FORTUNA kept its Gippsland Soccer League championship hopes alive when it held off a fast finishing Moe United to win 3-2 on Sunday.
Cameron Dunne gave Fortuna the lead at the 38 minute mark and it remained 1-0 at half time.
Another goal to Dunne at 57 minutes made it 2-0 and when Dunne slotted his third goal of the match at the 78 minute mark it looked all over.
Moe rallied late with two goals to Ben Schembri and Jake Heusmann at the 86th and 88th minutes.
In a tense final few minutes the Orangemen held off a revitalised Moe to win 3-2 but they are still five points behind Churchill United.
Moe's hopes of winning the championship are over and it now trails the leaders by seven points.
Rams survive onslaught
CHURCHILL United fought back from a one goal deficit to convincingly defeat Newborough-Yallourn 4-1.
On a rain sodden pitch, highlights of the frenetic opening exchanges were an Andy McCurdy diving header which found the goal upright and a fantastic reflex save from 15 year-old Bulldog keeper Justin Mathison after a Paul Riess pile driver.
Just when it appeared to be a matter of time before the Rams scored, new Combine player Heath Sedgwick coolly finished in a congested box to hand the Bulldogs the lead after just seven minutes.
Newborough/Yallourn's defensive tactics frustrated Churchill before McCurdy and Taylor Jackson scored in the 27th and 32nd minutes respectively.
The game was on at half time with the Rams holding a 2-1 lead.
Early in the second period Churchill captain Jamie Robson made it 3-1 when he finished from another goal mouth scramble.
Just four minutes later the game was over when Paul Riess finished with a free kick from outside the box as the Bulldogs attempted to organise their defensive wall.
The goal stood and Bulldogs players were incensed resulting in defensive midfielder Peter Illic being sent from the field for dissent.
To the Bulldogs' credit they managed to hold the score to 4-1 with 10 men on the field for the remaining half hour of play.
This weekend Churchill faces third placed Moe in a preview to the Battle of Britain Cup semi final.
Other matches: Sale United 1 lt Falcons 5, Traralgon City 2 d Drouin Dragons 0, Monash 1 lt Traralgon Olympians 3.
Ladder: Churchill United 36, Fortuna 31, Moe United 29, Traralgon Olympians 27, Traralgon City 19, Newborough Yallourn 18, Monash 13, Falcons 9, Drouin Dragons, Sale United 1.
This weekend: Drouin Dragons V Sale United, Traralgon Olympians V Traralgon City, Newborough Yallourn V Monash, Fortuna V Falcons, Churchill United V Moe United
Reserves
SALE United 3 lt Falcons 4, Traralgon City 3 d Drouin Dragons 1, Monash 0 lt Traralgon Olympians 7, Newborough Yallourn 0 lt Churchill United 1, Moe 0 lt Fortuna 1.
Ladder: Fortuna 36, Moe United 32, Churchill United 31, Falcons 24, Traralgon Olympians 19, Newborough Yallourn 18, Monash 10, Sale United, Traralgon City 9, Drouin Dragons 0.
Second division east
SALE (1) 0 lt Fortuna 4, Traralgon City 6 d Churchill East 2, Tyers Gold 10 d Traralgon Olympians 0.
Ladder: Fortuna 36, Traralgon City 27, Tyers Gold 23, Falcons 20, Sale (1) 16, Churchill East 13, Traralgon Olympians 12, Sale (2) 1.
Second division west
MONASH 0 lt Churchill West 3, Warragul United 16 d Newborough Yallourn 0, Moe United 2 dw Trafalgar 2.
Ladder: Trafalgar 35, Warragul United 29, Moe United 27, Churchill West 22, Monash 18, Tyers Green, Newborough Yallourn 4, Drouin Dragons 3.
Women's league
FALCONS 0 lt Monash 8, Sale White 1 lt Traralgon City 4, Sale Green 3 d Churchill United 0.
Ladder: Monash 36, Sale Green 24, Churchill United 24, Traralgon City 9, Falcons 3, Sale White 3.
Girls
CHURCHILL White dw Falcons 1, Churchill Silver 0 lt Churchill Black 3.
Ladder: Churchill Black 21, Falcons 21, Churchill White 13, Churchill Silver 13.
Juniors move to fifth
GIPPSLAND'S Under 12A team defeated Bentleigh Greens 2-1 and moved to fifth spot on the ladder.
In cold wet conditions Gippsland played an attacking game hitting the Bentleigh defence hard and fast, with Bryson Tanti (Churchill) scoring in the first minute of the game and Dean Nichols (Sale) following up close to half time.
This Sunday Gippsland plays Hampton Park at Latrobe City Stadium at 10am.
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