Civil Service Strollers 1-1 Bo’ness United

"Fanview " Match Report submitted by BRYAN COPELAND!

Lowland league cup - North East Section
Civil Service Strollers v Bo’ness United
Tuesday 08/03/22. KO : 19:45
Christie Gilles Park, Edinburgh.

Bo’ness Team :
Murphy (Gk).J. McCormack, Skinner, Hunter, Jacobs, Hawkins, Gemmell (c), McLeod, Flynn, Smith, Mitchell.
Subs : Nicol, Locke, Grant, Johnson, Galbraith.

League form has been up and down this season for Bo’ness but all in all the cups seem to be going well so far and we look to continue that this evening as the Lowland League Cup gets underway for us.
We’ve yet to visit Strollers in the league this campaign but the last time the sides met it was a Friday night under the lights at Newtown Park kicking off ground hop weekend. A decent display and a victory for the BU was the outcome and with a win away at Beith just 3 days ago confidence should be high in the Bo’ness camp. Also hopefully Gaffer Max Christie will have a good squad to choose from with no players cup tied for this one given the League Cup has just got started.
Bo’ness are in the North East Section along with tonight opponents, Edinburgh Uni and Spartans making for a busy schedule of Saturday and midweek games for the foreseeable weeks all through March and into April so another win tonight to keep the confidence and belief high is what everyone from Management to players and fans want and even though it’s midweek I’m sure there will be the usual fair amount travelling to back the BU.

Into the match then and the visitors got the first half underway. A few minutes in and Mitchell done well winning a long ball driving towards the box only for his cross to be well blocked for a corner. The home side were almost through 10 minutes in as Bo’ness got caught up the park a bit Skinner picked up a booking after being judged to have fouled in stopping the attack. Hawkins done well to win the ball at the back and played it forward where Gemmell done well to touch it towards Flynn. A perfect weighted pass found Smith out on the left and his shot come cross got s deflection and landed on the head of Mitchell, he ignored the oncoming keeper to head the ball into the net. 17 minutes played Strollers 0 - 1 BU. Murphy was brave coming off his line and smothering a through ball with Strollers advancing forward then at the other end a fantastic cross from the far side almost caught out the home defence. Skinner had a bad touch around half way but recovered really well to retain the ball before sending a fantastic long diagonal pass towards the right wing allowing for another good cross to be delivered this time sent clear by the home defence. The visitors up to this point were the better side playing a lot of good football and a chance to double the lead on 26 minutes was almost gifted as Strollers put the ball right into the path of McLeod who started making towards the box, a heavy touch showing too much of the ball to the keeper stopped the attack as he broke into the box from the left hand side. Murphy made a superb close range save to keep the visitors in front. McLeod turned the strollers full back inside out before producing a great cross towards to back post forcing the home defence to head over their own bar from close range to clear the danger. Half time and a deserved lead for the visitors.

Civil Service Strollers 0 - 1 Bo’ness United.

Into the 2nd half and an early corner from the home side was well headed clear by Hunter inside his own 6 yard box. Then at the other end a neat touch from McLeod allowed a diagonal ball to be played towards Flynn who done really well holding the ball up before it was worked cross field. McLeod spotted the keeper off his line and had a go from distance with the ball looking to be goal bound all the way the home keeper somehow scrambled back and at full stretch got his fingertips on it just before it landed in the top corner. 15 minutes into the half and the referee had an impact on the game Skinner made a perfectly timed tackle inside his own box while McCormack then sent the ball for a corner however according to the referee there was foul and he pointed to the spot. To add to the BU misery he also showed Skinner a 2nd yellow meaning a red card. The penalty was scored. Strollers 1 - 1 BU. A long ball found Mitchell who done really well with great pace cutting in from the left and driving a shot just wide of the post as the visitors looked to restore their lead. Finally a decision went the visitors way as a foul was awarded midway inside the Strollers half. The ball was delivered to the box but the flag went up on the far side as it was attacked at the back post. Next up a blatant handball inside the box was missed as the decisions went from bad to worse apparently missed by the linesman directly in line and only yards away and the referee who was right on the edge of the box not yards but feet away. I honestly hate to critics officials as without them there is no game but having to be honest in a report the decisions tonight specially this half have been shocking to say the least. The home side made a triple change as the game went into the final 10 minutes. The visitors certainly deserved something from the game and they were still playing decent even with 10 men. Gemmell won the ball well in the middle of the park and sent it forward while moments later as the match hit 90 minutes the visitors were booting the ball clear from the edge of the box. Two minutes added on and a chance for the home side as they got a free kick on edge of the box, it was swung in but headed away before being hooked clear. 1 more minute added and the match ended. Full time
Civil Service Strollers 1 - 1 Bo’ness United.