Teenage kicks at Keith

County youngsters developing well thanks to Maroons loan spells

Jack Grant believes he is already reaping the rewards of his loan spell at Keith. Midfielders Grant and Gregor MacDonald, both 18, joined the Maroons on loan from Ross County at the beginning of last month.

Both have played regularly for the Kynoch Park outfit and Grant reckons his Highland League experience is helping his development as a player.

He said: “I’m really enjoying it at Keith, myself and Gregor have been speaking about it a lot lately and we’re both loving it. It’s great playing every week and playing with men who want to win every week.

“It’s helping us in our development and when we go back to train with Ross County we see the progress we’re making in our development.

“In development football you play with first-team players as well so you still learn.

“But it’s different in the Highland League and when you play against teams like Fraserburgh, Brora and Buckie you learn a lot about yourself and what you need to do to compete.

“Richie Brittain (County reserve team manager) has been really good with me and Gregor, he’s always asking about each game and how things are.

“The gaffer Dean Donaldson and the boys at Keith are great with us as well.”

Lossiemouth were due to face Keith in the Highland League Cup today but the match was postponed last night due to a waterlogged pitch. It has been rescheduled for Wednesday with an 8pm kick off.

The Coasters were nonetheless boosted this week by the news that 13 players have signed new one-year contracts.

Liam Archibald, Kevin Flett, Ally Bellingham,

Ryan Stuart, Connor Macaulay, Ryan Sewell, Brodie Allen, James Leslie, Jack MacArthur, Kyle Ure, Niall Kennedy, Baylee Campbell and Dean McCall all penned fresh deals with the Coasters.

Manager Joe Russell believes it is vindication for the work he and the coaching staff are doing at Grant Park.

He said: “It’s pleasing because they are buying in to what we’re trying to do and have put faith in us for another season.

“We wanted it done so we know where we stand for next year.

“We can’t afford to pay the wages most teams do, so we try to give them a good environment to come and play football. This is a good endorsement of that.”

Russell hopes Lossie have turned a corner with recent performances, after going down 5-4 to Forres before holding Nairn County to a goal-less draw.

He added: “We want to get a good cup run and build on what we’ve done.”