Spartans 0-1 Bo'ness United

"Fanview" Match Report submitted by BRYAN COPELAND!
Lowland League
Spartans v Bo’ness United
Saturday 16/04/2022. KO : 15:00
Ainslie Park, Edinburgh.

Bo’ness Team :
Murphy(Gk). J. McCormack, Meikle, Hunter, Jacobs. Stevenson, Nicol, Macauley, Johnston, Locke, Walker.
Subs :Gribben, Munn

In a season that’s becoming easy to forget for Bo’ness with recent results, injury struggles and heavy defeats today it’s another nothing really to play for league game so it begs the question will Gaffer Max Christie have 1 eye on next weeks league cup quarter final away to Edinburgh Uni. That is of course if he has the luxury of a squad to pick from without needing trialists or coaches to make up the numbers. Last time out Bo’ness had just the bare 11 players available to play.
The last time Bo’ness were here it was the day we qualified for the quarters of the league cup and this will be the 3rd time the sides have met this season. A league match at Newtown where Spartans ran out 3-2 winners and the aforementioned league cup group match which Bo’ness won 3-1 here at Ainslie park on a sun soaked day in the Capital.

Into the match then and it wasn’t quite the glorious sunshine we had on the last visit but a decent enough bright day and good conditions for football. The visitors with former BU favourite Darren Gribben back out of retirement and on the bench to help us out. Good play between Lennon and Nicol had the visitors on the front foot with a shot well saved by the home keeper. A free kick gave Spartans the chance to get a ball in the box but it was well blocked by the Bo’ness wall then on 16 minutes the home side almost took the lead a low ball through the centre left Spartans in on goal but Murphy got down well low to his left to make a good save. 24 minutes and good possession of the ball from visitors had then breaking forward up the right, the ball was squared to Jacobs who unleashed a low long range shot from outside the box but if never troubled the home keeper going wide of the right hand post. Quick passes between McCormack and Nichol allowed a cross into the box, the Spartans keeper read it well and was out early to easily collect. Spartans swung a free kick into the box, Murphy was up to it and made a good catch to clear any danger. Bo’ness broke forward quickly and a shot from just inside the box was blocked for a corner. A low shot towards the corner was stopped by Murphy with around 7 minutes to half time. A brilliant diagonal ball found McCormack who linked up really well with Stevenson and he dug out a really good cross towards the back post, only good reading from Spartans allowed the ball to be cleared before an effort could be sent towards goal. 2 minutes to half time and the visitors made the breakthrough. A ball up the right was squared across to Walker who latched onto it and calmly rounded the keeper before slotting the ball calmly into the waiting net. Spartans 0 - 1 BU. Little more other than the home side restarting the match happened before half time.
Spartans 0 - 1 Bo’ness United.

Into the 2nd half and Andy Murphy was called into action early on palming the ball away for a corner as a dangerous cross came into the box. Walker done well gathering the ball inside the Spartans half and almost got thigh only to be stopped by a very good tackle. McCormack was calm and composed at the back to sweep up a ball into the visitors box. Hunter done really well positioning himself and tackling perfectly time ax Spartans tried to break forward with 15 minutes to go. The home side came forward again this time Jacobs was on hand to sweep away any danger very calmly. Walker curled a shot from the edge of the box that was so close as it brushed past the outside of the post then a corner from Bo’ness was very well delivered and a shot on target had to be blocked by the home keeper. 11 minutes to go and a change from BU gaffer Max Christie saw Darren Gribben replace Ryan Stevenson. The ball made it through to Gribben but his shot from distance was over the bar with the 1st action he had of the game. A quick break from Spartans up the left hand side saw them look dangerous and a shot from distance was fantastically saved by Murphy tipping the ball over the bar with his fingertips. The resulting corner was dangerous also as McCormack done well to head out for another corner. Clever feet saw Spartans carve out another opportunity, a shot from the edge of the box but Murphy was equal to it making a comfortable save with now only a couple of minutes to go and a big couple of minutes for the visitors as a win in the back of a dreadful week would do a power of good going into a cup semi quarter final next week. Hunter was composed at the back playing a good ball out to Gribben who flicked it on cleverly towards Walker before an interception by the hold side but overall it looked like Bo’ness were seeing the and out well as we were now a minute over the regulation 90. A corner for Spartans then had to be defended and Gribben was the man back in the box booting the ball clear of danger. The referee had a look at his watch as the home side passed the ball across the midfield but as it went forward Hunter calmly cleared any danger. A confidence boost and overall a deserved victory.
Spartans 0 - 1 Bo’ness United.