Bonnyrigg 3-0 Bo'ness United

A view from the terraces, submitted by BRYAN COPELAND!

At the 4th attempt tonight’s cup tie goes ahead with the weather making the pitch unplayable on the original Saturday date plus a further 2 midweek dates for the match.
Both sides go into this one having a successful season so far in the league with the hosts looking to win the lowland league 1 above where the visitors currently are and obviously looking for a play off to make it into the SFL as Edinburgh City and Cove Rangers have done recently. Plus it has to be said both sides have proved they can hold their on after their promotions.
With that said about both teams tonight looking to win their respective leagues and that being a priority for both some key players may be rested for this one. The home side have a fair number of fixtures to play partly due to their successfully Scottish Cup run which only recently came to and end against Clyde but they did beat sides above them on the way to the tie so done very well in the competition considering.
As for the visitors there are key league game coming up and after a defeat on Saturday, only the 2nd league defeat this season and the last year since Max took the reigns at Bo’ness I’m sure the 3 points this coming Saturday will be the upmost priority to keep control at the top of the league table however a result against a side like Bonnyrigg can bring a lot of confidence and a cup run provided it doesn’t interfere with winning the league can also be a good thing.
With the weather very cold and unsettled today it may affect the crowd for tonight but i’m sure the visiting support will still be out in their large numbers to cheer the team on and with the home side having a good support also I’m sure there will be plenty in to see the game no matter the weather.

The 1st half was started by the visitors and in the early exchanges a cross into the box was well defended by Bo’ness. Stevenson was looking lively on the left having played full back recently he was pushed forward tonight with Hunter going to left back and Snowden & Campbell the 2 central defenders. A cross into the box was deflected and almost fell for a shot before being cleared, Jacobs returned it however and Keast had a header that probably should have hit the target but went wide. An early injury enforced a change for the home side with just 7 minutes of the match gone. Good one touch passing from the visitors starting with Hunter on the half way line found McKenzie latching onto a through ball and his shot from an azure angle was on target and saved by the home keeper as he sent the ball for a corner. Rose defence got up well and cleared but grant sent another good ball into the box and as it came back out to him he was fouled out on the right while trying to keep the pressure on, the referee however waved play on. At the other end a shot from the home side went wide of the post. Keast came forward down the right and put a good ball in that was headed away and in an open start to the game the home side had a low drive that saw Adamson scramble across his goal as the ball flew wide of the right hand post. The home side loaded the box as they had a free kick out wide Adamson in the BU Goal reacted 1st and easily caught the ball. It was cleared out but the home side won the 2nd ball and were on the attack again this time the referee judged a foul right on the edge of the box in the centre of the goal. Snowdon saw a yellow card and the free kick was a direct hit hard and low towards the bottom corner, Adamson was equal to it as he made a very good save. The home side were coming more and more into the game at this point and a good ball forward was well intercepted by Campbell, Jacobs then made a very well timed tackle inside the box and shortly after Stevenson done well to clear the ball. The problem at the moment for the visitors was every ball that went out was coming straight back at them and a decent shot from just outside the box stung the gloves of the BU keeper as again he was called into action. Jacobs kept the ball in well and beat his man right on the line at the corner flag and McKenzie was quick to react as he nicked it from the girl defender, his only option was to play the ball back out the box but he found Donnelly who looked like he was caught in 2 minds between a cross and a shot and in the end the ball floated out of play for a goal kick. A through ball almost found Grant but the home keeper was quick off his line to smother the ball. A quick pass out saw the home side coming forward again and the ball was well defended for a corner. It was the visitors turn to break out quickly and good ball forward found Keast on half way, as he picked up the pace he was cleared out by the home No.12 who seen a yellow card for his efforts. The free kick sent the ball towards the box and out for a corner. Donnelly picked up the clearance and down really well on the left to turn his man and get into a position to cross, the ball took a deflection on the way in and went out of play for what looked like a corner but the referee awarded a goal kick. 6 minutes to half time and the breakthrough came in a very unfortunate circumstance for the visitors, Stevenson tracked back really well to make a great tackle but the ball landed with the home side, Stevenson was there again and as he blocked it the ball hit off the home players hand and bounced perfectly for him to cross, the referee ignored the appeals from the visitors on the pitch and from the bench and terraces and the ball was sent in to the back post where McGachie rose and headed it into the net. Bonnyrigg 1 - 0 BU. From the restart the home side win possession and a fierce low drive on goal saw a great save from the BU keeper to keep the score at 1 with 3 minutes of the half remaining. The visitors got forward and a through ball saw McKenzie round the keeper but it was well wide of the goal and the keeper recovered to narrow the angle, the ball still made its way across goal but was booted clear for a corner. As the corner came in it was cleared but Donnelly picked it up and hit a stunner of a shot from distance that stung the gloves of the home keeper as he put it over the bar. The resulting corner and clearance was to be the last action of the half.

Bonnyrigg 1 - 0 Bo ‘ness.

Into the 2nd half and the home side had the 1st chance early on as a good shot from outside the box went just over the bar. 9 minutes in and we had a 2nd goal of the match. As the home side got into the box the referee awarded what looked to be a soft penalty but the home side grasped the opportunity putting the ball past Adamson in the BU goal from 12 yards. BU Gaffer Max Christie made a change as Comrie was replaced by Nimmo and Soon after Jacobs put a decent ball over that was well defended. A 2nd change saw Morgan replace Keast. A low shot from the edge of the box went just wide of the home keepers post as the visitors tried to find a way back into the game. 25 minutes to go and a final change from BU Gaffer Max Christie saw McKenzie replaced by Ritchie. Adamson was called into action for the visitors again as a shot from distance swerved towards the top corner but again he was equal to it and made a very good save. The game suffered a bit of a lull with very little action to talk of other than a bit of possession for both sides but with 22 minutes left a throw in on the left saw Jacobs out the ball into the box and as it was headed clear it dropped for a shot that was sent towards goal but over the home keepers cross bar. Another long throw from Jacobs a minute later made it into the 6 yard box and flicked off a head as it landed in the arms of the home keeper. The visitors were still trying to find a goal that would give them a lifeline and a good ball forward was flagged offside as it fell on the edge of the box when it was clearly on side. Hunter won the ball back and played it forward but it was well defended once again by the home side. Jacobs done well in the corner to keep the ball and found Nimmo with a pass, and he worked a 1-2 with Donnelly that was just nicked away by the home defence before a shot could be sent towards goal. The home side then had the ball where they wanted it deep in the corner at the other end of the pitch until it was sent long over the half way line but all the way through to the home keeper as the game was now into added time. Forward once more came there home side and a good ball down left saw them cut inside and win a free kick just outside the box off the centre of goal. The free kick was curled into the corner of the net past a helpless Adamson. Bonnyrigg 3 - 0 BU. The visitors restarted the game but the kick from the centre circle was to be the last of the match.

Full time Bonnyrigg 3 - 0 Bo’ness.

A game the finished 3-0 but although the BU keeper was busy at times it wasn’t a 3-0 game Bo’ness made a good showing of themselves in parts and even if the home side did deserve to win on chances created it certainly wasn’t by such a large margin. However back to league focus on Saturday with an away match at Camelon 14:30 kick off at Carmuirs Park.