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Locos overcame a resolute Keith side to extend their winning run to five matches. Lloyd Robertson poked the ball home from a goalmouth scramble late in the first half to complete a league double over the Maroons.
Dean Donaldson made two changes from the team who beat Deveronvale on Valentines Day. Thomas Reid came in for Greg Mitchell and Callum Duncan replaced Daniel Agnew. The game got off to a quiet start in the Garioch sunshine but burst into life with a flurry of chances starting with 17 minutes on the clock. Aidan Wilson’s low shot was well saved by Connor MacLeod in the Keith goal, before Brody Alberts got on the end of a Liam Duncan free kick but couldn’t direct his header on target. Locos then went straight up the other end with Jay Halliday’s effort going just the wrong side of the post.
Duncan was next to try his luck but his curling shot from the edge of the box was just over. Milosz Ochmanski then tested MacLeod from distance, the goalkeeper gratefully pouncing on the ball at the second attempt. The deadlock was broken 5 minutes from the break. Paul Coutts’ corner from the left reached a group of bodies in the centre of the goal, and when the ball broke loose Robertson forced it over the line.
After the break, Locos looked to add to the scoring but Keith kept themselves in the game with some well organised defending. They were able to break forward on occasion too and Zack Ellis stood firm to block Cameron Wilson’s effort at the near post. Locos continued to look the more likely to get the second goal though, and MacLeod did well to turn Blair Smith’s shot behind. Smith then had another effort blocked before Robertson came close to a second, firing narrowly over the top. Cameron Wilson fired a tame free kick into the arms of Ellis as Locos saw the game out.
This was certainly not a game for the purists as neither team was able to find much rhythm in blustery conditions, but Donaldson was delighted to get another three points. “I’m happy to get the win. I think the wind really played a part today, the game overall was a poor spectacle” he said. “I don’t think Keith allowed us to play. They pressed us at the right times, they really worked hard”. The visitors frustration as they tried to take something from the game was summed up when manager Craig Ewen was sent from the dugout late on for language directed at the referee. Locos probably shaded the game though, and will now turn their attention to the visit of Rothes to Harlaw Park next Saturday.
