Match Preview 2021 2022 by JOHN SPOWART!

Beith Juniors, South Region Challenge Cup Round 4, Bellsdale Park, Saturday 05 February 2022

Bo’ness United face the stiffest of tests as they travel to Ayrshire to meet Beith Juniors in the South Region Challenge Cup. The BUs visited Bellsdale Park over eleven years ago in a preseason friendly but this will be the first competitive meeting there. Beith did travel to Newtown Park in January 1993 where they were victorious in a Scottish Junior Cup tie, scoring two goals without reply.

Beith play in the Premier Division of the West of Scotland League, now part of the Scottish football pyramid. They are sitting in the mid table position having won ten from twenty-two starts. Their first game of the New Year was a league win at Hurlford United but have since lost at home to Wishaw in the League Cup and narrowly against Auchinleck Talbot in the league. Beith are keen to get back to winning ways.

In the previous rounds of this tournament Beith beat Neilston at home before winning at St Peters. They then disposed of Rossvale, their reward, this home game against the BUs. Bo’ness have only played one match so far in the competition, the home victory against East Kilbride Thistle in the last round. The BUs received a bye in round one followed by a walk over as Kirkcaldy & Dysart were unable to raise a team for the second-round game at Newtown.

As expected, the East Kilbride game proved a tough tie as Thistle gave as good as they got. Both sides created chances but it was Bo’ness who made the breakthrough after half an hour. Nick Locke turned beautifully on the half way line, running forward to play a one/two off Kieran Anderson before continuing into the box to slide low past the advancing keeper, Harry Purves.

After the turnaround Bo’ness dominated possession and with twenty-two minutes remaining went two up. Gregor Nicol darted up the line, cut inside the box and angled a low shot, the ball nestling just inside the far post. Seven minutes later the BUs completed the scoring when, from deep within his own half, Keir Macaulay passed forward to Matty Flynn but continued his run to get on the end of Flynn’s cutback to hit home without breaking his stride.

Bo’ness go into this game following two draws and two wins since the turn of the year. Saturday’s home game against Edinburgh University was spoiled by the strong wind and it finished in a draw, a result not welcomed by the BUs. In saying that, it might have been even worse as the students missed two great chances near the end to win all the points. The BUs can point to their own chances in the second half with a Danny Galbraith shot that hit the bar plus a decent shout for a penalty when Tom Grant went down in the box. Ryan Stevenson, playing game number one hundred for Bo’ness also had a shot well saved by Edinburgh’s trialist keeper but the BUs, although not to be faulted for effort, were unable to make the breakthrough. On top of this draw the BUs have also lost to bottom club Vale of Leithen but know if they want to move up the table these are the games they need to be winning.

The match at Beith provides a diversion from the league and Bo’ness are keen to do well in the cup competitions. A most difficult challenge awaits the players on another Saturday where the weather may have an influence on how the game is played. Beith is only just over the hour away and hopefully the BU Faithfull can make the trip west and once again give their favourites the encouragement to progress to the next round of this prestigious tournament.

John Spowart
03 February 2022