Bo'ness United 1-1 Bonnyrigg (AET, 5-4 penalties)

Report kindly submitted by BRYAN COPELAND!

PENALTIES IN THE DARK SEND THE BU INTO LEAGUE CUP FINAL
1-1 after full time & extra time BU win 5-4 on penalties.

Match Report
EOS League Cup Semi Final
Bo’ness United v Bonnyrigg Rose
Monday 06/05/19
Carmuirs Park Camelon KO 19:00

BU Team :
Gk : Murphy Def : Syme Hunter Campbell Jacobs. Mid / Att : Wright Stevenson Gemmil Comrie Morgan McKenzie.
Subs : Marshall McDonald Keast Snowden.

With the BU home of Newtown Park still closed as expected it was another trip to our home away from home to play this Cup Semi final. Tonight opponents will travel through on a high having won their 2 games in the promotion play off after securing the league title. In all EOS competitions this season Bonnyrigg have been unstoppable loosing only the 1 game so far all season. BU fans will however note that the 1 defeat they suffered was at the hands of the BU in a league match at New Dundas Park, Bonnyrigg.
The home side will enter tonight’s semi final with confidence I’m sure as it’s evident the change that has happened since the arrival of Max Christie to take charge and his staff. Before tonight Max is on an incredible 15 game unbeaten run and with the league season now finished and the 2nd place ensuring qualification to a better league next season we can now fully focus on the 2 cups we are left in starting with this one tonight. The winners of tonight’s tie will play Musselburgh Athletic in the final this coming Sunday the 12th of May at a venue yet to be decided.

Into tonight’s game and the usual large support was there to cheer on the home side as they got the game underway. I’m the early stages it was the visitors with the best of the game a good ball played through saw a quality shot on goal very well saved by Murphy. Soon the visitors were coming forward again this time a shit went just past the post. A long ball forward then almost caught the home side out with Hunter & Gemmil both chasing the same ball and when it was eventually cleared for a corner a bit of a disagreement ensued between the 2 players. It was straight on with the game however and a corner to defend that was cleared away well. Finally up field went the home side and a ball into the box had the visiting keeper rushing off his line to gather. A bit of pressure up the right wing from the home side earner a couple of chances to get the ball into the box but they came to nothing for the BU. The home side broke forward and McKenzie done well on the right to get a cross over the box, it looked to be the keepers however but he knocked it down off his gloves rather than catch it as intended but he was quick to react and grab the ball at the 2nd time if asking. Soon however another ball fizzed over the Bonnyrigg box, it was begging for a blue jersey to get on the end of it but the visiting defence got to it and knocked it behind for a corner. Forward then came the visitors and Jacobs done really well to hold up a quick break before the visitors then got s ball over that was well headed out for a throw with danger approaching at the back post. Into the final 5 minutes of the half and the BU were high up the pitch trying to manufacture a ball into the box but the Bonnyrigg defence stood firm and cleared eventually. Another good cross was played into the visitors box from the right but it was well defended. The home side were ending the half strongest however as they got forward again this time getting a corner. It was well delivered and the header from Hunter was off target but it came back to the corner taker who delivered it again, the ball looked to be the keepers but he fumbled it and the ball dropped inside the box before it was cleared for a throw. Jacobs took it long delivering that ball back into the box and it was cleared at the near post for another corner. The corner was taken and it was high over everyone making it the last action of the 1st half.
Bo’ness 0 - 0 Bonnyrigg - Half time.

