Wick Academy scored twice in the final six minutes to earn a point against Keith at Kynoch Park.
This was a game Keith really ought to have won but they conceded a penalty before the leveller in stoppage time – even after Wick were reduced to 10 men.
Keith manager Dean Donaldson was disappointed by his side’s failure to hold on for three successive league wins for the first time in three years.
He said “They have scored many late goals against us in recent years, so it was no surprise.
“Yet, they only created one chance; we were the better team by some way, so no criticism of the boys, they gave their all.
“Wick didn’t deserve a draw, but we gave away a silly penalty, then Andy Smith, who had a great game, had one moment of madness to gift them their equaliser. Credit to our boys because we had a depleted squad.”
The first half saw the Maroons create several chances without scoring.
The second half exploded into life with Craig Macaskill going close before Michael Selfridge pounced to slam home following a corner seven minutes after the break.
Macaskill got the goal his play deserved in the 63rd minute when he rifled home into the bottom corner, the goal standing after a chat between the referee and his stand-side assistant.
That should have been that but with six minutes left the hosts conceded a penalty which Gary Manson slotted home.
Even then the points looked homebound, especially when Ross Allan saw red in stoppage time for stopping Cammy Keith as he tried to race clear.
But Smith’s late lapse three minutes into stoppage time was punished by Jack Henry, with just enough time to restart the match before the referee signalled the end.
Wick manager Tom McKenna said: “It was a bad day at the office for us, but all credit to Keith, they are a hard-working side, and we didn’t ask enough questions.
“We just didn’t turn up today, and didn’t perform as we have done recently, but the late penalty changed the dynamics of the game.”
