Moray welfare football: Hopeman end Aberlour Villa hopes and set up title decider with FC Fochabers on Friday
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Hopeman are on the brink of winning the Abbeyside Moray Welfare League after two crucial wins in the past week.
The coast side ended Aberlour Villa's league hopes on Friday with a 3-2 win at Villa Park.
Then on Tuesday, Hopeman defeated bottom side Craigellachie 6-1 to go three points clear at the top with just one game to play.
Only FC Fochabers can catch the leaders now and play them in Fochabers on Friday night needing a big victory to overturn the deficit.
It was the third meeting in a week between Aberlour and Hopeman on Friday with both sides having a win apiece.
Villa needed a victory but their challenge took a jolt when defender Marc Winchester handled a Hopeman shot on his goal-line and was sent off, with Blair Tulloch firing home his first goal of the season from the spot.
Ten-man Aberlour hit back with Karl Harris levelling the scores on the stroke of half time.
Both teams had chances after the break but Aberlour struck a second goal on 65 minutes, Harris finding the bottom corner with a long range drive on 65 minutes.
Hopeman had to come up with a response and five minutes later Chris Greene fired home through a ruck of bodies to make it 2-2.
Aberlour protested for offside in the build-up to the goal and Stewart Mackie took his objections too far, receiving a straight red card for dissent to leave bis team down to nine men.
Two men down, the home side couldn't hold out as five minutes later Ross Davidson converted a low cross to restore Hopeman's lead, which they held under pressure in the closing minutes.
On the same night FC Fochabers kept their hopes alive with a 4-1 victory at RAF Lossiemouth.
Goals by John Gerrard (2), Gary Burchell and George Duncan netted for Fochabers with Connor Oxendale replying for the airmen.
There was just pride at stake when Craigellachie welcomed Cullen to Speyside on Friday.
Craigellachie had the first chance when Ewan Hills fired just past the post on the ninth minute but Cullen took the lead when they counter attacked from a Craigellachie corner and Calum Risk cut in and beat his man to score.
The home had a great chance to level when James McPherson's effort was saved and the rebound was blazed over.
Craigellachie levelled five minutes before half time, Bradley Mills' strike from outside the box finding the top corner.
Neither team threatened much in the second half but in the final minute Cullen snatched a winner when Logan Mill's effort trickled through the goalmouth and went in.
Craigellachie were back in action on Tuesday night at home to leaders Hopeman.
The visitors wasted no time in building up a lead with Connor McArthur capitalising on an error to net after three minutes, closely followed by a Chris Greene tap-in.
Simon Inglis headed home from a corner and it was 4-0 and effectively game over before half time when a quick Hopeman throw caught the home side napping and McArthur scored his second.
Ross Davidson rounded the keeper for Hopeman's fifth and a short passback by Craigellachie was seized on by Ross Elder and he cut the ball back for Craig McPherson to make it 6-0.
There was a consolation for the home side from a Ryan McConnachie penalty given when the Hopeman keeper came out to punch clear but accidentally connected with a Craigellachie player instead.
Hopeman now need to avoid defeat at Fochabers on Friday to take the title on the final day.
If Fochabers win, the league comes down to the head-to-head record between the two clubs. Hopeman beat Fochabers 5-2 in the first league meeting between the teams and drew 3-3 in the second clash, so Fochabers must win by three to force a play-off or by more than three to claim the title outright.