Into the 2nd half and the visitors got the game restarted. From the kick off the Joel side one the ball but a poor pass left a golden opportunity for Bonnyrigg, they took it putting the ball low into the net past Murphy BU 0 - 1 Bonnyrigg. The home side tried to respond with Wright doing well wide left but the visiting defence cleared before Jacobs then picked up a yellow card for a foul on the half way line. Wright then done well again this time making it to the by line and having the space to cross, it was a good delivery well cleared for a corner. In came the corner from Jacobs, punched clear by the visiting keeper then hit well away by the defence. Forward came the home side again however and a bad tackle on Comrie almost had the referee blowing for a foul but he done very well playing advantage as the home side kept possession and got a good cross in. The cross was defended and allowed the visitors to counter attack with s dangerous ball played into the BU box the header that cams from it thankfully was off target. It was the home sides turn again to be on the attack and a good ball over the box had the defence on the back foot almost heading into their own net clearing for a corner. Morgan swung in a great delivery but it narrowly missed everyone in the box. The 1st change was then made by BU Gaffer Christie as Smowdon replaced Marty Wright. Murphy in the BU goal then done well to gather a decent ball into the box. A free kick was delivered by Morgan but it was poor and out for a goal kick. Next up was a corner as the home side tried to find an equaliser a great delivery from Morgan just missed the heads of everyone in the box. Forward came the BU again this time noting came of the chance as the ball went for a goal kick. While the visiting keeper decided to take plenty time over distributing the ball the referee had words with BU Gaffer Max Christie before play continued. Murphy then had to be alert and clear a ball into his box as the visitors cams forward. Finally with 15 minutes to go the equaliser came Snowdon done well making space for himself and hit a low shot from outside the box, the visiting keeper saved it but didn’t hold the ball and Morgan popped up to smash home the rebound BU 1 - 1 Bonnyrigg. It was all pressure from the visitors from the restart with another great ball across the box that looked like a corner when it was cleared but a goal kick was awarded. McKenzie then done really well turning his man inside out in the touch line before breaking into the box, he played the ball across the face of goal only for the visiting keeper to get his fingertips to it and knock it away, it was put straight back in from the other side but cleared and allowed Bonnyrigg to break quickly causing concern for the BU as the got into the box, the low shot hit towards goal across Murphy was on target but saved well. Forward came the home side again with Morgan doing really well getting into the box and playing the ball across, the visiting defence stood firm and cleared. Again the home side came forward Morgan again doing well and the ball was cleared again only for it to come straight back in, Gemmil headed it down and it struck towards goal but blocked, huge appeals went up from the home side for hand ball, but the referee waved them away. The ball fell to Comrie who had a shot from distance but it went well over the bar. As the BU again came forward this time Gemmil went down but was booked for diving. Into the final 5 minutes now and free kick given away gave Bonnyrigg some rest bite from the BU pressure, they delivered the ball into the box but it was headed away well before the return ball was gathered by Murphy in the BU goal. 3 minutes from them and it looked like the BU had the game some a brilliant ball over found McKenzie totally free in the box, he got his head on the ball sending it goal wards but it was off target and wide of the post as a brilliant chance went begging. A final push from the home side left time for another chance right on the 90 minutes Morgan done well to create an opportunity and he done well to get a shot away that went narrowly wide of the post.
BU 1 - 1 Bonnyrigg - Full time.

Into the 1st half of the extra time and Bonnyrigg got us underway. It was uphill for the glen side almost straight away as Devon Jacobs got shown a 2nd yellow and was sent off by the referee in what was a questionable decision to say the least. A brilliant chance was created by the home side as a great ball across the box was hit goal wards and went narrowly wide of the post. Still on the front foot forward came the BU again this time the shot towards goal was well defended for a corner. A shot from distance that looked absolutely crazy bounced and almost beat the visiting keeper as he had to tip it over the bar at the last minute. It was then the visitors turn to get forward and a coil of good balls into the box were well headed away by Will Snowdon before a shot from outside the box went high over Murphy’s cross bar. The BU got forward again with a shot blocked as the 1st half of extra time stayed to draw to a close. Before it ended however the visitors got forward but were beaten by the offside as the BU defence held firm.
Half time in extra time BU 1 - 1 Bonnyrigg.

Into the 2nd half of the extra time and the BU got us back underway. The visitors had the best of the opening stages with a shot dropped but then saved by Murphy followed by another shot that looked to be in the net as it took a deflection but thankfully went for a corner. In came the corner and it was close again to going in the net but went for another corner as the visitors looked to be giving it a big push for a winner. BU manager Max Christie made a 2nd change as McDonald replaced Stevenson. Minutes later and a 3rd change saw McKenzie replaced by Keast. As darkness started to fall with now 6 minutes until the tie would be decided on penalties the visitors has Murphy working again as he saved a shot calmly from the edge of the box straight at him. Forward came the BU with good play down the left winning a corner. Morgan swung it in and it was cleared, Morgan picked the ball up again however and his cross was blocked. Then all then came into the box again and this them a penalty claim went up that was justified with the visiting defender having a handful of jersey, the referee waved it away however. Another chance to get the ball in the box this time from the opposite side saw McDonald waste it blasting the ball way out the park. Forward came the visitors on the break however and Murphy was called on, once again he produced the save for the BU. Hunter got forward and had a shot from the edge of the box over the bar as it was now on full time of extra time. The last kick was a goal kick from the Bonnyrigg keeper.
Full time of extra time BU 1 - 1 Bonnyrigg.

Penalties would now decide the tie.
Bonnyrigg emerged from the darkness to take the 1st penalty. Murphy got a touch but it went in. McDonald was 1st up for the BU and he hit the ball low straight at the keeper giving Bonnyrigg the advantage. They stepped up and made it 2 - 0. Keast stepped up for the BU and scored for 2-1. The visitors made it 3-1 with a stunning penalty high into the corner. Morgan then scores for the BU and got it back to 3-2. 4-2 Bonnyrigg with Murphy so close to saving left Will Snowdon having to score and he did with a well taken penalty making it 4-3. Up stepped Bonnyrigg with the chance to clinch it and missed as Murphy saved. Comrie scores to level up at 4-4 and we went to sudden death. Bonnyrigg missed again as Murphy pulled off another save. Michael Gemmell stepped up to deliver the winning strike and deliver it he did.
BU win 5-4 on penalties.