Musselburgh 3-1 Bo'ness United

Match report kindly supplied by BRYAN COPELAND.

After a successfully negotiation of what could have been a tricky tie in round 1 of this cup with a 5-1 win against Newtongrange Star the BU arrive for the next round at Olivebank in good form and still unbeaten in all games so far this season. Today’s opponents overcome Peebles Rovers to set up this match today.
Both teams will know each other well from the Junior Superleague days and back then Musselburgh was always a hard place to come and get a result as they always have been a well organised team dangerous going forward. The last time the 2 teams met however was last season in the EOS League Cup Final where the BU came out 1-0 winners at Penicuik Park.
As always the large travelling support were there in numbers for the visitors and looking to see the seasons unbeaten run continue.
This cup may have an added edge for the BU this year when our place in the final was booked until we got put out due to playing an ineligible player but with that written into the history books this season gives us another chance to get there and get the added incentive for winning this cup, a place in the big Scottish although hopefully that will come anyway when we hopefully become a fully licensed member of the SFA somewhere in the near future.

Into today’s game now then and it started fairly even with nothing happening inside the opening 10 minutes. 12 minutes in however and the opening goal came a ball played over the box found a Musselburgh man unmarked and he made no mistake in finding the net. Musselburgh 1 - 0 BU. The visitors tried to respond immediately and McKenzie saw a shot fly up over the bar. The home side flashes a dangerous ball over the box but at full stretch the forward just couldn’t get anything on it and the ball went out of play. Forward then came the visitors with Donnelly doing well inside the box before a good tackle dispossessed him. Brilliant play between Nimmo and Syme out wide had the BU on the attack again as the through ball from Nimmo was inch perfect allowing Syme to cross brilliantly into the box, up went Donnelly from 1 or 2 yards out and somehow his header didn’t find the net with a combination of home keeper and bar keeping it out as the ball went for a corner. From that corner Hunter had a header but it was high and wide of the target. The home side were claiming a penalty as Murphy came out of his goal quickly but it was waved away by the referee. Minutes later however they had another goal and it can only be described as an absolute peach as the ball bounced well outside the box it was caught on the half volley and straight into the top corner of Murphy’s goal leaving him absolutely no chance. Nimmo for the BU was then booked before the game restarted. Musselburgh 2 - 0 BU. The visitors then found themselves even more up against it as Hunter saw a straight red card from the referee for what I’d thought to be violent conduct. The home player looked to have said something and as Hunter leant in with his head down he went and the referee was quick to produce the red card. The home side cams forward quickly again and Murphy came rushing out his goal and cleared the ball unfortunately clearing out his own player Gemmil causing the physio to be called on. After a couple of minutes he looked ok but BU manager Max Christie made a change as he was replaced by Will Snowdon. The visitors battled on with the 10 men as Snowdon played a good ball forward but Donnelly was judged to have fouled as he got on the end of it. Syme then got a good ball played and sent a shot towards goal from the edge of the box that went over the home keepers cross bar. Right on half time a 3rd goal of the match came and it was a life line for the 10 man visitors as Will Snowden came running onto a ball just inside the box and drilled the ball low into the far corner. That was to be the last action of the half as it ended
Musselburgh 2 - 1 BU.

Into the 2nd half and the visitors were on the attack straight away as Donnelly was cynically brought down as he headed towards the box. The referee awarded the free kick and gave a yellow card as the BU argued red for last man. Morgan and Grant Stroud over the free kick and in the end Grant struck it well over the bar as Morgan watched on. A cross almost turned to a goal for the home side as from way out it was swung over and as Murphy raised his hand the ball went over him and came back off the far post. Chaos then erupted as Donnelly made a late tackle and saw a straight red reducing the BU to 9 men. A full blown mele then ensues between a load of players as the referee struggled to keep control. More cards should have been dealt but the the referee restated the game with not a clue what had just gone on. The visitors then help their breath as Nimmo made a challenge which could have been a yellow meaning it would have been 8 men but the referee awarded a free kick to home side and kept his cards in his pocket. It wasn’t long before another booking as Morgan saw a yellow for a foul as the home side tried to break forward. A huge shout for a penalty went up from the visitors as it looked like a clear hand ball but he waved it away much to the anger of the BU players dugout and support. The 9 man BU were however looking the better side as the Musselburgh 11 looked poor but it didn’t stop Murphy from having to make a save as they broke forward. A good ball in the box left a free header for the visitors but it was out over the horn keepers cross bar. The home side then got forward and Murphy in the BU goal came for the ball and got no where near leaving the home side to make it 3-1 and the 9 men were now right up agains it with just over 20 minutes to go. BU manager Max Christie then made a change as Comrie replaced Ian Nimmo. The visitors tried their best to keep the ball and get forward but it was the home side that got s shot on goal causing Murphy to get down low to his left and make a save. A corner for the visitors was met by Hewitt who had a good header goal wards just over the bar. Hewitt then played a good forward clearing from the back setting McKenzie on his way only for the ball to be cleared away. Stevenson was then in on goal but put his shot straight at the home keeper. As the home side looked to have a bit of panic again the visitors were in on goal but their keeper kept his cool to save with his feet and the ball was booted clear as Morgan almost made the rebound with now 4 minutes remaining. Another chance came and went for the visitors before the home side tried to break quickly resulting in a yellow for Stevenson as he fouled out wide. The ball was swung in from the free kick and almost found its way into the net before the visitors were caught offside trying to break up the park quickly. As the game went into added time the home aids had a shot on goal deflected for a corner from a free kick. As the corner was cleared the referee ended the match.