Buckie Thistle kept up their 100% start to the Breedon Highland League season in spectacular fashion – with a 10-0 win over Keith which triggered the resignation of Maroons co-managers Andy Roddie and Tommy Wilson.
The Jags impressive showing was their biggest win against their Banffshire rivals and kept them at the top of the table.
Keith on the other hand had seven players missing through injury and unavailability, and ended the match with nine men with Roddie and Wilson deciding on Saturday night to step down.
Kynoch Park chairman Andy Troup said: “I wasn’t at the game because I was at a wedding and the result wasn’t what we were expecting.
“But we know where we’re at and we’ve got seven or eight players out injured.
“I’m disappointed Andy and Tommy have made the decision to step down. We didn’t see it coming and I’m gutted and devastated.
“We knew where we were and where we were going. They had a decent budget to bring players in, they’ve had the full backing of the board all through their tenure at Kynoch Park.”
It is with regret we announce the resignation of co managers Andy Roddie & Tommy Wilson. The club wish to express their thanks to Andy & Tommy. Michael Brown will take charge in the interim. We invite applicants for the role, contact Michael on 07583439627 or football@keithfc.com
— Keith Football Club (@KeithFC) August 8, 2021
Following their departure from Kynoch Park, joint-boss Wilson said: “Keith is a good club with a lot of good people there. Myself and Andy wish them all the best for the future.”
The Maroons’ director of football Michael Brown is in interim charge with applicants invited to contact Brown by emailing football@keithfc.com or by phone on 07583439627.
Against Buckie the goal procession began in the third minute when Adam MacLeod swept home. The rampant Jags then ended up with another five goals inside half an hour, with Sam Morrison, Kevin Fraser, MacLeod again and Sam Urquhart finding the net.
Two further first half goals – Urquhart again, and ex-Maroon Andy Macaskill – left the visitors stunned at the break.
Keith looked to have tightened up after half-time, but then on the hour mark Kian McCredie, booked shortly before, received a second yellow card for a challenge on Mark McLauchlan.
Sam Pugh, having had a goal chalked off for offside, then nabbed an eighth goal for Buckie in the 75th minute after the ball had hit the face of the bar.
Macaskill hit the post and the bar before Callum Murray slotted home for number nine, before Tom Andrews received a second yellow card for an altercation with McLauchlan.
With three minutes remaining, Urquhart got his treble, putting the scoreline into double figures at the same time.
Buckie manager Graeme Stewart said: “It’s going to be a difficult league this season with five or six teams (challenging) and hopefully we are one of them.
“It was a good team performance, scoring 10 goals and I was pleased for Sam Urquhart getting a hat-trick. He didn’t play so well in the midweek game (Aberdeenshire Cup defeat to Formartine).
“We still have a long way to go before we are challenging, but we have a good squad.”
Mark Souter’s wonder goal proves to be the difference between Inverurie and Turriff
Despite an amazing total of 22 efforts on goal, Inverurie Locos had to settle for a 2-1 win over Turriff United in the Highland League.
This was in contrast to Locos’ 4-1 victory in the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup at the Haughs in midweek, and Inverurie boss Andy Low reflected on the strange nature of football when he compared the two wins, saying: “I’m quite frustrated, because – while we did ok winning on Wednesday – we were much the better side in this league game and played a lot of good football.
“We should have scored more goals and needed to be more clinical, but made it difficult for ourselves by conceding a late goal.”
Locos went in front after only seven minutes when a well-flighted cross by Jamie Michie was headed home powerfully by Robert Ward against his old club.
A Kieran Shanks effort then came off the crossbar and the Turriff goal was under threat a few more times, before Inverurie extended their lead on 39 minutes with a wonder goal.
Centre-half Mark Souter surprised everyone by quickly taking a free-kick from inside his own half and beating Tim Findlay all ends up with his perfectly-hit dipping strike.
#sooterblooter #inverurie #superlocos pic.twitter.com/BttVU1rPRg
— InverurieLocoWorksFC (@InverurieLocos) August 7, 2021
Low added: “I didn’t see Mark Souter striking the shot, but I’m delighted for him he had the confidence to do it!”
The theme of the second half was the same. More clear-cut Inverurie chances which weren’t taken, with 17-year-old Turra keeper Findlay making great stops.
However, in the 90th minute, the determination of the young United team to stay in contention was rewarded
An incisive ball down the inside right channel sent ex-Loco Kyle Gordon on his way. He ran on and drilled powerfully past old team-mate Andy Reid in the home side’s goal.
A former Chuff Chuff favourite in his time as a player at Harlaw Park, Turriff boss Dean Donaldson was not too downbeat by the result.
He said “We have a good bunch of players, I’m proud how they’ve played in the second half more than the first
“They showed great character, they’re young and enthusiastic – I’ll keep pushing them to get better.”