Match Preview

Match Preview 2018 2019

Tranent Juniors, League Cup Round 2, Foresters Park, Tuesday 30 April 2019

With the East of Scotland League Conference B campaign satisfactorily completed Bo’ness United can now fully focus on trying to win silverware in the two cup competitions they have an interest in. That mission starts on Tuesday night with yet another visit to Foresters Park to play Tranent Juniors, this time in the League Cup.

This is the fifth meeting between the sides this season and it’s honours even so far with a league and a cup win each. The latest contest was only ten days ago, a league match where Bo’ness secured a good victory thanks to a Fraser Keast hat trick and a single strike from Brian Morgan. Jamie Devlin scored Tranent’s only goal of that day. That win went some way to make up for the heavy defeat at Tranent earlier in the year where after an even first half, Bo’ness experienced a catastrophic collapse losing five goals without reply. In the early part of the season Bo’ness came out on top in the Alex Jack Cup while Tranent triumphed in the Football Nation Cup both games at Forester Park.

Bo’ness got this far in the League Cup after finishing second in their section losing to Jeanfield Swifts before winning against Leith Athletic and Oakley United. They went on to beat Tynecastle in the preliminary round and Newtongrange Star in round one, both games going to extra time, the contest at Newtongrange only decided on penalties. Tranent topped their section beating Hawick Royal Albert, Arniston Rangers and Blackburn United. They defeated St Andrews United in round one.

Like Bo’ness Tranent have qualified for the Premier League next season pipping Dundonald to third place with their final two league wins at Dundonald and Burntisland Shipyard. In the end they finished eight points behind the BUs and have had enjoyed a good campaign.

The message from manager Max Christie to his Bo’ness team is to forget the recent win as the match at Forester Park will be very difficult. After four previous games against Tranent the players will be only too aware of the challenge that faces them. The Bo’ness manager also has a message for the fans in that he wants as large and noisy BU support as possible to make the journey to East Lothian knowing they can provide the encouragement his players love and respond to, the reward being a semi final game against Bonnyrigg Rose

John Spowart
28 April 2019