After an absence of seven years Bo’ness United return to Humbug Park to play Crossgates Primrose in the South Challenge Cup. The last time was an East of Scotland League match when the BUs achieved a comprehensive win, mainly notable because of a Brian Morgan hat trick all coming from the spot. Crossgates were reduced to nine men over the piece, clearly a difficult day for the Fife side (Report). The previous season the sides met three weeks in a row, one league and two cup matches, Bo’ness narrowly winning all the three. The cup game at Humbug Park was the Alex Jack Cup where Crossgates were keen not to lose but were possibly a bit overenthusiastic with three players receiving their marching orders. Ironically, it was when Primrose were down to eight that Scott Hynd scored their only goal after a header in each half by Stuart Hunter had put the BUs two goals up. Bo’ness seemed unsure of how to play the game out, whether to hold onto what they had or press home their advantage (Report).

Crossgates Primrose play in the East of Scotland League First Division and are currently in fifth position, only three points behind leaders Lochore Welfare. On Saturday they were knocked out of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup at home to Thornton Hibs, the previous weeks drawing at Oakley United after winning at Lochgelly Albert in the league. Prior to that they won at Glenrothes in the first round of the South Challenge Cup beating Kennoway Star Hearts in the next round. Kennoway gained some revenge the week after beating Primrose in the Alex Jack Cup.

Bo’ness come into this game after their comeback Scottish Cup win against Irvine Meadow XI. Meadow were two up at half time through Andrew Gaffney and Euan Baird but goals from Kieran Mitchell and Robbie Murdoch put the game into extra time when Hamza Nimaga scored the BU winner (Report).

Given Crossgates are two tiers below this should be a straightforward win for Bo’ness but the BUs have slipped on enough banana skins in the past not to take things for granted. Bo’ness must approach this match as any other, players looking to be at their best while the BU Faithful ensure maximum support for their favourites.

18/19 - Bo’ness yet again achieved an odd goal win against Crossgates Primrose, this time the Alex Jack Cup tie at Humbug Park. Crossgates were keen not to lose this one but were possibly a bit overenthusiastic with three players receiving their marching orders. Ironically it was when Primrose were down to eight men that Scott Hynd scored their only goal after a header in each half by Stuart Hunter had put the BUs two goals up. Bo’ness seemed unsure of how to play the game out, whether to hold onto what they had or press home their advantage.

19/20 Mark McKenzie got off the mark and Ross Campbell scored the final and sixth goal. Brian Morgan made Bo’ness United history being the first player to score as hat trick of penalties. The rout started with a Graeme Nutt own goal although Crossgates did get a goal, a Scott Lawrie penalty conversion. Crossgates finished the game with only nine men Gavin Ross dismissed for two bookings and Darren Aitken shown a straight red for a two footed challenge.

John Spowart
Friday 09 October 2026

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH REPORT SEASON 2019/2020

Date – Saturday 03 August 2019

Opponents – Crossgates Primrose

Competition – Central Taxis East of Scotland League Premier Division

Crossgates 1
Lawrie 31 pen

Bo’ness United 6
(Nutt (OG) 9, McKenzie 33, Morgan 24 39 55 (all pens), Campbell 66)

Bo’ness United recorded their first win in this year’s Premier League after an emphatic victory over Crossgates Primrose. A hat-trick of penalties from midfield star Brian Morgan will take the headlines, however it was the level of performance that was the real eye opener in a must win match, following on from two stuffy draws in their opening league matches.

