Banks o’ Dee are back at Spain Park for the third consecutive and final time of 2024, with Moray side Keith travelling down the A96 for some Friday night Highland League action.
A special moment in the Highland League tonight as Referee Abbie Hendry and Assistant Referees’ Olivia Crawford and Paulina Ruszniak combine to create the first all-female official contingency in the division.
The Dee ran out 3-0 winners last week against league leaders Brechin City in the Highland League Cup, with goals from Max Alexander, Michael Philipson and and own goal.
Keith have played just one game of football in the past month, beating Clachnacuddin 1-0 at Kynoch Park two weeks ago, making it four consecutive wins in the league.
Clachnacuddin’s remarkable win over Brora on Wednesday night has somewhat blown open the race for second in the Highland League, with Brechin looking comfortable 7 points clear. A win tonight for Banks o’ Dee would lift them to third, albeit with the top sides all in action tomorrow. A result for Keith, who have won three game on the road this season would lift them to 11th.
It would take 22 minutes for any action to materialise, with the first big chance of the game resulting in a goal for The Dee. A deep cross from Liam Duell was met at the back post by Max Alexander, who headed past Craig Reid and in. Keith looked bright after the goal, venturing forward through Horace Ormsby, but The Maroons couldn’t find an equaliser.
Their woes would be compounded at the half hour mark, with two rapid fire goals putting Banks o’ Dee three goals to the good. A neat freekick from Michael Philipson was controlled well by Andrew Hunter, allowing him to slot home from close range for the second, and Christian Antoniazzi passed home the third from 12 yards just one minute after the second.
Keith struggled on till the half time whistle, with a neat double save from Reid preventing a fourth just before the break.
Banks o’ Dee came flying out of the traps at the beginning of the second half, with Hunter grabbing his second and Dee’s forth of the game in the 47th minute.
The relentless Dee grabbed a fifth through Philipson on the 54th minute, who’s 20-yard strike struck the inside of the post before trickling in behind Reid. Philipson’s finish was his 14th goal of the season, putting him second in the charts behind Angus Grant.
Substitutions past the hour mark slowed the game down, with Banks o’ Dee looking satisfied with their five goal haul. A clever corner in the 78th minute looked set to give Keith a consolation, but Jordan Cooper’s strike was blocked on the line.
Abbie Hendry signalled the end of the match on the 93rd minute, with Banks o’ Dee comfortably seeing out the final quarter. The win takes the home team into third, whist Keith stay 13th.
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