This weekend Bo’ness United host Dunipace in their first visit to meet the BUs in just over eight years. That was the first season of the BU East of Scotland League venture, the teams divided into conferences to determine the league tables for the following season. The BUs won with a solitary second half goal scored by Joshua Watt (Report). The win, as narrow as it was contributed to Bo’ness succeeding in being placed in the Premier Division. Dunipace ended up in a lower division but have persevered over the years and have finally achieved a place in the Lowland League.

Dunipace are currently bottom of the table though are only two points behind Berwick Rangers and University of Stirling having played three games less. They exited the Scottish Cup at the hands of Largs Thistle but maintain an interest in the South Challenge Cup where they are due to visit Blackburn United. They are also still in the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup drawn to host Dunbar United.

Bo’ness United did not enjoy a good day at Tranent last weekend going two goals behind just before half time only to see Jordan Armstrong red carded shortly after the turnaround. After losing a third, a Murray Binnie strike gave the BUs some hope but a quick fourth with number five shortly before the end completed a miserable afternoon for the players and fans alike (Report).

Given Dunipace have only accumulated four points over the season so far some might think this should be a straightforward win for the BUs. Nothing could be further from the truth as Dunipace are keen to climb off the bottom of the table and will come determined to get a result. After the defeat at Tranent Bo’ness want to enjoy a more positive Saturday and the players will be up for the match to make up for last week’s disappointment. The BU Faithful will be looking for the same hoping for a winning weekend.

John Spowart
Friday 16 October 2026

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH REPORT SEASON 2018/2019

Date – Saturday 08 September 2018

Competition – Central Taxis East of Scotland League Conference B

Venue – Newtown Park

Bo’ness United 1
(Watt 71)

Dunipace 0

Bo’ness United extended their winning run to eight matches after Steve Kerrigan’s injury ravaged team overcame the challenge of a decent Dunipace side at Newtown Park. Despite the two towns being fairly local to each other, it was the first competitive meeting between the sides for around seventy-three years. This is mainly due to Dunipace playing in the West Region of the Juniors, while Bo’ness were competing in the East Region.

There were two changes to the United side who defeated Crossgates in their previous outing. Again, Andy Murphy came in for Alex Marshall between the sticks as the goalkeeper rotation continues and Josh McDonald came into the midfield, replacing Nicky Prentice in the starting line-up. There was also the possibility of two brothers coming up against each other with Gary Wright starting for the visitors, and sibling Marty taking a place on the Bo’ness bench.
The first half was a cagey affair with little in the way of clear cut chances for either side. The visitors held onto the ball well, and showed good movement going forward but there was a lack of quality in the final third. The closest Bo’ness came to threatening the Dunipace goal was through set-pieces. Josh Watt headed a dangerous Iain Syme cross wide midway through the half and captain Chris Donnelly was a tad unlucky to see his header from a fierce Brian Morgan delivery just clear the crossbar.

Into the second half and the visitors forced the first save of the match by either goalkeeper in the fifty-third minute. Winger Barry Tulloch cut inside from the right wing, but Murphy dealt comfortably with the strike. This seemed to spur Bo’ness and they enjoyed a good period of possession and created a few half chances. Ross Campbell found the net, but unfortunately for the big defender he was in an offside position when he swept home a wayward McDonald effort. The best chance of the game so far followed on the hour mark and it fell to the home side. Watt held the ball up well on the right touchline and fed Snowdon, who put in an excellent cross to find Morgan unmarked. Unusually for Morgan he failed to find the target and the game remained goalless. Bo’ness introduced a Trialist to the match, replacing McDonald, and the change almost paid off instantly for Bo’ness. The youngster picked up a loose ball on the edge of the penalty area and sent in a superb drive which only missed the target by centimetres. Morgan came close from twenty-five yards, and Donnelly was inches away from converting an inviting Syme cross before the deadlock was finally broken in the seventy-first minute. Will Snowdon showed a bit of quality with a cross to the far post which found Watt in the right place at the right time, and the former Clydebank man sent his effort low past David Kane to hand United a lead they would never give up. Syme and Watt both failed to get on the end of another teasing Snowdon cross and despite forcing a series of corners, United couldn’t increase their advantage and had to settle in the end for a one goal victory.

The unbeaten start to the league campaign continues and Bo’ness find themselves in third place in the East of Scotland Conference B after winning their opening three fixtures. The Newtown Park side also have games in hand over the top two teams, and although there will be sterner tests to come for Kerrigan’s side, they will be confident of challenging for the title.

Bo’ness: Murphy, Snowdon, Campbell, Hunter, Syme, Gemmell, McDonald (Trialist), Morgan, Watt, Donnelly © and MacKenzie. Unused: Marshall, Rintoul and Wright.

Kevin McAlpine

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2026/2027

Date – Saturday 31 October 2026

Competition – Lowland League

Tranent 5
(McMurdo 40 58, Girdwood 44, Bauld 76, Murray 82)

Bo’ness United 1
(Binnie 74)

It proved a difficult day for Bo’ness United as after a competitive forty minutes all went wrong and the BUs suffered a heavy defeat. The first half was end to end without too many chances, Jackson Mylchreest firing over for Bo’ness while at the other end BU keeper Allan Fleming tipped over from a Guy McGarry shot. However, with five minutes of the half remaining the BUs conceded twice, a good Jamie McMurdo angled shot finding the net just inside the post while Harry Girdwood was allowed to run through, slipping past the exposed Bo’ness keeper.

Two minutes into the second half things got worse for Bo’ness when Jordan Armstrong was shown a red card, the referee deeming he had stopped an obvious goal scoring opportunity. With just over thirty minutes remaining Jamie McMurdo made it three for Tranent with a low shot into the net though with fifteen to go Bo’ness pulled one back with a persistent Murray Binnie run finishing with a low shot past Kelbie Mason in the Tranent. Unfortunately, any hopes of a comeback were short lived when Euan Bauld fired in at the back post though it looked as if the big defender had given Campbell Forrest a shove just before the ball came to him. Eight minutes before time Tranent sealed their win as the BU defence gave the ball away and Ryan Murray pounced to shoot home inside the box.

A bad day at the office for Bo’ness who must now dust themselves down and be ready for a challenging November set of fixtures.

Bo’ness United: 1 Allan Fleming 2 Jamie Allan 3 Shaun Brown 4 Jordan Armstrong
5 Keir Macaulay (Capt) 6 Jack Hodge 7 Robbie Murdoch (Masson 64) 8 Campbell Forrest
9 Jackson Mylchreest (Nimaga 57) 10 Roan Fitzpatrick (Binnie 57) 16 Kieran Mitchell (Grant 57)

Subs: 11 Hamza Nimaga 12 Murray Binnie 14 Tom Grant 15 Kyle Coulter (Not Used)
17 Dan Irving (Not Used), 18 Adam Masson SG Scott Ritchie (Not Used)

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