Lossie suffered yet more agony on the road as a trip to Kynoch Park ended with the Coasters losing a tenth straight away tie in the Scot-Ads Highland League. Keith took advantage of a slow start from the visitors and more incompetence from the officials to go into the interval ahead by two goals, only for a strong second half from Lossie and a goal from Kyle Stewart to keep the Maroons on their toes right until the final minute, when Jamie Lennox fired home a third.

The visitors went into the game with a relatively strong squad, with only an offshore Martin McMullan joining long-term injury victims David Hendry and Darren McConnachie in the absent list. Recent signing Graeme Wilson took it upon himself to test Andy Shearer early on and curled goalward a speculative effort, but the big goalkeeper was equal to it.

The home side then ruined Tommy Maddens game plan by taking an early lead, and once again poor officiating cost Lossie dear. Ritchie Craig found himself in space and passed to an offside Jerry O’DRISCOLL to open the scoring, to the dismay of the travelling support. Insult was added to injury as the linesman saw fit to admit to the Lossie support later on the scorer was in an illegal position, knowledge he could have put to much better use than merely winding up the enclosure dwellers.

Lossie struggled for the period immediately following the goal, and were rarely beyond the halfway line, but as the game wore on the visitors began to test Keith. Middleton showed a fine turn of speed and skill to beat two men down the wing before lashing a shot at Shearer, which was stopped well at his right hand post. Lossie continued pressing, with McIntosh, Rattray and Wilson all teaming up to keep Keith well at bay. 

On the half hour, Lossie saw a great chance for an equaliser go begging. A long, slow cross from the middle of the park by Kyle Stewart drifted lazily over the Keith defence but, with Rattray and Morrison waiting for it come down, Shearer appeared and grabbed it first.

The home side went two ahead after a short spell of pressure late in the half. Lossie successfully defended two corners in a row, but at the third, the visitors switched off and allowed Graeme LONIE to loiter unmarked in the box and receive the ball before rifling home a precise volley through a ruck of bodies.

Half time – Keith 2 Lossiemouth 0

Lossie started the second half with a purpose. A free kick in the opening seconds from Rattray curled into the box and missed everyone, only to find Kevin Stuart on the line. Only feet from goal, the defender found the ball stuck under his feet and it was cleared before he could put it away.

Keith only delayed the start of a fight back by a few minutes as Lossie pulled themselves back into the game shortly after. Wilson swung a cross into the box and Shearer dropped the ball under pressure from Dixon, and Kyle STEWART was the first to react, lobbing the stricken goalkeeper to reduce the deficit.

From then on, Lossie controlled most of the game and looked more likely to score than concede. Wilson lashed a volley wide after a good knockdown from Morrison, and Morrison himself had the best chance of the half to level. Taking possession from Kyle, Mo ran in on goal with only Shearer to beat and chose to lob the keeper, but could only watch as his effort dipped narrowly wide of the post. Shortly after, Wilson had Shearer on his toes, as his deflected free kick threatened to fly in under the bar, only for the keeper to get a hand to it and tip it over the bar.

Keith were having no luck in front of goal and the few chances they had they wasted. Lennox saw fit to put the ball wide from less the six feet out, and Darren Still hit probably the worst free kick of his career, attempting an early effort to try and catch out the Lossie defence, only to pull it low and wide. Masterton was called on several times to deal with long range efforts from Keith, as Lossie ensured the home side stayed a safe distance up the park.

The visitors have their last chance to level with a minute remaining, when Muir played a pass forward to Morrison down the left, who raced away before curling a shot inches wide of the far post.

Lossie now face a wobbling Clach at Grant Park this coming weekend, before welcoming Buckie Thistle in the Highland League Cup the following weekend. Neither are the most enviable of fixtures but both appear to be labouring and with Buckies league challenge beginning to falter, there might not be a better time to play them.

Full time – Keith 3 Lossiemouth 1

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