Buckie Rovers return to action with goalless draw in Moray welfare football opener while Lhanbryde United hit nine
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Former junior football side Buckie Rovers returned to action on Friday for the start of the Moray welfare league season.
Rovers entered a spell of abeyance several years ago, dropping out of the north juniors.
They have reformed with a plan to return to the juniors once day but entered the welfare set-up as an initial step, and kicked off with a home match against Hopeman.
It proved to be the closest of encounters with neither side able to make a scoring breakthrough in a 0-0 draw.
No such problems for Lhanbryde United who hit scoring form when they visited another new side in Elgin’s Seaforth.
The newcomers will take time to settle into the league and found themselves a goal down inside two minutes when Craig Sim got through on goal and scored.
Kenzie Lawton grabbed his first league goal for the visitors, finding the top corner with an outside-of-the-foot volley and debut goals for Stephen Dey and Aaron Wells had United 4-0 up at half time.
It was more of the same after the break with John Harrold converting a penalty then Dey scoring his second.
Harrold soon doubled his tally, Dey completed his hat-trick in his first appearance and Jonathan Mowat was next to net on his Lhanbryde debut to complete a 9-0 victory.
Rothes played host to Craigellachie in the first Speyside derby of the campaign, and it was the visitors who made the short trip home with full points thanks to a 6-2 victory.
Doubles by Jordan Gray and Aaron O’Hara, and a goal each for Michael Mortimer and Thomas Henderson brought up the Craig tally while Kayden Davies and Reece Davies countered for Rothes.
Champions FC Fochabers were held by Aberlour Villa in their opener.
Play was even in the first half hour before last season’s top scorer Jordan Clark opened Fochabers’ account for the season with a tap-in.
A close-range effort by Struan Kelly got Villa back on level terms.
Villa looked the better team for long spells but needed a great save by keeper Paul Robertson to turn a Fochabers effort on to the crossbar.
With the visitors pushing for a winner, it took a good stop by home keeper Kieran Burchell to keep his team level as it finished 1-1.
There was little between the teams at Cullen where the home side welcomed Elgin visitors Thunderton to Logie Park.
Play was lacklustre in the first half and chances were limited, a difficult pitch also making it hard for both teams.
Cullen’s small glimpses of goal broke down when it mattered, while a well-organised and physical Thunderton dealt with any direct football that was thrown their way.
In the second half, the home side threatened and midway through almost made a scoring breakthrough but Scott Mair’s header came back off the bar.
After some sustained Cullen pressure and a series of corner kicks, a quick counter-attack from Thunderton saw them through for their first real glimpse on goal with 10 minutes to go. Raymond Anderson found the back of the net with a neat finish across the goalkeeper and into the far corner.
Cullen continued to push to find an equaliser, but Thunderton dug deep to secure the win.
