Moray welfare round up: Lossie Youths and Cullen off the mark, first defeat for champions Hopeman
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LOSSIE Youths notched up their first win in Moray welfare football on Tuesday night.
The league newcomers, made up of youngsters from the town's Highland League club's youth development system, beat Aberlour Villa 4-1.
Lossie had been narrowly defeated by Hopeman and RAF Lossiemouth in their first two matches but came good at the third attempt.
More Moray welfare:
The youths started to dominate possession and forced Villa keeper Paul Robertson into some good saves, while at the other end Aberlour hit the crossbar with a header.
Lossie took the lead from a short corner worked to Lewis Mullen who bent a shot from 12 yards into the top corner.
Callum Carr doubled the home lead with a fine finish in off the bar before Barry Grant pulled one back with a 20-yard shot that sneaked under the keeper.
Branford Edgar added his third goal of the season for Lossie with a brilliant right-foot finish and their win was sealed by Frazer O'Neil's solo run and chip over the keeper.
RAF Lossiemouth made it two wins out of two in impressive fashion as they inflicted a first defeat on champions Hopeman.
The match was like a sparring contest early on with both sides giving very little away.
Gary Burr almost gave Hopeman the lead in spectacular style, spotting keeper Danny Jarps off his line and trying a shot from inside his own half but the ball went just wide of the target.
Richard Harris and Josh Taylor had efforts thwarted by the home side, and when Aidan Redmile was fouled by Douglas Wood for a penalty on 29 minutes he took the kick himself but keeper Darren Wood made an excellent save.
An RAF Lossie goal was only five minutes away, as Cammy Newton scored on the rebound after Dean McKellar's effort hit the bar.
The airmen kept pressing with Craig Thomson seeing his header hit a post, before Redmile shot just past a minute later.
Hopeman were on the ropes and when Newton patched on to a through ball on 40 minutes he found the net for his and Lossie's second goal.
The champs altered their formation in the second half and went close through Dave McNamara, but they got a goal back on the hour when Blair Tulloch scored at the second attempt after his initial shot was saves by Jarps.
The Lossie keeper made a fine save to deny Tulloch an equaliser, before Redmile released Taylor to slot home at the other end and make it 3-1.
Wood made a superb stop to prevent Redmile from adding a fourth, while Hopeman's cause was hampered when Burr was shown a second yellow card on 72 minutes, reducing the home side to ten men.
Nine minutes from time Dean Stevenson latched on to a loose ball to increase the away team's lead and Redmile finally got on the scoresheet after an attempted clearance by keeper Wood landed at his feet.
Hopeman pulled it back to 5-2 in the closing moments as Tulloch and McNamara combined to set up Marc Connolly for a curled finish from 25 yards.
Tuesday's results:
Cullen 4 Elgin Golden Oldies 0
Hopeman 2 RAF Lossiemouth 5
Lossie Youths 4 Aberlour Villa 1
Portsoy 5 Tomintoul 2
Cullen got their first points of the season with a comfortable4-0 win against the Elgin Golden Oldies, who are still looking for their first point.
A well-worked team opener saw Marcus Flett pick out Saul Phimister, who finished well with the outside of his foot.
A second came minutes later, with Calum McGregor crossing for Kris Murray at the back post, volleying in at close range.
Cullen were 3-0 up before the break, Scott Mair setting up Marcus Flett with a strike from the edge of the box.
The home side were awarded a penalty early in the second half, which Mair converted to complete the scoring.
EGOs rarely threatened the Cullen goal, but did manage a couple of chances that flashed wide of the mark.
Moray welfare leading goalscorers:
-6 Paul Mellon (Buckie United)
-5 Warren Orford (FC Fochabers)
-4 David Blackhall (Aberlour Villa)
-4 Sean Petrie (FC Fochabers)
-3 Jordy Mackie (FC Fochabers)
-3 Branford Edgar (Lossie Youths)
-3 Ross Murray (Portsoy)
-3 Mick Smith (Portsoy)
-3 Cammy Newton (RAF Lossiemouth)
A Mick Smith hat-trick helped Portsoy to their second win of the season at the expense of bottom side Tomintoul.
Smith was denied by a brilliant save in the first minute but opened the scoring with a 20-yard free kick on 25 minutes.
Portsoy pressed forward and David McCallum fired a great chance wide, before their second goal came from a penalty converted by Ross Murray - his third of the season.
The home side got off to a flying start to the second half when Declan McKay broke through to make it 3-0.
Then the 'Toul keeper tried to clear a passback but the ball fell into the path of Smith to make it four.
Jake Macnicol-Logan broke forward and lobbed home keeper Gauld to pull one back for Tomintoul.
At the other end McKay was denied a second by a goal-line clearance, and 'Toul were given some hope when Brandon Tinley beat the offside trap to pull another goal back.
Victory was secured for 'Soy when Murray's fine cross picked out Smith to complete his treble and a 5-2 victory.
