Match Preview 2024 2025
Jeanfield Swifts
Park’s Motor Group Lowland League
Riverside Stadium
Saturday 17 August 2024

Bo’ness United take a break from Lowland League business as they visit Jeanfield Swifts in round two of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup. Last season the BUs easily defeated Border side Hawick Royal Albert in the corresponding fixture but the tie in Perth represents a much tougher mission to be accomplished. After wins at Whitburn Juniors and Haddington Athletic and home to Dunipace, Swifts are currently sitting top of the East of Scotland League Premier division. The only points dropped to date is a draw against Edinburgh University.

Bo’ness last visited the Riverside Stadium five years ago in their Premier Division championship season, winning by a single Brian Morgan goal. Kevin McAlpine’s report from the game is at the end of this preview. The BU trips to the Swifts were not always successful as two years before a Rhys Davies brace gave the home side a win on what was a particularly bad day for Bo’ness. Derek Crossan’s report from the game is at the end of this preview.

After last weekend’s home victory against Albion Rovers, Bo’ness can go into this game with some confidence, the BUs looking more like their old selves, digging in for the win. A combination of some good football and resolute defending saw the points stay at Newtown thanks to a Ryan Porteous double. (Report).

Bo’ness will be playing a good team on their own patch in a one-off cup tie and their contesting qualities will be required on Saturday if they want to progress in this tournament. There is a decent weather forecast and a not too long journey to the Fair City and hopefully the BU Faithful will make the trip up the A9 to support the players.

John Spowart
Friday 16 August 2024

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH REPORT SEASON 2019/2020

24/08/2019 East of Scotland league Premier Division
Jeanfield Swifts 0-1 Bo’ness United

Bo’ness United climbed to fourth place in the Premier Division with a well-earned battling victory over Jeanfield Swifts. In the end a first half Brian Morgan strike was the difference between the sides who largely cancelled each other out in the Perthshire sunshine. There was a more familiar look to the Bo’ness line-up with Stuart Hunter, Mark McKenzie and Ian Nimmo all restored to the starting eleven after sitting out the cup win over Oakley.
The game offered little in the way of chances early doors and it was the physios who were called into action more than the goalkeepers after firstly a nasty clash of heads, then an ugly challenge on Michael Gemmell by Dewar which again saw both players involved receiving treatment. United had the ball in the back of the net midway through the half when Ross Campbell headed a deep Ryan Stevenson free-kick home, unfortunately for the big defender the whistle had blown for an infringement and both teams were still level. With ten minutes of the half remaining Mark McKenzie powered a Hunter cross goalward but was thwarted by a fingertip save from home goalkeeper Mitchell. Terry Hewitt was next to try his luck with a header from a Tom Grant cross, but his effort was always rising and didn’t trouble the goalkeeper. Bo’ness had the momentum and opened the scoring shortly before the interval. McKenzie held the ball well deep in the Jeanfield half and released Grant wide on the left, the BU winger headed forward and sent a low cross across the face of goal which kindly deflected into the path of United’s top scorer Brian Morgan who swept the ball home and give United a lead that would prove decisive. The hosts swarmed forwards after conceding and thought they had levelled the match deep into stoppage time when they were awarded a free-kick right on the edge of the Bo’ness penalty area. Up stepped Jeanfield danger man Connor McLaren and his drive beat the wall but not Andy Murphy who showed great reflexes to tip the ball over the crossbar.
Jeanfield enjoyed more second half possession than their visitors but provided little threat to the Bo’ness backline. Christopher Scott shot over from distance and McLaren sent a clever free-kick towards goal, Murphy as ever was alert to the danger and held the ball well. Fraser Keast spurned a golden chance to double the United advantage shortly after the hour mark when McKenzie won the ball after harrying full back Reid into a mistake and squared the ball to the unmarked forward who dragged his shot wide. Two minutes were remaining when the big chance that Jeanfield were waiting for arrived. The home side won a corner after Hewitt bravely blocked a stinging Scott shot. The set-piece was deep and Scott controlled the ball at the far post, with the goal gaping a cool head was needed and the otherwise excellent Scott fluffed his lines and knocked the ball well over the crossbar.

Bo’ness: Murphy, Stevenson, Hunter ©, Hewitt, Campbell, Gemmell, Nimmo (Comrie), Keast (Donnelly), Grant, Morgan and McKenzie. Unused: Snowdon, Mooney.
Player of the match: Ross Campbell.

Bo’ness manager Max Christie again hailed his side after a battling performance won all three points at the Riverside Stadium. “We defended well and scored a really good goal through Brian Morgan, after a good cross from Tom Grant. We had really decent spells in the match against a good side, to come up here on a huge pitch on a hot day, I’m delighted with the boys. It was a battling performance; we could have passed it better and made better decisions but our work-rate and desire to win the game was evident. With our industry and quality of midfield we have we always back ourselves; it wasn’t always fluent but sometimes you take more pleasure winning like that than by four goals against lesser sides.”

United defender Ross Campbell felt that a strong defensive show was key to wu=inning a valuable three points at the weekend. “It was a decent result against a hard opponent. It was never going to be easy, but I felt we played well, held the fort and dug in for the win which is the main thing. We’ve been defending well recently, other teams haven’t been creating many chances against us but we have been punished when we have made mistakes, I feel we have been pretty good at the back.” Campbell also has ambitions to go all the way in the Alex Jack cup after the heartbreak of missing out on last years final after Bo’ness fielded an ineligible player during their semi-final win over Haddington. “I hope we can put ourselves in the running for the cup, especially with the circumstances last year which was out of the players hands. We’ve already proved what we can do in cup games, we’re looking forward to it.”

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH REPORT SEASON 2017/2018

Date: Saturday 12th August 2017 Venue: Riverside Park
East Region Super League

Jeanfield Swifts (2)
Davies (16 & 56)
Bo’ness United (0)
Bo’ness: Marshall, McGregor (Boyd 64), Nyang, Snowdon (Quitongo 64), Campbell, Jacobs, Cropley, Donnelly, Wilson, Gemmell (Scott 72), Kelly Subs Not Used: Gibb, & Murphy

Shambolic Bo’ness United crashed to their second defeat in a few days with a wretched display in Perth.
Bo’ness started off the brighter forcing a few corners without anything coming from them other than a Ross Campbell header that went wide.
The hosts Gary Fergus forced a good low save from Alex Marshall before they were awarded a penalty. Jack Wilson inexplicably pushed over Lee Deans in the box and up stepped Daniel Kelly but Marshall made an excellent save to deny him. The respite was short lived however with the official awarding another spot kick on fifteen minutes for a handball by Jordan Cropley which looked harsh. The penalty duties were passed to Rhys Davies who finished it well to give the hosts the lead. In reply shot shy United had a couple of weak efforts from Cropley but went in at the break behind.

United were absolutely rotten after the break and on fifty six minutes Jeanfield doubled their advantage again through Davies after his first effort had been saved by Marshall. Campbell had a header that went wide and Chris Donnelly saw a shot saved but United lacked the creativity, desire and ability to get back into it. With time running our Marc Kelly had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside to leave United pointless and they can have no complaints.