PICTURES: Hopeman score injury time penalty to deny Buckie United title glory in Moray welfare league and keep season going to final match
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MORAY welfare football's title decider went undecided thanks to a last-gasp Hopeman penalty equaliser in a dramatic match at Portgordon on Tuesday night.
In a winner-takes-all match, Buckie United looked on course to steal champions Hopeman's crown when they stormed into a 2-0 lead.
However, the champs bounced back from a miss penalty to score, then convert a second spot kick award deep into stoppage time to deny their opponents the league trophy.
Buckie and Hopeman remain ties on points with one game still to play, and cannot be separated by their head-to-head record as both meetings between the sides finished 2-2.
Should Buckie win at Lossie Youths tomorrow night and Hopeman do likewise at RAF Lossiemouth, the league will go to a third meeting between the top two in a title play-off to decide the destiny of the silverware.
Home side Buckie settled into Tuesday's contest better and went in front after ten minutes, top scorer Paul Mellon finishing well at the back post from a Darren Thain cross.
Hopeman were in trouble ten minutes later when their goalkeeper Glen Fraser made a good save but was unable to stop Mellon from netting the loose ball from a tight angle.
Both sides had chances before half time with Buckie keeper Ryan Brindle saving well from Gary Burr's bouncing header, while Fraser did brilliantly to keep out Russell McLaughlin's volley at the other end.
A big turning point came at half time when Hopeman brought youngster Connel Gresham on as substitute.
Midway through the second half, Gresham broke into the box and forced a Buckie foul for a penalty which he took himself, only to see his effort rattle back off the bar.
Hopeman badly needed a lifeline and they got one on 70 minutes when Gresham burst into the area again and was able to prod the ball past Brindle into the net, with the referee eventually awarding the goal despite Buckie pleas for a foul.
Buckie chased a third to kill the game off but Fraser pulled off some fine saves to keep his team in it.
It stayed 2-1 until with 30 seconds left of injury time, Hopeman attacked and Farquhar beat several defenders before being fouled in the box for a second away penalty.
This time Graeme Ingram stepped up to take the kick and sent Brindle the wrong way to loosen Buckie's grip on the league trophy right at the death.
RAF Lossiemouth and Aberlour Villa fought out an entertaining 3-3 draw at the air base.
A poor header from the central midfield gave Aberlour the chance to put the ball wide for a cross for a spectacular bicycle kick finish from Stuart Simpson for the opening goal.
Dean McKellar levelled for Lossie with a driving run past the centre back before firing home.
The service side took the lead for the first time, Sean Jennings on hand to net after an Alex Poulter attempt rebounded into his path.
Back came Villa and Jack Craib equalised, before the airmen had Richie Harris sent off for a two-footed challenge.
Home claims for offside were waved aside, allowing Darren Mitchell to advance and shoot Aberlour back in the lead.
However the ten men rallied and Jennings spotted the Villa keeper off his line and lobbed him at the far post for his second goal of the night and a point for his team.
Cullen and FC Fochabers will go head-to-head for the First Division title contested by the bottom five clubs after the split.
Both teams had comfortable wins on Tuesday and meet tomorrow night at Cullen, with the home side needing a win for the trophy while Fochabers require just a point.
Cullen hosted Tomintoul and won an early penalty when Kieran Ferguson was upended and Scott Mair scored from the spot.
After half an hour, Logan Macaulay Mill showing good composure to beat a couple of defenders and lob the goalkeeper from the edge of the box.
Cullen came out the traps flying in the second half, with Iain Mair picking out Ferguson with a through pass, which he finished well for his 11th of the season to make it 3-0.
Ferguson was involved again soon after, setting up a goal for youngster Elliott Findlay, before Sam Mair linked up well with Mill before going through to complete the scoring in a 5-0 Cullen win.
Home keeper Paul Coull had only one notable save to make all game while Cullen had numerous chances, with substitutes Taylor Smith and Jay Flett coming closest.
Fochabers proved too strong for hosts Elgin Golden Oldies at Pinefield.
John Gerrard scored after ten minutes for the visitors and although EGOs enjoyed a good spell they fell further behind when Sean Petrie went one-on-one with keeper Stuart Whyte and slotted home.
Kieran Ingram drove forward unchallenged from halfway to add a third and Petrie tapped in his second on 40 minutes.
With home heads down, Fochabers added another before half time through Andrew Walker's 18-yard strike.
Elgin Golden Oldies had to replace injured keeper Whyte with Stephen Ramsay in goal.
A foul by Scott Robertson gave Fochabers a second half penalty which Warren Orford converted for 6-0 on 50 minutes.
EGOs stayed firm and competed well for the remainder of the half, conceding one more when Stuart Harrold broke through for a seventh late on.