Mark McKenzie shook off a knock from midweek to lead the line for Bo’ness against his former side, and in the ninth minute he grabbed his first goal for Bo’ness when he race clear onto a clever Fraser Keast flick-on and despite Henderson blocking his effort, the rebound bounced kindly off the forward and fell into the net. Despite Bo’ness being the better side so far, it wasn’t one-way traffic and Andy Murphy twice denied Wilkie strikes from distance, the second save in particular looked to be a goal all the way before the big goalies’ intervention. Midway through the half United doubled their lead from the penalty spot after Keast was bundled down by Nutt as he ran onto a Murphy clearance. Brian Morgan took responsibility for the kick and although Henderson guessed the right way there was too much power in the strike and it flew into the corner. On the half hour Crossgates had a penalty of their own when Michael Gemmell handled a McAteer volley in the area and Lawrie made no mistake sending the ball confidently home. Any hopes of a comeback were crushed when Bo’ness quickly restored their two-goal advantage. Tom Grant combined well with Keast on the right and his cross was volleyed home by McKenzie for his second goal of the afternoon. Lawrie should have done better for Primrose when he was through on goal, but the forward dragged his effort well wide and straight afterwards the miss was further punished when Bo’ness were awarded their second penalty of the half. McKenzie showed great skill to nutmeg Nutt and burst through on goal, all Nutt could do was bring him down. This time Morgan blasted the ball down the middle and Bo’ness went into the interval with a three goal cushion.

Will Snowdon came close to putting the game to bed five minutes into the second half when he met a Grant corner well, however the ball flew inches past the post with Henderson stranded. The fifth goal was not long in arriving though and once again it was to come from the spot when Swan handled a Stuart Hunter header. Another easy decision for the referee and up stepped Morgan to slam the ball into the corner and complete his record-breaking treble, no player in the history of Bo’ness United had scored three from the spot in one game before. Ross Campbell grabbed his first goal of the season when he headed home substitute Ryan Stevenson’s corner high into the net and five minutes afterwards Crossgates substitute Ross saw red after picking up two really soft bookings. Crossgates were reduced to nine men when Forbes was sent off for a dangerous and unnecessary two-footed lunge on Devon Jacobs. The rest of the match was like a training game with Bo’ness dominating the nine men and Henderson twice had to show his class to keep the score down as he kept out great efforts from Stevenson and Ian Nimmo.

Bo’ness: Murphy, Jacobs, Hunter © (Syme), Campbell, Snowdon, Gemmell, Grant, Morgan (Stevenson), Nimmo, McKenzie (Mooney) and Keast. Unused: Hewitt.

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH REPORT SEASON 2018/2019
Date: 01 September 2018
Opponents: Crossgates Primrose
Competition Alex Jack Cup
Crossgates Primrose1
(Hynd 85)

Bo’ness United 2
(Hunter 40 70)

Bo’ness United completed a hat-trick of wins over Fife side Crossgates Primrose, their opponents in the last three games in different competitions, as they qualified for the quarter finals of the Alex Jack Cup.

United made three changes to the team that edged past Crossgates in their previous league game. Manager Steve Kerrigan rotated the goalkeepers as Alex Marshall came in for Andy Murphy, while Allan MacKenzie and Josh Watt replaced the injured pair of Devon Jacobs and Fraser Keast.

Bo’ness were almost ahead after only nine seconds of play when Prentice put pressure on home keeper Henderson as he came out to clear a Watt long ball, the goalkeeper struck the ball off the oncoming Bo’ness forward and the ball ricochets just past the post. The visitors were enjoying more of the ball in a scrappy first half, mainly due to the persistent niggly fouling from the home side disrupting the flow of the game. Bo’ness did have efforts at goal from Watt, MacKenzie and Ross Campbell but they all failed to trouble the goalkeeper. Crossgates captain Mark Wilkie made a fantastic goal-saving clearance to deny the waiting forwards anticipating a dangerous Watt cross from the left, but the opener was coming as the first half was drawing to a close. Graeme Nutt felled the lively Watt on the left wing and from the resultant free-kick, Stuart Hunter nodded home Brian Morgan’s cross to give United the advantage at the half time interval.

