Bo'ness United 4-1 Wick Academy

"Fanview" match report submitted by BRYAN COPELAND!

Scottish Cup 1st round replay - again.
Bo’ness United v Wick Academy
Tuesday 28/09/2021. KO 19:45
Newtown park, Bo’ness

Bo’ness Team :
Murphy (Gk). Stevenson, Hunter, Hawkins, MacAuley, Locke, Gemmel, Comrie, Galbraith, Anderson, Wilson.
Subs : Flynn, Fullerton(Gk)

From what happened and what was witnessed on Saturday there may be ill feeling in the Bo’ness camp but what we must do tonight and I’m sure the players and staff will know this is remain calm, keep cool heads and not lose anyone to red cards that way hopefully by the end of the night justice will be done and United will be heading to Edinburgh City in the next round.
Finally before we get underway as I have said many times since Saturday, all the best Zander. Hopefully it’s a speedy recovery and all goes well so we can have our goal scorer and a key member of the team back as soon as possible.

Into the match then and the home side got us underway attacking the goal towards Kinneil School in front of an exceptionally good crowd for a Tuesday night. A bright opening few minutes saw a couple of crosses and a corner for the BU all of which were cleared before anyone attacking could get on the end of them. The visiting keeper was then called into action saving a low shot but it was rather routine given the ball was hit straight at him in the centre of goal. 12 minutes in and the opening goal came as Wick broke forward the ball was won back and quickly played to Gemmell inside his own half, he flicked the ball on into the path of Wilson who made a superb run from just inside his own half to inside the box and from the tightest of angles he picked his spot in the far corner. A fantastic run and sublime strike. BU 1 - 0 Wick. Murphy was quick off his line to gather a through ball before it caused danger and at the other end a shot from distance sailed high over the bar. Wilson done well wide right before being brought down causing the 1st yellow of the game to go to Wick. A good ball in from wide left was gathered by an alert Wick keeper just before anyone could get on the end of it with the home side playing really well so far and looking for that 2nd goal for a small cushion. Macauley blocked a cross before the rebound was sent into the box and headed over the bar. Forward went the home side again only to lose possession and with a threaded ball through the middle the visitors looked to be in on goal only for Gemmell to cover ground at amazing pace to track back from away up the pitch and make a brilliant tackle inside his own box. Wilson was then almost set free up the left but as he cut inside to the box the Wick keeper was out to grab the ball as it was just too far in front of him to get there 1st. A brilliant switch set Wilson free up the the right wing and he fizzed a fantastic ball across the 6 yard box finding Locke all alone at the back post, he took a touch but then tried to place the ball in the net giving the Wick keeper half a chance and with a fantastic save he kept the ball out however had Locke have just smashed it there was no doubt it was a goal a glaring chance for goal number 2 gone. On a quick counter Wick sent a ball over from the left and Murphy done really well to avoid the bodies and punch the ball clear before Locke took any danger away by making a great run up to the half way line. As Wick attacked again the ball looked to be safe only for a clever overhead kick to send it back across goal leaving Murphy scrambling over his line as the ball came back off the cross bar. With only a few minutes to half time Locke worked the keeper again with a shot from distance. The visiting goalie became sweeper keeper as he rushed off his line and out of his box to get to the ball 1st as the home side played a really good through ball from midfield. The last action of the half saw Anderson play a free kick in towards the penalty spot that was cleared by the Wick defence and with that half time came Bo’ness United 1 - 0 Wick Academy.

Into the 2nd half and before we got underway Flynn replaced Galbraith for the home side. Just a minute in and a through ball found Anderson who took a touch before driving the ball low into the bottom corner of the net from inside the box. BU 2 - 0 Wick. The vistors didn’t have time to compose themselves before Locke was on the end of a well weighted pass and this time made no mistake finding the net from close range. BU 3 - 0 Wick. Wilson maybe should have scored from close in as he got on the end of a cross from the left but the cross bar denied him. 10 minutes into the half and things got worse for Wick as a foul on half way saw a 2nd yellow awarded reducing them to 10 men. Murphy got down well to save a shot from distance as the visitors looked for a goal then at the other end once again Gemmell done well this time holding the ball up before playing it up the left for a cross that the visiting keeper was quick off his line to palm away from danger. It was almost another for the home side on 66 minutes as quick one touch passing from midfield set Wilson off down the left, he cut inside and with the keeper advancing chose to try and lay the ball off to Flynn, possibly the shot was better option but he rolled the ball across the box and just as Flynn was about to shoot a brilliant tackle took the ball away from him. 72 minutes in and the visitors had a lifeline a ball into the box was won and as the player went down under a tackle the referee pointed to the spot. A well taken penalty beat Murphy with the ball buried low in the bottom left hand corner and the visitors were quick to retrieve the ball and get the game back underway. Flynn broke forward on the left and squared the ball to Wilson who just couldn’t make space to get a shot away while on the counter s deflected shot from out side the box made its way through to Murphy. 6 minutes to go and Stevenson swung a free kick into the box only for Wick to handball at the back post giving the referee no option but to point to spot. Stevenson stepped up and made no mistake burying the ball low into the corner. BU 4 - 1 Wick. A routine save from Murphy and a shot from distance well over the bar from the visitors was followed by a through ball being placed low into the net under the visiting keeper only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside.

Full time Bo’ness United 4 - 1 Wick Academy.