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Matty Tough is loving life at Keith Football Club after the former Cove Rangers striker stepped up from junior football at Newmachar United to Highland League level


By Craig Christie

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KEITH’s match winner Matty Tough wants to make a name for himself in his first crack at Highland League football.

Clach's James Anderson is surrounded by Keith defenders. Picture Gary Anthony.
Clach's James Anderson is surrounded by Keith defenders. Picture Gary Anthony.

The 20-year-old Aberdonian scaled the heights to head the Maroons’ winner in a 1-0 success at Clach on Saturday.

It was the former Cove Rangers youth player’s second goal for the club since stepping up from the junior ranks with Newmachar United later last year.

“It’s much harder,” he said. “It’s a lot more physical, the approach to the game is better and the whole matchday experience is different.

“It makes me up my game and I’m learning every day from playing with experienced players like James Brownie and Ryan Robertson.

"They are toughening me up to play against better players so I feel like I am developing as I am playing.”

Tough admitted he jumped at the chance to join Keith and take his football to the next level.

“It was a no-brainer for me, I had to take it and I am enjoying it,” he added. “Every training session and game I am just loving it right now.

“I played at Cove with Rhys Thomas and Dem Yunus so I gave them a message to see what it was like and they said to definitely go for it.

“I feel I have gelled into the team well. I was good friends with a few of the boys, I knew Keiran Yeats as well and they helped me to settle at the club.”

Tough’s first Keith strike arrived in a 3-1 win at Nairn County in November, and he was thrilled to end his wait for goal number two at Clach on Saturday.

A striker’s instinct and a good memory helped him to find the right position to jump up and nod in Michael Selfridge’s corner kick.

“There was a corner a few minutes before, which 'Selfie' swung in and it was just a centimetre away from me. So when we got another corner I knew the position I had to get into and it ended up being a carbon copy.

“It went to the back post just over the keeper’s head and I don’t know how I managed to get there. All the boys were saying I rose about three metres off the ground but I was delighted to get it. I closed my eyes and I heard all the boys cheering, I was buzzing.”

He wants his first Kynoch Park goal against Lossie on Saturday.

“With the upcoming games against Lossiemouth and Turriff I feel like we can really kick on and make a name for ourselves.

“Right now we are just trying to be the best of the rest and climb the table as far as we can.”


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