Moray welfare football: Hopeman edge out Aberlour Villa and RAF Lossiemouth thump Craigellachie to march into Mike Simpson Memorial Trophy semi-finals
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THE two early front runners in the Moray welfare league met on cup business last Friday.
Leaders Hopeman hosted Aberlour Villa and maintained their good start with a narrow 2-1 victory.
Hopeman keeper Ryan Brindle tipped over an early David Blackhall effort, but within a minute Blackhall put Villa in front from a Stewart Mackie corner.
Aberlour dominated the early stages and Greig Donald forced another good save from Brindle, while the pressure continued with one Villa effort striking the bar and another being cleared off the line by Chris Cooper.
On ten minutes the home side levelled when Ryan Fiske chipped the ball through for Chris Greene who beat the offside trap and fired home.
Hopeman youngster Logan MacKenzie had an effort cleared off the line from a Fiske feed, and the clubs went in at the break all square.
At the start of the second half, Aberlour keeper Paul Robertson pulled off a fine double save to deny Scott Harrison and Jack Ure.
From the resulting corner, Greene got a touch on Ure's kick to send it over Robertson for his second goal of the night to edge Hopeman in front.
Greene then fired wide from a tight angle and saw another attempt to gran his hat-trick deflected past.
Villa chased an equaliser and Craig Watt headed just over while Robertson made another stop from Iain Lunan's looping header was saved by Robertson.
The closest Aberlour came to pulling the game level arrived seven minutes from time when Luke Gordon's free kick was turned on to the bar by Brindle, who then kept out Barry Grant's rebound strike.
Watt headed just wide deep into stoppage time as Hopeman held on to seize their place in the last four.
They were joined by RAF Lossiemouth, who won the night's other tie in convincing fashion against league new boys Craigellachie.
The airmen started the game on the front foot and were soon ahead when Harry Williams slipped Logan Buick through for a well-taken goal.
Buick then finished off a good move for his second goal three minutes later, converting a through ball by Dan Rawlinson.
On the half hour mark James Johnston made it 3-0 with a beautiful finish into the top corner, with Rawlinson adding a fourth following good play by Buick ten minutes later.
Buick was again the provider, setting up an easy chance for Rhys Blackwood to tap in.
Craigellachie's horror first half still wasn't over as there was time for Danny Finlay to round the keeper and make it 6-0.
The beleaguered visitors regrouped in the second half and put in a much-improved display but still couldn't find a way through the Lossie defence.
The airmen had Henry Jordan sent off for an off-the-ball kick at an opponent, and the game deteriorated in quality along with the weather as heavy rain lashed down.
Lossie managed just one more goal near the end, Johnston's corner kick picking out Blackwood to force in his second goal.
Hopeman will be at home to RAF Lossie in the semi-finals with FC Fochabers hosting Cullen in the other tie, both scheduled for July 29.
