RAF Lossiemouth and Hopeman are early pace setters in Moray welfare football league after big wins at Craigellachie and Portsoy
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Two teams have made an impressive start to the Moray welfare league season.
RAF Lossiemouth recorded an 8-1 win at Craigellachie on Friday night to add to their 4-0 success over Aberlour Villa on the opening day.
And Hopeman made it back-to-back 7-2 victories, proving too strong for hosts Portsoy on Friday in the same way they did for Rothes A on day one.
The Lossie airmen made a flying start to their Speyside visit to Craigellachie, Callum Devine latching on to a through ball to net in the first minute.
The home side quickly levelled through Aaron O'Hara on five minutes but that was as good as it got for Craigellachie, who were soon overwhelmed by their opponents' firepower.
Devine almost immediately added his second and Cammy Newton made it 3-1 on ten minutes.
Dean Stevenson made it 4-1 on 27 minutes and RAF Lossie added a fifth before half time through an own goal.
Stevenson got his own second midway through the second half, Rhys Blackwood added number seven for the service side and Ryan Woods completed the scoring just before full-time.
Read more: Moray welfare opening day round-up.
Portsoy had started with a 5-0 success over Lhanbryde United but met their own match in a strong Hopeman side.
A hat-trick from James McLaren took his tally for the season to five. His brother Kris was also on the scoresheet along with Jamie Lees, Gary Burr and Aaron Main to push the visitors seven goals clear before Portsoy rallied to score consolation goals through Vinnie Ingleby and a Lewis Edward penalty.
Champions FC Fochabers slipped up at home to new boys Thunderton, who earned their first point in a 1-1 draw.
A firm finish from Allan McPherson had the Elgin side ahead at the break.
Fochabers levelled through Andrew Walker's second half penalty as a scrappy contest finished all square.
Lhanbryde earned their first win since returning to welfare football in a thrilling match at home to Rothes A.
Striker Jordi Mackie put the home side ahead before Andrew McBean levelled for the Speysiders.
Mackie then netted his second almost straight from the restart, giving United a 2-1 half time lead.
Back came Rothes to level through Tiago da Silva, but on 70 minutes Lhanbryde sub Ryan Ritchie netted a looping header with his first touch to restore the home lead.
The battling qualities of the away side was never in doubt and they levelled for a third time when Tommy Barclay scored at the back post.
With five minutes to go, a through ball was missed by the Rothes goalkeeper and Dylan Stevenson was given the simplest task of sliding the ball into the empty net to win it for Lhanbryde.
Aberlour got their first win of the season in a tight match against Cullen.
Villa had been well beaten by RAF Lossie on day one while Cullen defeated Thunderton 4-2 to get off to a winning start.
Goalkeepers were on top in the first half with Aberlour's Paul Robertson and Cullen counterpart Cameron Bruce being called into action on numerous occasions.
The closest to a first half goal came when Cullen had an effort cleared off the line.
The visitors then had a flurry of scoring opportunities at the start of the second half but couldn't take any of them.
Aberlour took advantage with what proved to be the only goal of the game through Gary Morrison on 54 minutes.
Villa dominated possession after that but Cullen had some good chances to level, Robertson making a fine save late on to deny the coast team a point.
The Mike Simpson Memorial Trophy gets under way tomorrow night with two preliminary round ties while three league fixtures are also played.
Tuesday's fixtures (7.30pm kick-offs)
Mike Simpson Memorial Trophy
FC Fochabers v Aberlour Villa
RAF Lossiemouth v Thunderton
Moray welfare league
Cullen v Lhanbryde United
Hopeman v Craigellachie
Rothes A v Portsoy
