Keith manager Craig Ewen celebrated six players signing new contracts with a 3-0 win over Turriff United.
The Maroons bounced back after three straight defeats with a Breedon Highland League victory at Kynoch Park.
Prior to kick-off Michael Selfridge, Ryan Robertson, Stewart Hutcheon, Kieran Yeats and Scott Gray penned extensions while Nathan McKeown signed his first contract with Keith.
On their win boss Ewen said: “I’m delighted to get the three points.
“We’ve probably put ourselves under a bit of pressure after the last few games where results haven’t gone as we wanted.
“We wanted to come out and have a fast start and we did that in the first 25 minutes playing on the front foot.
“We got the first goal – which I felt would be key – but we invited Turriff onto us a bit in the latter part of the first half.
“That meant we had to make a wee tweak to deal with that, but Turriff started the second half quite well and the second goal was always going to be crucial.
“I felt when we got the second goal it took the game away from Turriff and the third goal killed the game.”
Senior players buying in
Reflecting on the contract extensions Ewen added: “It’s very positive and it makes me and the management team feel that there’s senior players who have bought into what we’re doing and how we’re putting things across.
“That’s a wee weight lifted for me because if I’d lost some of my senior players then things would have been more difficult moving forward.
“So I’m really pleased to have their backing, I’m really happy with that and hopefully we can get Keith moving forward.”
Strachan starts
Ewen also handed a first start to on loan Formartine United midfielder Liam Strachan, who has joined Keith for the rest of the season.
He said: “I thought Liam was outstanding from minute one, he had that quality and composure on the ball in the middle of the park.
“We’re getting a quality player and we’re delighted with that.”
Maroons make the breakthrough
The home side who took the lead just after the quarter of an hour mark when Selfridge’s slide-rule pass down the inside left channel sent Michael Ironside clear and he calmly finished into the bottom right corner.
In response for Turriff Murray Thompson’s deflected cross was fumbled by Keith goalkeeper Craig Reid but the visitors couldn’t force the ball into the net in the ensuing six-yard box scramble.
Then Thompson made a terrific run in off the right flank and slipped a pass to Jordan Cooper, but Reid blocked at close quarters.
Turriff started the second half brightly. In the 56th minute a Liam Norris free-kick from the left picked out Owen Kinsella at the back post, but the defender’s diving header was blocked by Reid.
A minute later Keith doubled their lead with Demilade Yunas’ long ball forward finding Selfridge on the left side of the area and he slotted into the bottom right corner.
Midway through the second period Keith notched their third with Rhys Thomas darting in from the right wing and slipping in sub Przemyslaw Nawrocki, who rounded David Dey to score.
On 76 minutes the Maroons should have had another with Thomas again driving forward and setting up Ironside on the right side of the box.
But Ironside neither shot on target or picked out Nawrocki at the back post.
Turriff got what they deserved
Turriff player-assistant manager Jamie Lennox said: “It’s massively disappointing, the result came as a result of the performance.
“We were nowhere near good enough. We said to the boys before the game it would be a battle and the team that wanted it most would win the game.
“On the day Keith battled harder, looked like they wanted it more, took their chances and we got what we deserved.
“This is the first time we’ve questioned the players, up until now we’ve been getting some good things out of them.”