Moray welfare football: Another penalty shoot-out success earns Buckie Rovers second cup final spot to pip RAF Lossiemouth while Cullen also land final spot at Portsoy
Penalty kings Buckie Rovers kept their treble hopes alive with another cup shoot-out success.
The former north junior side returned after a spell in abeyance to play in the Moray welfare league this summer to great success thus far.
Currently top of the league, Rovers ousted Aberlour Villa in the Tewnion Memorial Trophy semi-finals on penalties and repeated the feat against RAF Lossiemouth in the Mike Simpson Memorial Trophy last week to reach their second cup final.
The airmen are the only club to defeat Rovers in their comeback season after a thumping 4-0 league success at Merson Park at the start of June.
They looked on course to inflict more damage on Buckie’s season in a thrilling cup clash.
Rovers did draw first blood through a fourth minute goal by Jordi Mackie, but Lossie started to get on top as the half wore on and deservedly levelled before the break through Henry Jordan’s free kick.
A Ben Carby penalty edged the visitors ahead for the first time but Buckie responded quickly and Adam McCartan’s back post header made it 2-2.
Jordan scored a second for the airmen who were on course for the final until Ross Fiske netted with a controlled volley into the bottom corner on 85 minutes to force the shoot-out.
Buckie held their nerve, scoring all five penalties while their keeper Glen Fraser saved one to deny Lossie.
In the Tewnion Memorial Trophy final, Rovers will contest a coast derby final against Cullen.
Cullen continued their fine form of late, racing into a 3-0 lead at Portsoy with goals by Calum MacLeod, Logan Macaulay Mill and Jae Marandola.
The home side refused to give in, pulling back two goals through Steven Jamieson and Jake Watt. In a late press, ‘Soy also struck the bar and saw an effort cleared off the line as Cullen just held on for victory.
In the final league match before the split, champions FC Fochabers gave their chances of retaining the trophy a lift with a thrilling 4-3 success at fellow title chasers Hopeman.
Both sides had chances early on but it was Hopeman who netted first on 20 minutes when Ryan Fiske nodded in a superb Matt Herley ball into the box after 20 minutes.
Fochabers levelled when a fine run by Lee Alexander led to a cut back which Andrew Walker fired home.
Jordan Orr restored the home lead before half time, but Gary Burchell netted a second equaliser for the visitors just after the hour.
Midway through the second half, sub Chris Ramage headed home a Fiske cross to edge Hopeman in front for a third time.
The lead lasted just five minutes as a spill of the ball left keeper Lee Spencer off his line and Burchell scored his second.
Five minutes from time, Fochabers decisively grabbed the lead for the first time with what proved to be the winner. Spencer pulled off a great save but sub Ben Abrahams picked the perfect time to score his first goal of the season on the rebound.
That proved to be the winner despite Hopeman’s Scott McIntyre firing a late chance over the bar.
