Keith manager Craig Ewen hailed goalkeeper Craig Reid and all his players as they advanced to the semi-finals of the GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup.
After their quarter-final tie with Buckie Thistle finished 0-0 at Kynoch Park, the Maroons progressed 3-1 on penalties with Reid saving two in the shoot-out.
It’s the first time Keith have reached the last four of the Highland League Cup since they won it in 2013 with the draw taking place at GPH in Inverurie at 3pm on Friday.
Ewen said: “It was a fantastic effort from the boys. In terms of our work-rate and commitment to the task it was outstanding to a man.
“It was great Craig saved two penalties, he was outstanding.
“It’s not the World Cup final, but there’s still pressure you’ve got to stand up to in the shoot-out.
“We’re trying to improve and make steps forward and little steps like that will help us and keep the positivity high.
“You never know in a cup, we’re in the last four and we’d love to have more success.
“It’s great for the club, Keith have won the Highland League Cup the most times (10) so there’s a history of success here.
“We’ve got a long way to go to get that kind of success but certainly results like that and performances with that togetherness are excellent for us.
“We’re one game from a cup final, there’s a carrot there for us.”
Opening opportunities
In the early stages visiting goalkeeper Stuart Knight gathered Lewis Coull’s free-kick and at the other end Jack Murray rifled over from 30 yards.
Keith had the next couple of half chances with Gavin Elphinstone’s cross almost breaking for Michael Ironside before Coull fired off target from Kieran Yeats’ corner.
As the half hour mark approached Andrew MacAskill’s effort from 20 yards fizzed narrowly off target.
In the 35th minute the Jags almost gifted Keith the lead when Dale Wood’s pass back bobbled beyond Knight but wide of the target.
On the stroke of half-time Josh Peters’ cross was parried by Reid before the Maroons defence managed to crowd out MacAskill as he looked to finish from the rebound.
In the early stages of the second period Peters twice shot off target and Jack MacIver’s long-range strike was straight at Reid.
Keith’s best chance in the second half was a two on one situation in the 64th minute which Ironside and Michael Taylor couldn’t capitalise on.
Buckie enjoyed more of the ball throughout and tried to crank up the pressure in the final quarter.
On 80 minutes MacAskill’s cross from the right came through to Darryl McHardy at the back post.
But Reid did well to block the header with his foot at point-blank range.
As time ticked down Reid made reasonably routine saves to repel McHardy twice, MacAskill and Murray.
In the fifth minute of stoppage McHardy did finally score from a MacAskill ball into the box, but it was disallowed for offside.
Penalty drama
In the shoot-out Peters hit the left post with Buckie’s first and then Knight dived to his left to thwart Elphinstone.
Murray and Liam Cheyne scored before MacAskill’s attempt was blocked by Reid with Coull netting for Keith.
Reid then plunged to his right to save from Sam Pugh which left Liam Duncan to score and send the Maroons through.
Buckie boss Graeme Stewart said: “If you don’t take your chances you’re not going to win games.
“It’s frustrating but I can’t be too disappointed with the performance, obviously the result is disappointing.
“In terms of the effort the guys kept going, they stuck to the gameplan and I saw good things there.
“It’s disappointing but if you look at the game as a whole I think nine times out of 10 we win.
“We want to try to win all the cups so it’s frustrating to be out.
“Again it was on penalties so we either need to stop going to penalties or practise.
“I don’t have a go at guys for missing penalties, but guys that score all the time are missing so it’s maybe just something we’ve got in our heads just now.
“Maybe we need to address it by practising because we don’t practise too many.”
