Togetherness the key as Lybster return to Caithness top flight
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Togetherness was the key to Lybster's promotion success, according to their manager Cameron Mackenzie.
The village side achieved an immediate return to Caithness AFA Division One with a 5-0 victory at Watten on Monday.
Lybster went into the last night of the second division season knowing that any slip-up could allow either Swifts or Keiss to grab top spot.
In the event, goals from Andrew Sutherland, Lewis Mackillop (2), Danny Doogan and Ross Steven made sure Lybster will be back in the top flight in 2024, while Keiss defeated Swifts to secure the play-off place.
"The togetherness of the team has definitely been a big factor this year," Mackenzie said after the second division trophy had been handed over by CAFA president Murray Coghill.
Looking ahead to the challenge of preparing his squad for the first division, Mackenzie said: "We'll keep the core. The boys that we've got here are more than good enough to do something in the first division."
Lybster captain Gary Swanson said: "All the boys stuck in. We only lost one player and we brought in a couple of new boys.
"We were a bit scared when we got relegated that a few boys would leave us but everyone has stayed, bar one.
"The boys stuck together when it looked like we were bottling it."
Swanson insisted the standard of the second division should not be underestimated.
"It's actually a lot better standard than people give it credit for," he said. "There's a lot of good teams in that second division.
"Keiss will give a really good account of themselves in that play-off.
"Top Joe's have given us a really hard game every time we've played them. Even look at Pentland – it's a shame [they have lost all their games], because they're all young boys, but I'm sure if they stick together for the next four or five years they'll be a really good team."
Any last-night nerves Lybster may have been experiencing were eased when Sutherland fired them ahead late in the first half.
Top scorer Mackillop doubled their lead from the penalty spot after the break before adding his second of the night with a solo effort.
Doogan made it four with a superb finish and Steven rounded off the scoring.
Keiss will play in Friday's Caithness AFA promotion/relegation play-off after they finished the Division Two season as runners-up behind Lybster.
Going into the last round of fixtures on Monday night, three teams were in contention for top spot and automatic promotion.
Long-time leaders Lybster were favourites and they duly won 5-0 at Watten. A draw for Swifts would have put them into the play-off but instead Keiss kept up their impressive recent form to win 4-0.
Their top scorer Tony Miller claimed a hat-trick and Lewis Gill got the other. Swifts had their keeper Asa Sinclair sent off.
Keiss will play either Castletown or John O'Groats on Friday with a place in next season's top flight at stake.
In Monday's other Division Two fixture, Top Joe's came from behind to beat Thurso Pentland 4-1. Lee Gordon put Pentland ahead but Joe's hit back with goals from Martin Murray, Derek Manson and Jack MacGregor (2).
Results – Highland League Cup, preliminary round: Wick Academy 0, Nairn County 1.
David Allan Shield final – High Ormlie Hotspur 1, Wick Groats 4.
SWF Highlands and Islands League: Caithness 4, Sutherland 1.
Caithness AFA Division Two: Swifts 0, Keiss 4; Top Joe's 4, Thurso Pentland 1; Watten 0, Lybster 5.
Fixtures – Tuesday, August 15 – Division One: Acks v Wick Groats; Castletown v High Ormlie Hotspur; Pentland United v Wick Thistle; Staxigoe United v John O'Groats (all 6.45pm).
Friday, August 18 – Caithness AFA promotion/relegation play-off: Castletown v Keiss (6.30pm, Upper Bignold, Wick).
Saturday, August 19 – Highland Amateur Cup final: Avoch v Wick Groats (2.30pm, Harmsworth Park, Wick).
