Cup chances for Keith to bounce back from Wick disappointment
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A DRAW felt like a defeat to Keith manager Dean Donaldson on Saturday as a third straight win slipped from his grasp.
The Maroons were 2-0 up and dominating at home to Wick Academy going into the final five minutes of the contest.
Conceding a late penalty put the pressure on Keith, and a slack Andy Smith pass back deep into stoppage time was punished by the Caithness visitors for a share of the spoils.
“We had all the possession, played all the football and created all the chances and were unlucky to be just two up,” said Donaldson.
“We were quite comfortable throughout the game and it was just a lazy tackle for the penalty and a slack back pass in the last kick of the game for the equaliser.
“It was just a long ball forward and Andy Smith laid it back to the goalkeeper which he didn’t need to.
“It’s the last kick of the game and he just needs to put it as far out of the park as possible, then the referee would have blown for full-time. He’s tried to pass it back to the keeper and not put enough on it.
“Apart from that, Wick didn’t create a thing. We restricted them to long rangers or very little.
“If I was their coach I’d be delighted getting out of there with a draw.”
The Maroons have a tough job trying to bounce back tomorrow night when they host Fraserburgh in the Aberdeenshire Shield quarter-finals. Donaldson may take the opportunity to field some fringe players, with one eye on Saturday’s Highland League Cup first round clash with Lossiemouth.
Keith were on a high going into Saturday’s match. In their last home outing they thrashed Strathspey Thistle 7-1, and followed up that result with a 2-0 win at a Deveronvale side who had themselves been on a good run of form.
However a training injury to defender Dean Spink ruled him out of the weekend match.
Jamie McAllister was serving the first of a three-game ban and Marc Young could miss the rest of the year through injury.
The experienced Stewart Hutcheon has only just returned from surgery, and has been loaned out to junior side Glentanar to give him minutes and bring him back to match fitness.
Adam Clark’s offshore work commitments have led to him being transfer-listed, with a move to Fraserburgh United juniors likely to come through soon.
So Donaldson is without five experienced defenders who would all make a difference to the team.
“The injuries are building up now. We only had two on the bench on Saturday and there’s three boys on loan so if it wasn’t for those guys we wouldn’t even have a team.
“The boys that are left are playing well and doing all they can.”
