Getting the best out of prolific striker Cammy Keith will probably have a massive influence on how Keith fair this coming Highland League season and if the centre forward produces more performances like this one then the Maroons will be a real force to be reckoned with.

Keith took a while to get his eye in in front of goal, fluffing his first few chances but his persistence, hard work and belief in his own ability reaped the ultimate dividends after half time as he bagged a double to decide the club's annual friendly with East of Scotland Division One outfit Craigroyston.

The Keith crossbar was rattled just four minutes in as Kyle Hay's out-swinging free kick from the right found the head of Kevin Robertson in the middle but his effort hit the top of the bar on its way over.

The Maroons had the ball in the net five minutes when Cammy Keith slipped Dean Donaldson in on goal and wide man clipped the ball over the outrushing Michael Atai but his effort was ruled out for offside but the decision looked marginal.

Keith looked lively up front throughout his 71 minutes on the park and he peeled off the last defender with his run timed to perfection to stay onside as he met Darren McAllister's ball over the top but the striker's shooting was off as he snatched at his effort, sending it over the bar.

Neil Robertson is looking to put all of his injury woes behind him and he formed a balanced partnership with Jamie Lennox in the middle of the park as he played the sitting role. And it was the two who combined to nearly open the scoring in spectacular fashion as a Lennox corner from the right on 23 minutes was caught flush on the volley by Robertson from 30 yards out but his effort was deflected just over.

The visitors continued to probe and they registered their first shot on target 28 minutes in. Keith played the ball inside to Robertson and he helped it on to Lennox but his effort was held by the diving Atai, who made a smart save diving to his right.

Cammy Keith's shooting was out again as he latched onto Dead Donaldson's knock down off a deep Darren McAllister cross but the striker didn't find the right connection as he fired wide of the near post.

A swift Keith break almost gave them the lead on the stroke of half time with Lennox feeding McAllister on the right. The wide man cut inside and onto his left foot but his effort from 20 yards took a deflection and dipped narrowly over the crossbar.

Half time: Craigroyston 0 Keith 0

Keith again had the ball in the net three minutes after the restart. Lennox put Jonathan Smith in on goal and he knocked it past the goalkeeper only to see the flag raised. However, just three minutes later, the Maroons found a way past Atai again and this time it stood.

The break all came about with a cool bit of defending from Kris Niddrie. The experienced centre half could easily have put his head through a cross from the right but instead he showed a bit guile to knock it down to McAllister. The Keith winger then played a raking cross-field pass into the left channel and Cammy Keith didn't need a second invitation to chase it down. The Maroons forward latched the ball and was now in behind the home defence where he showed conviction to bear in on goal and pick his spot beyond Atai.

The loss of the opener was the trigger for Craigroyston to introduce towering striker Ubong Umotong to the proceedings and he played his part in drawing the hosts level on 58 minutes.

The forward made a powerful run down the right and Robertson was unlucky to take Andy Shearer out of the equation with his attempted clearance and this allowed Dave Anderson the simple task of rolling the ball home from a few yards to level the game with Craigroyston's first effort on target.

However, parity only last for three minutes as Keith scored the game's third goal in 10 minutes to re-establish their lead just after the hour mark. In his final contribution of the match, winger Dean Donaldson fired in an inviting low cross from the left and Cammy Keith got in ahead of his marker to turn the ball home at the front post.

After a spate of substitutions that saw Keith introduce the youngsters they had on the bench, it was Craigroyston who looked the more likely in the latter stages. Steven Galloway played the ball inside from the left to lively substitute Jordan McKenzie and from 20 yards, his dipping right-footed effort bounced off the bar on its way over on 85 minutes.

A minute later, McKenzie was at it again as he came in from the left this time but his low drive from the edge of the box was held by Shearer at his near post. Despite these late scares, it was the Maroons who finished with a flourish.

Graham Lonie knocked the ball up the line from left back into the channel for Smith to case down. His low cross was knocked in by substitute Jordan Morrice from a couple of yards out to round off Keith's success with three minutes left.

Full time: Craigroyston 1 Keith 3
Reporter: Graeme Macleod