andrews could be back from isolation and Nizam Abdulkarim is expected to return from overseas on Wednesday.
“It’s a big game for both teams,” he said.
“If we can get the three points then it probably puts us clear of the relegation battle, up to 18 points.
"But Charlie (Brown) will be desperate for the win as well to push them away from the bottom.
“We are still playing in patches rather than the whole game so if we could get a 90-minute performance, hopefully we would be good enough to get a result.”
