Moray welfare football: Buckie United make flying start, FC Fochabers fire in 13-goal haul while champions Hopeman edge out Cullen
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THE Moray and District Welfare FA football season kicked off on Friday with the first matches played since 2019.
Champions Hopeman opened up at home to Cullen in what turned out to be an open and entertaining contest.
The home side started well with former Rothes and New Elgin player David McNamara playing in a 25-yard free kick which was punched clear by Cullen keeper Scott Mair.
On eight minutes, ex-Lossiemouth man Scott Wilson went on a mazy run down the left wing for Hopeman and cut back into the box where he was upended by Cullen defender Calum Macleod for a penalty.
Wilson took the kick himself and fired into the top corner for the opening goal.
Mair saved well from an Iain Lunan effort while Elliot Findlay blocked a Jordan Orr effort as Hopeman chased a second.
Marcus Flett then saw his ferocious shot headed clear in the goalmouth by Hopeman's Lunan, but Cullen's pressure told with an equaliser on 29 minutes.
A good through ball by M. Flett saw Ferguson beat the offside trap and slot past Fraser.
The Hopeman keeper prevented Cullen from taking the lead before half time, saving low from J. Flett.
Cullen keeper Mair pulled off another fine stop from Gary Burr's half volley strike, and did the same to keep out Wilson's free kick from the left which was top-corner-bound.
Burr was to regain Hopeman's lead eight minutes after the interval, finishing off a good move involving McNamara and Blair Tulloch.
Scott Harrison hit Cullen's side netting but Hopeman made it 3-1 on 73 minutes, helped by a substition combination from manager Mike Munro.
Connor Fraser-Taylor’s burst of pace won possession wide on the right and he cut in to thread an excellent pass through to fellow sub Ryan Fiske, who spun to produce a Modric-like finish and find the net.
Burr then nodded inches wide from a Fiske corner, while Cullen's refusal to give in saw Iain Mair's rifling effort nodded off the line by Chris Cooper.
Mair smashed in another drive from distance on 89 minutes which Fraser parried but Cullen's James Maliska pounced on the rebound to pull a goal back.
Time ran out on Cullen's challenge as Hopeman held on for an opening day win.
Friday's results:
Aberlour Villa 3 Portsoy 1
Elgin Golden Oldies 3 Buckie United 7
FC Fochabers 13 Tomintoul 0
Hopeman 3 Cullen 2
The returning FC Fochabers look like they will be a scoring force after crashing in 13 unanswered goals past Tomintoul.
Indeed if it hadn't been for brave 'Toul goalkeeper Matthew Easton, the score could have been even higher as he made a succession of fine saves including a first minute penalty stop.
Ryan Higgins broke the deadlock for the home team with Gary Burchell, Warren Orford (2) and John Gerrard (2) - one direct from a corner - making it 6-0 at the break.
Fochabers made some changes at the break but the goals kept coming, with Orford adding two more to take his personal tally to four, while Sean Petrie got a second half hat-trick and Jordan Mackie notched two more.
League newcomers Elgin Golden Oldies (EGOs) included some Highland League stars from yesteryear in their line up against the more youthful Buckie United.
It wasn't the best of starts for the veterans who found themselves 3-0 down inside 15 minutes, as an Owen Morrison tap-in, a Jordan Sutherland penalty and a Paul Mellon goal put United in command.
Mellon soon added two more before EGOs were awarded a penalty of their own and Simon Lobban stepped up to score their first welfare goal.
The experienced Iain MacRae found the net for Buckie before half time to give them a 6-1 advantage.
The home side reshuffled their pack at the break and steadied their ship, with Lobban scoring his second of the game to reduce the deficit.
Nikki Souter fired home Buckie's seventh strike but the Golden Oldies never stopped pushing and former Elgin City, Deveronvale and Lossiemouth favourite Stuart Cameron shot home from 15 yards to complete the scoring.
Aberlour Villa opened up with a 3-1 victory at home to Portsoy.
David Blackhall scored twice for the Speyside outfit and Stevie Reid added a third before Ross Murray grabbed a 'Soy consolation from the penalty spot.
Elgin United have now pulled out of the league, meaning RAF Lossiemouth have to wait for their opening fixture.
Lossiemouth Youth have returned to the league and begin their campaign at home to Hopeman tonight (Tuesday).
Friday's highest scoring sides Buckie United and FC Fochabers meet in Buckie while Portsoy host Elgin Golden Oldies.
All games kick off at 7.30pm and no spectators are allowed as part of Covid-19 restrictions.
