Keith striker Matty Tough is on a run of three straight scoring games in the Highland League and aiming to blast the Maroons up the table
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Scoring in three consecutive games for Keith can help Matty Tough have his best season yet for the Maroons.
After netting at Brechin City, and again in last week’s 3-2 victory over Deveronvale, Tough kept his rich vein of form going by firing past Highland League legend keeper and Clach trialist Kevin Main on Saturday, albeit in vain as the Inverness men won 3-1.
In his third season at Kynoch Park, Tough (22) is enjoying following in the footsteps of his cousin, Cove Rangers star Connor Scully, into Highland League football and aiming to score more goals for the Maroons.
“I got an injury at the start of the season and wasn’t playing,” he said. “I hurt my ankle and was out for five weeks and it was hard breaking back into the team but I finally got the chance against Brechin.
“You look at the fixture list and it’s one of the games where you’re thinking you probably won’t get chances to score there, so for me to get one was good and lifted the confidence. Before then I was pretty low in confidence and not really enjoying it but now I’m loving it again.
“It was good to score at Clach but frustrating that we lost the game. We were poor but we were still the better team especially in the second half. Against the wind we were keeping the ball better and probably had the better chances. They caught us on the counter attack.
“I was buzzing to get my goal and that’s three goals in three games so I am hitting a wee purple patch.
“We noticed their goalkeeper wasn’t doing the best goal kicks and another poor kick dropped to Mikey Taylor who squared it to me. It was a tap in but you’ve got to be in there to get them.
“The gaffer went through their team and said Mainzer (Kevin Main) was in goals and he is an experienced keeper so it was nice to put one past someone who has been doing it so long in the Highland League. I think my second goal for Keith was a 1-0 win at Clach so it’s a good feeling playing there.
“The manager (Craig Ewen) is telling me, you are sharp just now, you’re fit and you’re in the team so don’t get ahead of yourself but make sure you keep a hold of that jersey by keeping working hard.
“I was aiming for more goals last season but often I was coming on for the last 20 minutes. I hit my purple patch towards the end and the season finished too quickly for me really. I was playing a lot and scored a few in a short space of time - I ended up with five.
“You always look to try and better what you get the season before.
“We haven’t had the best of seasons as a team but I feel our time will come and we will get there eventually.
“We are a very close team, we are all pals and there’s nothing better than playing with your best mates and that can only help us turn those losses into wins.”
On Saturday Keith host Turriff and Tough added: We have a great record against them in recent seasons so we might be their bogey team almost. Hopefully that continues and we can get another win this weekend.”
