Two Bo’ness United goals bookended what was a typically tough derby match where good football proved scarce in a scrappy affair littered with yellow cards plus one red shown in the dying minutes of this closely fought contest.

It was five minutes in when the BUs took the lead with a good passing move, JJ Henderson prompting Fin Malcolm wide on the right and his cross was contested by Adam Masson and Ryan Porteous the latter getting the decisive touch to loop the ball over Rose keeper Cameron Binnie and into the net. Linlithgow struck back on the half hour, a long throw knocked on to the back post where Conor McKenzie headed past Musa Dibaga.

Both sides worked hard in the second half to get a winner, the closest for the Rose being a Dylan Paterson free kick shot that curled just wide. However, it was the BUs who secured the winner in ninety minutes, a Tom Grant corner bouncing around the box before Louis Kennedy pounced to side foot a deflected shot past the stranded Binnie. The Linlithgow misery was compounded in time added on when Owen Foster was shown his second yellow card of the match followed by the inevitable red.

Needless to say, the final whistle was met with great celebrations both on and off the park as the BUs once more demonstrated their ability to work until the very end. This work ethic once more reaped the reward of another three points, welcome both in terms of maintaining their third place but extra special as won against their old derby rivals.

Bo'ness: Dibaga, Stevenson, Irving, Travis, Hawkins, Henderson, Malcolm (Kennedy 61), Johnston, Dalziel (McArthur 73), Grant, Porteous (Macaulay 90). Subs (Not Used): Hamilton, Gemmell, Rutherford, SG Ruddy:

Linlithgow: Binnie, Thomson, Thom, McMullen (Ogilvie 77), Devine, McKenzie (Maguire 77), Sneddon (Paterson68), Rae (Simpson 85), Masson (Penman 85), Allan, Foster. Subs (Not Used): McDowell SG McMinn