Saturday 31st August 2024

Breedon Scottish Highland Football League

Formartine United 4 Keith 1

Formartine United Scorers: Scott Adams (50), Graeme Rodger (54), Tyler Mykyta (77), Johnny Crawford (90+4 Pen)

Keith Scorer: Liam Duncan (43)

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The Highland League sat up and took notice little more than a week ago when Keith returned from Brora with a victory at Dudgeon Park to their credit prompting the inevitable scintilla of doubt in the followers of FUFC that if they could punch above their weight like that against Brora, could they do it again at North Lodge Park ? In the end the answer was no, they couldn’t, but for some time, particularly over the first forty five minutes it looked as if they just might. It was never a racing certainty but hey went in for the interval with the lead by a single goal the creation of which was more fortuitous than a function of superior performance. It was by no means undeserved and not inconsistent with the balance of play over the first 45. The timing - almost bang on the 45 was psychologically perfect for the visitors.

A very swift response early in the second half put the home side firmly in the driving seat and they went on to dominate thereafter to win comfortably and propel them into the top half of the league table.

Buoyed by the exuberance of their Brora win Keith made a bright, confident, attacking start to this game and although they never got the length of being completely dominant they worked hard enough to push United into dancing to the tune they set. Over the first five minutes they sustained some pressure on the area round the front right corner of the United box. Almost straight away Duncan was off at pace down the inside right channel and was stopped in his tracks by a heavy, rather rearward tackle that earned centre back McLean a yellow. This phase was fairly typical of most of the first half with a chipper Keith side demanding repeated defensive action from Formartine who however were able to deliver it competently. United were offering more than just defence and were able to get the ball up to Wade and Mykyta who offered pace and trickery often enough to pressure the home defence which was also tested a couple of times by Rodger who got from time to time to positions from where he could deliver a ball or two to test Reid in the Keith goal.

Just as it seemed that the interval would arrive goalless Keith broke through down the left side with McKeown cutting in to the box to hit a rather scuffed shot that looked to be within reach of keeper Macdonald before it deflected right to DUNCAN about 10 yards out who lashed the ball into the roof of the net. Goals they say change games and this one clearly did by providing the impetus for Formartine to come out for the second half minded to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and bag what in the end was a well deserved win.

Formartine went at it hammer and tongs from the restart developing attacks at pace down each flank. The equaliser was well worked: a long throw down the left flank by McLean to Wade at the corner was cut back into the box where Norris made enough space to slip the ball to ADAMS who, slippery as an eel, wrong footed his marker and pinged the ball home from 15 yards out to level the game. Barely three minutes later, United got their noses in front, Pressure was sustained and Keith did not match the level of calm resistance United had shown earlier and as it ramped up so errors began to appear in an increasingly jittery looking Keith rearguard. United were pressing hard down the left and into the box where they had several players when an attempted clearance by centre back Barron was misdirected into the path of RODGER who seized the opportunity to smash the ball past Reid. United were now in the ascendency , showing more creativity and appetite for goals. Keith stuck doggedly to their task but looked despite being but one goal adrift increasingly like a beaten side. In the 76th the irrepressible MYKYTA got his name on the team sheet when with a beautifully judged late run through the centre he seized on a loose ball, continued his run to the edge of the box and finished with precision from 15 yards.

United maintained their pressure and in the dying minutes sub Combe burst into the box heading for goal when he was grossly impeded by keeper Reid. The inevitable penalty was blasted home by CRAWFORD, his 5th goal in as many games a remarkable tally for any player let alone a full back like he is.

Formartine United FC: Ewen Macdonald, Johnny Crawford, Luke Strachan (Kieran Lawrence 75), Matthew McLean, Lewis Wilson, Arron Norris, Julian Wade (Ross Clark 78), Graeme Rodger, Scott Adams (Paul Campbell 75), Marc Lawrence, Tyler Mykyta (Aidan Combe 78). Unused subs: Rhys Thomas, Callum Youngson, Brody Alberts, Sam Thomson, Errol Watson (GK)

Keith FC: Reid, Robertson, Spink, Barron, Craib, Cooper, Ormsby, Brownie, McKeown (Ironside 80), Park (Taylor 46), Duncan (Tough 80). Subs: Killoh, Smith, Milne, Macleod (GK).

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