Moray welfare title decider tonight as leading pair Buckie United and Hopeman take season to the wire
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BUCKIE United are pushing champions Hopeman all the way in the battle for the Moray welfare league crown.
United ended RAF Lossiemouth's lingering hopes with a 2-1 victory at the air base on Friday night.
The victory pulled Buckie level on points with Hopeman, who they play at Portgordon tonight.
A win for either of the title chasers would clinch the championship on their head-to-head record, as the previous meeting between the sides ended in a draw.
Should Buckie and Hopeman draw again, the league would go on to the final match day of the season on Friday with each club hoping the other slips up points.
A Nikki Soutar header from a corner gave Buckie the lead at RAF Lossie before Declan Smith levelled for the service side.
Top scorer Paul Mellon struck United's winner for the second game running to keep them firmly in the hunt.
In the other top half match on Friday, Lossie Youths completed a league double over Aberlour Villa by coming from 2-0 down to win 5-1.
Own Alexander rounded the keeper to put Villa ahead on seven minutes and within a minute Gavin Cameron's powerful effort added to the home side's advantage.
Youths hit back with a Connor Mitchell goal to trail 2-1 at the break.
That sparked a comeback with Aiden MacKay scoring three times for the visitors and a further effort by Callum Carr wrapping up the points.
FC Fochabers lead the bottom half but had to dig deep for a 3-2 win at Tomintoul, who they beat 13-0 earlier in the season.
Orford edged Fochabers in front after an even start but 'Toul equalised when Darren Irvine rocketed a free-kick into the top corner.
Irvine then netted his second with a neat finish into the bottom corner, giving Tomintoul a half time lead.
The second half was end-to-end stuff and it wasn't until the later stages when Fochabers regained their scoring touch as Orford netted twice in quick succession to complete his hat-trick and nick the full points for the away team.
Elgin Golden Oldies' search for a first point goes on as they were beaten 5-0 at home to Portsoy.
Steven Jamieson tapped in 'Soy's opener following a swift counter-attack on 19 minutes and Corbyn Wilson lobbed keeper Stuart Whyte to add a second on 25 minutes.
EGOs as always put up a strong battle but couldn't convert a succession of chances and were made to pay the penalty when Wilson granned his second midway through the second half.
Late on Michael Gauld scored the visitors' fourth and Wilson completed his hat-trick.
