Hope that three new signings can give Keith a spark
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KEITH manager Craig Ewen hopes the addition of three new players can give his side renewed spark ahead of a tough double header.
Jamie Shingler, a goalkeeper on loan from Aberdeen, midfielder Kieran Mooney and former Newmachar striker Matthew Tough made their debuts for the Maroons during Saturday’s 4-1 Highland League Cup defeat against Fraserburgh.
And the young trio showed up well – with the hope now that they can add to a depleted Keith squad ahead of a tough run of fixtures.
The Maroons host Banks O’ Dee in the Aberdeenshire Shield quarter final tonight, before Brora Rangers are visitors to Kynoch Park on Saturday afternoon.
Ewen said: “All of the new boys put in positive performances against Fraserburgh.
“Jamie has been brought in on loan from Aberdeen because of injury problems with the goalkeepers.
“Kieran started his first game and did really well –although he is slightly short in fitness. He’ll be a good player when he’s fully fit and firing and has more experience at this level.
“Matthew got a good 30 minutes and did fine as well. They’re all younger players with a bit of potential.”
Keith have needed to recruit more bodies, with Ewen adding that he’s yet to take charge of a match where he’s had fewer than six players out.
That’s set to be the case again this week, with two tough matches en route.
He added: “Banks O’ Dee and Brora at home will be a couple of tough assignments.
“Banks O’ Dee are a top side – they’re a top Highland League side in waiting – so it’ll be another tough game.
“We have nothing to lose in a cup game so we’ll have to apply ourselves in the correct manner, defend well, stay in the game and then you never know what can happen.
“I’ll have to change things about due to suspensions and cup tied players.
“We’ll be stretched for Wednesday’s game but hopefully we’ll have a few back for Saturday.
“Kieran Yeats, Przemyslaw Nawrocki are out tomorrow and Kieran Mooney is cup tied. Liam Strachan and Rhys Thomas will miss Saturday due to an accumulation of yellow cards.”
Keith go into tonight’s game off the back of a 4-1 cup defeat to Fraserburgh – an improvement scoreline-wise from the 7-0 defeat at the Broch last month.
Ewen added: “We started the first half brightly but fell out of the game for a spell and conceded cheap goals through individual errors.
“The second half was similar, we started OK and then conceded a cheap goal, before finishing the game and showing character towards the end – because there was concern at 4-0 that things could have got away from us again.
“There’s a long way for us to go to make big improvements, but we feel we are doing well in training and there are signs of slow progress for us.”
