Strathspey Thistle 0 Keith 1: Maroons secure second away win of Highland League season
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A WELL-WORKED second-half goal from Matty Tough was enough to give Keith all three points against Strathspey Thistle at Seafield Park.
The Maroons were second best for large parts of the first period, but were in control after the break as Tough's 72nd minute goal sealed their second away victory of the campaign.
Manager Craig Ewen said: "It was a very close game and Strathspey were the better team in the first half. We created one opportunity and Strathspey had three or four good chances.
"I got stuck into them a bit at half-time because they weren't playing how I wanted them to play and how we needed to play to win. Second half we were really good.
"We got a really well-crafted winner and found a bit of confidence and resilience. We are really pleased to come away to a difficult venue and get three points."
Coming into the match, Strathspey – rooted to the bottom of the table – had the league's poorest home record, with Keith having the fewest points on the road of all 18 sides in the Highland League.
Eager to get their first home win of the campaign, the first chance went to Strathspey on two minutes when Jack Davison turned wide from five yards after good work from livewire winger Ross Logan down the right.
The Maroons' first chance came on 20 minutes when Gavin Elphinstone turned a Liam Duncan cutback wide from eight yards.
Davison had another chance to give the home side the lead on 27 minutes when Owen Paterson advanced through the centre of the park and played a cutting through ball to him, but his finish was tame and easily saved by Craig Reid.
There was a hairy moment for Strathy keeper James Kendall two minutes later when his low clearance rebounded against Elphinstone and bounced just wide.
The final chance of the first period went the way of Daniel Whitehorn, who jinked past two defenders and fired a yard past the post from the corner of the box.
The home side went close again at the start of the second period, with Michael Grimes' flick bouncing through to Michael Mackenzie who fired a yard over the bar from 12 yards.
But that was to be the last big opening for Strathspey and on the hour mark it was the turn of the visitors to go close again as Liam Duncan found space and fired a shot a yard wide from the edge of the box.
The winning goal came for the Maroons on 72 minutes when Matty Tough was left with the simple task of knocking into an empty net after being set up by Ewan Murray following good interplay down the left.
Keith managed the game well, with goalkeeper Reid only having to keep out Michael Grimes' effort from 20 yards in the 93rd minute.
The win moves Keith above Lossiemouth to 14th in the Highland League – and means they avoid finishing the league with the poorest away record.
Next up for the Maroons, who are on a four-match undefeated streak, is a home match against Inverurie Loco Works, before hosting Brechin City and Banks O' Dee.
Ewen added: "We will go again with three games to go – we have got a tough closing week with three hard games. First up is Locos and we'll give them our best."
