Keith progressed to the semi-final of the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup with a derby win over Huntly at Kynoch Park.
The Maroons’ reward for victory is a home tie in the last four against holders Fraserburgh.
This quarter-final success also gave Keith’s new management team of Andy Roddie and Tommy Wilson their first win in charge.
Fans were allowed to return to Kynoch Park for the first time since February 22 with around 100 supporters in attendance spread around the ground and it added an edge to this local derby.
Roddie said: “It’s good to get that monkey off the back and get that first win for myself and Tommy.
“It was great for the players to see the fans there because the players have put up with a lot playing with no fans.
“So it’s good to have some fans in and the players appreciated it and played well in front of them scoring three good goals.”
Home supporters were given something to celebrate early on as it took the Maroons just six minutes to break the deadlock.
Michael Selfridge’s cross from the left wasn’t fully cleared by the visiting defence and when the ball was recycled to Cammy Keith on the edge of the area his through ball was perfect for Selfridge to race in and beat Euan Storrier from eight yards.
Storrier did well to hold a powerful Craig MacAskill drive from the edge of the area and MacAskill hit the target again with a free-kick midway through the first period, but this effort was dealt with comfortably by the goalkeeper.
Selfridge had a decent chance to double Keith’s lead shortly before the half hour mark. MacAskill burst forward and then slipped Selfridge in on the left side of the area, but he lifted a shot over.
Huntly struggled to create chances in the first period, with lone striker Gary McGowan starved of decent service and possession given up easily on too many occasions.
In contrast Keith’s front two of Cammy Keith and Selfridge were seeing plenty of the ball, with the latter teeing up Andrew Smith to fire narrowly over shortly before the interval.
Keith doubled their lead five minutes after the restart with captain Cammy Keith netting from the penalty spot.
James Brownie’s attempted cross struck the arm of Logan Johnstone and referee Scott Leslie awarded the spot-kick and Keith sent Storrier the wrong way from 12 yards.
The Maroons’ second put them firmly in control with Huntly needing to chase the game.
Although they kept possession better than in the first half there was no immediate response, McGowan did sent a snap-shot narrowly wide on 64 minutes and Ross Still glanced a header beyond the far post soon after, but chances were still at a premium.
With 20 minutes remaining a corner from black and golds sub Cai Matthew caused a scramble inside the Keith six-yard box, but the home defence stood firm.
The tie seemed to be put beyond doubt when Keith netted their third goal with quarter of an hour left. MacAskill’s low free-kick from the right was turned into the net by Keith, who nipped in ahead of Cammy Bowden for his second.
But just a minute later Huntly pulled a goal back with Matthew teeing up Reece McKeown who finished into the top left corner from the edge of the area.
Huntly almost netted a second with a minute to play, but Ryan Robertson’s blocked thwarted Still.
