Aviemore Thistle tighten grip on Strathspey & Badenoch Welfare League shield
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The downpours threw a large question mark over Tuesday’s SBWFA week seven fixtures but fortunately all the games managed to get played despite the conditions.
Aviemore Thistle are now within touching distance of winning the shield after a a thrilling encounter with Cromdale.
Cromdale 4-5 Aviemore Thistle
Despite the heavy underfoot conditions both sides served up a cracking 90 minutes for the hardy band of spectators.
Aviemore went ahead after 20 minutes when Scott Macdonald found space 25 yards out and hit a curling effort with the outside of his left foot into the top right corner.
A second goal came 10 minutes later when the ball was played through by Darren McConnell to Wayne Cathcart, and he was the victor in a one-on-one with stand-in keeper Kiff Muldoon.
And with the first half drawing to a close Cathcart turned provider as he fed through David Ross whose low drive found the bottom corner to put the Jags three up at the interval.
But as the season has shown already, there has been no shortage of comeback excitement.
Cromdale started the second half a more determined side and it took a mere three minutes for them to get back into the game when they were awarded a penalty for a trip in the box.
Up stepped the ever-reliable Graham Murray to pull one back.
Aviemore made a few enforced changes, and it was one of those who made an immediate impact. A well weighted ball from David Ross allowed sub Craig McLeod to slot past the keeper to restore Thistle’s three goal cushion.
But Cromdale were undaunted and pulled another one back when a long ball failed to be cleared by the Jags’ defence and this allowed Murray through to drive past keeper Vastano.
McLeod got on the score sheet again when Macdonald crossed a low ball into the box for McLeod to drill home from close range.
Once more though Cromdale piled the pressure on in the dying minutes and scored two good goals through Declan Sellars. His first being a deflected effort from 25 yards, and the other a majestically curled free kick.
Dale hit the woodwork a couple of times but could not find the equaliser.
Boat of Garten Ospreys 14-0 Grantown Rovers
Reigning champions Boat of Garten have seen the title slip from their hands but they showed no mercy to luckless Grantown.
The first goal came after five minutes when a pass from Fraser Greenlees was finished into the bottom corner by Scott Farquhar.
Farquhar grabbed his second minutes later this time latching onto a through ball from Seoras Alliod to convert from a tight angle.
Martin Ross and Alliod then combined to supply Matt Reynolds to knock in number three. And it was 4-0 just after the half hour mark as a shot from Kalen Clark rebounded off the bar where Reynolds was waiting to find the empty goal.
Greenlees delivered a superb first-time finish from 18 yards for number five. And Ross and Alliod were involved once again, with the former supplying the latter down the line which Alliod collected and drove towards goal before powering home.
Shortly after the restart Andrew Stewart played a through ball to Harley Macfarlane, and he expertly rounded the keeper to net goal number seven, with Farquhar bagging his own brace shortly after.
Macfarlane turned provider for the Osprey’ next goal as his squared ball was finished well by Alliod. Farquhar bagged his hat-trick after the hour as he collected an Alliod pass from the edge of the box to delver an outrageous finish into the bottom corner to but Boat into double figures.
Macfarlane was on the score sheet again on 75 minutes, converting a cross into the bottom corner, before turning provider for Reynolds to convert number 12.
Farquhar added another to the score sheet on 80 minutes, showing great composure before adding his fourth.
The rout was completed late on when Connor Macleod cut inside and unleashed a shot from the edge of the box into the top corner.
Badenoch Utd 2-3 FC Abernethy
Badenoch started well, and in the first few minutes Abernethy keeper Calum Guy had to be quick off his line to thwart an early effort. Soon after Jules Orsi fired just over after good work by Richard Villegas.
But on 15 minutes United took the lead when Svend Pederson capitalised on a defensive blunder to squeeze the ball just inside the post. However, Abernethy equalised on 36 minutes after pressure from Ben Buckler led to a mix up in the Badenoch defence allowing Alex Starace to curl home a lovely finish.
At the start of the second half, Guy was immediately called into action again, brilliantly tipping a vicious shot onto the bar.
Soon after, Abernethy took the lead again when a cross from Orsi on the left found its way to Abernethy leading goal scorer Buckler who slammed home from a tight angle. Abernethy kept pushing with Kenny Rogan everywhere in midfield, driving his team on. Orsi went close on a couple of occasions, including a long range shot that just fizzed past the far post.
With the game not put to bed, Badenoch always had a chance to get something and got their reward with a second goal from Pederson in the last minute to draw level.
However, the drama didn’t end there. From the Abernethy kick-off and with seconds remaining on the clock, welfare legend Rob Stewart stepped up and lobbed the Badenoch keeper for the winner.