Twenty seconds into what was to be a controversial second half, Crossgates were reduced to ten men when Wilkie went in high in a challenge with Bo’ness midfielder Michael Gemmell. After lengthy treatment, Gemmell managed to play on for the rest of the half. Bo’ness looked to make the most of the extra player and MacKenzie was unlucky to see his header from a Morgan free kick cleared off the goal-line by Gavin Ross. Morgan came close to doubling the Bo’ness advantage when a Watt corner fell to him at the edge of the area, he held off his marker well but his fine curled effort drifted the wrong side of the far post. Crossgates then had a rare counter attack chance when substitute Kyle Brand raced clear of the static Bo’ness defence and played an intelligent cross to Dale Allan, fortunately for Bo’ness goalkeeper Marshall saved well low to his right at the expense of a corner-kick. Midway through the half Crossgates had another player sent off, this time Ryan McDonald fell foul of the referee when he picked up a second booking. Bo’ness took advantage of their numerical advantage two minutes afterwards when Stuart Hunter headed in his second goal of the game, confidently finding the net from a Josh Watt corner-kick. Incredibly, with fifteen minutes remaining the home side had a third player shown a red card. Douglas Swan went in heavily on Gemmell and was given his second yellow card of the game, his first coming after an off the ball kick at Morgan in the first half. Despite being reduced to eight players, Crossgates grabbed an unlikely goal back with five minutes remaining to set up a nervy finish to the game for the visitors. Will Snowdon cleared a Dale Allan effort off the goal-line and Scott Hynd reacted quickest to the loose ball, cleverly finding the net with an overhead kick.

United advance to the last eight, and with a spot in the potentially lucrative William Hill Scottish Cup next season up for grabs to the competition winner, they will be hoping for a favourable tie when the draw is announced.

Bo’ness: Marshall, Snowdon, Syme, Campbell, Hunter (El-Zubaidi), Prentice (Rintoul), Morgan (Gray), Donnelly ©, Watt, MacKenzie and Gemmell. Unused: Murphy (GK), Wright and McDonald.
Scorers: Hunter x2.

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2026/2027

Date – Saturday 03 October 2026

Competition – Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Round 1

Bo’ness United 3
(Mitchell 52, Murdoch 90+3, Nimaga 91)

Irvine Meadow XI 2
(Gaffney 2, Baird 32)

Bo’ness United staged one of their greatest comebacks in recent history when after going into the break two goals behind, they scored an equaliser in time added on before getting the winner early into extra time.

Only two minutes in Irvine Meadow were in front, Andrew Gaffney controlling with his chest before half volleying into the Bo’ness net from the edge of the box. Irvine Meadow were dominant in these early stages but Bo’ness gradually worked into the game, creating a number of chances. Robbie Murdoch had a shot blocked while Shaun Brown had two efforts, the first going narrowly wide while the other was blocked. New signing Campbell Forrest got into the act with a shot saved by Meadow keeper Joseph Wilton and ironically just after Kieran Mitchell had his effort saved Meadow went two up, Euan Baird’s shot going in just inside the far post.

Ten minutes into the second half Bo’ness pulled one back, Jordan Armstrong accepting a short free kick before stepping forward to hit a thirty yard shot off the Irvine Bar, Kieran Mitchell pouncing to score on the line. Bo’ness were now looking for an equaliser but had to be mindful at the back as Irvine Meadow were still dangerous going forward. Jordan Armstrong cleared off the line while Keir Macaulay got in the way of a fierce shot and at the other end Robbie Murdoch had an excellent shot matched by Joseph Wilton’s save.

Time was running out for Bo’ness but into injury time a low ball fizzed across the goal and Robbie Murdoch was on the spot to fire in. This brought about great celebrations both on and off the park with the referee and his assistants working hard to restore order. Into extra time and almost right away Bo’ness scored as Hamza Nimaga flicked Jamie Allan’s low cross in at the near post. Bo’ness now had the bit between their teeth and while again being wary at the back had opportunities to seal the win. Kieran Mitchell had a one to one on the keeper but his shot went wide and Hamza Nimaga saw his lob just clear the top of the bar. Irvine Meadow never gave up but the plaudits were all for the home team as Bo’ness United celebrated an impressive victory.

As bad as last weekend was all credit must be given to the management and players with a positive response sending the BU faithful home looking forward to the draw for the next round.

Bo’ness United: 1 Allan Fleming 2 Dan Irving (Allan 65) 3 Keir Macaulay (Capt) (Hodge 82)
4 Jordan Armstrong 5 Joe Cassidy 6 Roan Fitzpatrick (Binnie 46)7 Robbie Murdoch (Masson 117)
8 Campbell Forrest (Nimaga 82) 10 Tom Grant 11 Shaun Brown
16 Kieran Mitchell (Mylchreest 120)

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