Match Preview

Match Preview 2018 2019

Crossgates Primrose, Central Taxis East of Scotland League Conference B, Carmuirs Park, Wednesday 17 April 2019

Bo’ness United continued their unbeaten run with an impressive victory at Bonnyrigg Rose, the Conference B Champions’ first League defeat this season. The BUs were better all over the park and although there was talk about tiredness from some at Bonnyrigg due to playing so many games in a short space of time, the BUs went into this match having played two cup ties over the week, both going to extra time and one only completed after a penalty kick shootout.

Having failed to compete in the last two visits to New Dundas Park Bo’ness more than made up for it as Brian Morgan and Stuart Hunter had them two ahead at half time. After the break Bonnyrigg were reduced to ten men when Jonathan Brown received his second yellow card of the game but Keith Lough pulled one back for them ten minutes from time. However Marty Wright came on just before the end and he made sure of the BU win with goal number nineteen for the season.

That win restored Bo’ness to second top spot in the table and they plan to stay there although Crossgates Primrose will have other ideas when they visit Carmuirs Park on Wednesday night. Primrose have failed to beat Bo’ness in their previous three meetings this season but have a more significant reason to want a win. They came into this League as rank outsiders but have got to the position where Top league football next season could be theirs. They have three games left to secure a coveted top five place and are in a good position to achieve this.

It was three Saturday’s in a row in the early part of the season the sides met all games proving tight affairs. The first, a Football Nation Cup tie at Newtown Park was only settled in extra time thanks to the only goal of the games scored by Fraser Keast. The following week at Humbug Park Bo’ness won by the odd goal in three in a league match, a score in each half from Will Snowdon and Brian Morgan before Lyall Shaw pulled one back to provide a tense end to the game. The final meeting, again at Humbug Park was in the Alex Jack Cup where with ten minutes remaining Bo’ness looked comfortable being two goals ahead thanks to a Stuart Hunter double, and Crossgates reduced to eight men, Mark Wilkie, Ryan McDonald and Douglas Swan all having received their marching orders. Scott Hynd thought otherwise pulling a goal back and came close to getting an equaliser as Bo’ness panicked but managed to hold on to scrape through in the end.

Crossgates won comprehensively at Haddington on Saturday and come into the game confident and determined to get a result. In saying that they are up against a Bo’ness team that has developed some steel over the last weeks with a management team who are constantly pushing the players on.

This has the potential to be a good exciting game and is certainly going to be very competitive. The Bo’ness players are looking for something to tip the balance in their favour and that could just be the noisy BU Faithful making the short trip to Carmuirs Park in Camelon to do their bit and help the team to continue Bo’ness’s good run of form.

John Spowart
15 April 2019