Bo'ness United 2-1 Crossgates Primrose

Match report kindly provided by BRYAN COPELAND.

Match Report
EOS Conference B
Bo’ness United v Crossgates
Wednesday 17/04/2019 KO 18:45
Carmuirs Park, Camelon

After continuing his unbeaten run as Gaffer by winning against undefeated all season EOS Champions Bonnyrigg Rose at New Dundas Park the Max Christie revolution rolls on to another league home game in our home away from home. This time it’s Crossgates that are the visitors and with the top 5 slot already secured for next season u would be mistaken to think that this is a meaningless game as there are also 2 cups still to play for and the manager I’m sure will be looking to keep the unbeaten record in tact as well as keep confidence up among the squad.
On a good night for football the match still had to kick off at 18:45 which wouldn’t be ideal for a lot of people but it was still well attended as BU games always are.

Into the match then and an early chance for the home side with a good ball forward and delivery into the box but the ball just wouldn’t drop for a decent strike. Minutes later a free kick for the BU was swung into the box and as it came down inside the 6 yard area the visiting defence managed to scramble it clear. Ironically however the home side having had the best of the early minutes found themselves behind with 7 minutes played. A ball forward came to the edge of the box and a shot was blocked but it bounced straight into the path of an oncoming Crossgates player who hit the ball into the net. BU 0 - 1 Crossgates. For the next 10 minutes the game become a mid field kick about with both sides enjoying possession but no danger coming anywhere near any of the 2 penalty boxes. It looked like the visitors were back in it as a ball forwards towards Wright saw him chase it towards the box, the costing keeper rushed out but Wright got there 1st and nodded the ball over the keepers head, it bounced and looked to heading into the net only for the home defence to clear it off the line. The visitors then had another chance as Murphy was reaching up to make sure a shot was going over the bar. This was followed by a quick passing break forward from the BU bit unfortunately there was no end shot on goal this time. The passing at times from the BU was at best very lack lustre and poor other than a pinpoint ball from midfield through to Marty Wright 5 minutes from half time Prentice over lapped and was screaming for the pass but Wright turned back into his other foot and hit a shot wide of the costing keepers right hand post. With only a couple of corners from the home side to report before half time the half ended
BU 0 - 1 Crossgates.

Into the 2nd half and with no early personnel changes the half took on pretty much the same vein as the 1st. 7 minutes in however and an equaliser came for the home side. A cross into the box found Hunter who headed towards goal only for the keeper to palm the ball away as it came down into the sea of bodies it was returned and sent into the net. Goal scorer was hard to tell due to all the bodies I though initially Marty Wright however some credited the final touch to Nicky Prentice either way the match was honours even at 1-1. The visitors broke forward again and Murphy done well to stop the ball low down. As the ball was cleared Campbell was caught in a collision meaning he had to receive treatment for what looked like a burst lip leaving the BU playing with 10 men temporarily. It was still the home side that had the best of the game now however and a good break forward saw another shot directed towards the costing keeper. Campbell came back on and looked to be fine and as the home side broke forward they were looking dangerous. The ball into the box found Syme and he finished it past the costing keeper to turn the match around and make it BU 2 - 1 Crossgates. A sub from BU manager Max Christie was McDonald go off for Fraser Keast. The visitors were on the way forward again and a ball in the box deflected and could have gone anywhere, thankfully for the BU it went for a corner. In cams the corner and it was well headed clear by Hunter at the back for the BU. The 2nd change for the BU was made with 14 minutes tensing as Prentice was replaced by McKenzie. 10 minutes to go and Keast took the ball out wide on the right, he got to the by line and crossed it but it was too deep and missed everyone, Syme picked it up wide left however and laid it off to Stevenson his attempted Shot turned out to be a cross and Marty Wright deflected the ball totally the other way sending the keeper scrambling over his goal, he done really well making a brilliant save to send the ball for a corner. Action then went to the other end again and corner for the visitors swung in, Murphy punched the ball well clear of danger before the return ball rolled out for a goal kick. Another ball into the BU box was again easily and well dealt with by Andy Murphy as he clutched the ball from the air with now only minutes remaining. The home side pushed forward again and a cross in from the right was dealt with by the visiting keeper low to his left. A challenge on half way put a bit of a dampener on the visitors as Mckenzie was given a straight red for what never looked a red a booking at worst would have been fair. BU manager Christie responded trying to shore things up as Michael Gemmil replaced Marty Wright. The visitors got forward and won a corner that never was in what was now a frantic end to the game. A shot came in an went wide with no one touching it but the corner was awarded. It was swung in and well cleared for another by Murphy in the BU goal. Now well over the 90 minutes the next corner came in and huge appeals went up from the visitors for hand ball the referee correctly waved them away as the ball never touched any hand. A throw in on the far side was awarded which resulted in another corner. In it came and Murphy palmed it away a shot came in and was cleared bu Hunter as the referee finally blew for full time.
BU 2 - 1 Crossgates.