12-Sep-2009

A last minute goal from Kris Niddrie inflicted a harsh defeat on Lossiemouth at Kynoch Park, after the visitors had spent almost an hour playing with a man less following the awful, awful decision by referee Thomas Shaw to red card John Urquhart. Despite the man advantage, Keith struggled to break Lossie down by fair means or foul, and the visitors can be rightly aggrieved to head for home with nothing to show for their efforts against a team who spent long spells of the game trying to perfect the art of Puke Football.

Lossies personnel problems continued, with Shawn Scott still suspended, Martin McMullan and Scott Matheson offshore, Nikki Smith on holiday, and Jamie Bagley and Kevin Stuart still injured. Keith had former Coaster Darren Still on the bench, accompanied by new signing Kevin Collins, no doubt happy to be away from the brown and yellow hoops of Forres.

The teams took to the field in front of what can only be described as one of the biggest crowds seen at Kynoch Park in years, with at least 100 people in attendance. Unfortunately, Keith are not what they were in terms of quality and the Maroons spent the opening stages playing pass after misplaced pass into touch and over each others heads. No wonder no one comes to watch this lot.

Early chances were few and far between. Tony Ross drilled a free kick low into the area hoping for a deflection, but Andy Shearer collected the ball after a some juggling. Lossie keeper Darren McConnachie was called into action, saving from Jamie Lennox before watching Richard Craig fire wide.

The game was beginning to pick up pace after a slow start, but yet another classic piece of refereeing from a Highland League official put a dent in Lossies chances. John Urquhart attempted a sliding challenge on Danny Tritton, producing a pathetic squeal of pain from Tritton as he hit the deck upon Urquharts slightly late arrival. With everyone in the ground expecting a booking, referee Thomas Shaw decided to put his mark on the game and issued Urquhart with a red card. Needless to say the previously mortally wounded Tritton was on his feet the minute the card appeared.

Half time – Keith 0 Lossiemouth 0

Lossie really should have gone ahead minutes into the second half. Dan Smith found himself clean through on goal, but with Andy Shearer racing out to the edge of the box, the youngster could only fire wide to the left of the goal. Sean McIntosh had chances soon after, but was wasteful and the game remained goalless.

With Keith devoid of any real ideas of how to deal with a Lossie side who had more than was bargained for, the hosts resorted to kicking the opposition. Richard Craig went into the book for what looked like a late stamp on the ankle of Dan Smith, a challenge as late and certainly more vicious than the foul Urquhart was order off for. Smith would later be left holding his face following a tussle for the ball with Graham Lonie, and ended up limping off towards the end of the game.

Enforcer in chief Darren Still appeared for Keith as they desperately tried to get the better of Lossie, and the dark arts continued. The full repertoires of elbows, late challenges, anything a commentator may politely describe as an example of ‘using their experience’, were on show, and tempers boiled over when Keith refused to return the ball to Lossie following the visitors punting it out of play so a player could receive treatment.

Darren McConnachie produced an astounding save from a shot by Sean Keith to keep Lossie in the game. The Keith player leathered a right-footed shot towards the far post and McConnachie flew towards the ball to palm it wide.

Keith were having the better of the game as it drew to a close, a result of fatigue in the Lossie side following so long with a numerical disadvantage. With the 90 minutes gone and a draw looking likely, Keith stole all three points with a undeserved winner. Sean Keith whipped a ball into the box, and Kris NIDDRIE dived to head the ball past McConnachie.

Full time – Keith 1 Lossiemouth 0

Teams

Lossiemouth - Darren McConnachie; Craig Donaldson, Sam Milton, Steven Sim, Dan Smith, Michael Smith, Tony Ross, Kevin Flett, John Urquhart, Sean McIntosh, Jordan Main
Keith - Andy Shearer; Jonathan Watt, Graham Lonie, Kris Niddrie, Derek Nicol, Wayne Mackay, Jamie Lennox, Gary Harris, Sean Keith, Danny Tritton, Richard Craig

Lossiemouth -  Jamie Williams (Jordan Main, 64), John Ross (Dan Smith, 71), Michael Macgregor (Michael Smith, 87)
Keith -  Darren Still (Danny Tritton, 60), Kevin Collins (Richard Craig, 69), 

Lossiemouth - John Urquhart (36)
Keith - None