Match Preview 2024 2025
Broomhill
Park’s Motor Group Lowland League
Dumbarton Football Stadium
Sunday 25 August 2024

Bo’ness United make the sizeable journey to the Dumbarton Football Stadium to face Broomhill who have had an uncharacteristically poor start to the season. With only one point from five starts Broomhill also at home to East of Scotland League Division One side Thornton Hibs in the South Challenge Cup. The game is unusually being played on Sunday due to Dumbarton having a home fixture on the Saturday.

Bo’ness visited Dumbarton at the tail end of last season, the sides sharing the points. On a blustery Tuesday night Corey O’Donnell headed Broomhill into a first half lead, with Tom Grant equalising for Bo’ness with just over fifteen minutes remaining. (Report). In the first game at Newtown Park Bo’ness scored three goals without reply, Ryan Stevenson scoring just on the break with Lewis Hawkins getting a second just after the turnaround. JJ Henderson scored the third, securing the win for Bo’ness. (Report)

Back to this season, Broomhill lost their first three games at Broxburn and home to East Kilbride and Celtic B. A draw at Berwick Rangers was followed by the Thorton defeat and on Tuesday night they lost at Caledonian Braves. Apart from the heavy losses against the young Celts and East Kilbride, the other reverses have been much closer and Broomhill are eager to notch up their first victory. They will see their match against Bo’ness as winnable given compared to last season, the BUs have not had a great start to their campaign. The BUs did win their midweek game versus Civil Service Strollers although were careless, being pegged back from a two goal lead twice in the game. Lucas Stenhouse bagged a brace for Bo’ness before Euan Valentine got one for the visitors. In the second half Ryan Porteous restored the two goal cushion but before the end Luca Vata struck for the Strollers although they were unable to complete their comeback. (Report).

Apart from the draw at East Stirlingshire, Bo’ness have won or lost to a single goal in their Lowland League matches to date. The two defeats saw Bo’ness come back from behind only to ultimately lose both games. The two victories have also had the BUs concede late on, making for an uncomfortable last few minutes before finally winning the points. The manager will no doubt be aware of these statistics and will work to ensuring his players take each game to the final whistle.

Broomhill are desperate to get their first win of the season and Bo’ness need to be at their best to get the points to lift them up the table. As for the BU Faithful they have already had to make significant journeys to Greenock and Perth and Dumbarton represents a further hundred mile round trip. It is likely only a core of the Faithful will make the trip but they can make themselves heard to ensure the players hear a noisy support on the day.

John Spowart
Friday 24 August 2024

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2023/2024

Date – Tuesday 16 April 2024

Competition –Park’s Motor Group Lowland League

Broomhill 1
(O’Donnell 26))

Bo'ness United 1
(Grant 73)

Bo’ness United had to settle for a draw at Broomhill, a result that sees the BUs needing a win in their final game at home to University of Stirling to guarantee a third place in this season’s Lowland League. On a windswept Dumbarton pitch Bo’ness blew hot and cold although in the end a share of the points was probably the fairest outcome.

Struggling to adapt to the conditions, Bo’ness were unable to put much football together. They did create a number of chances as did their opponents and it was Broomhill who got themselves ahead just short of the half hour mark. Paul Kennedy shrugged off any challenge wide on the right before sending over a cross for Corey O’Donnell to head home at the far post. Josh Jack came close to getting a second with a shot that was just wide of the target. Just before the break a Ryan Porteous header scraped the Broomhill post while a Keir Macaulay free kick just cleared the bar.

Into the second half Bo’ness started well enough but Keir Macaulay had to make two goal line clearances in quick succession to prevent a second Broomhill goal. Ten minutes in Bo’ness had a great chance to equalise after Ryan Porteous was fouled in the box but he was unable to convert the resulting spot kick as Broomhill keeper Luke Scullion made the save. This miss seemed to affect Bo’ness who struggled once more but gradually they were back into things, most of the play in the Broomhill half. A couple of good opportunities were spurned but with just over fifteen minutes remaining Bo’ness got the equaliser as Scullion blocked a Tom Grant shot but the same player followed up to bang the ball into the net.

Bo’ness went to look for the winner as Broomhill seemed happy to settle for the draw, surprising given they looked dangerous any time they broke forward. As it was there was no more scoring and Bo’ness look forward to an exciting finale to the season, hoping to finish the campaign on a high.

Bo'ness: Dibaga, Stevenson, Macaulay, Hawkins, McArthur, Henderson (Johnston 46), Kennedy (Grant 46) Gemmell, Malcolm (Dalrymple 74), Hamilton (Rutherford 74), Porteous.
Subs (Not Used): Mitchell, Travis, SG Ruddy:

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2023/2024

Date – Saturday 30 September 2023

Competition – Park’s Motorgroup Lowland League

Bo'ness United 3
(Stevenson 44, Hawkins 48, Henderson 65)

Broomhill 0

Bo’ness United emerged from a tough Lowland League encounter at home to Broomhill with all the points, a result that maintains their top five position, keeping them in touch with the teams at the head of the table.

The first half saw few clearcut chances, the best for Bo’ness a Lucas Stenhouse shot just clearing the far post and a Scott Dalziel header from Keir Macaulay’s cross going over the bar. However just before the break the BUs made the breakthrough as Dalziel headed on a Macaulay diagonal ball and Stenhouse passed to Ryan Stevenson on the right, his run and shot finding the far corner of the net from an acute angle. A good time to score and three minutes after the turnaround Bo’ness struck again as Broomhill only partially cleared a Macaulay free kick into the box and as the ball came back in JJ Henderson crashed a shot off the bar and Lewis Hawkins was on the spot to fire the rebound past Broomhill keeper Luke Scullion. After competing during a closely fought first half Broomhill looked stunned to find themselves two behind and were distraught to concede again, Henderson intercepting a poor clearance before running in on goal to lift the ball over the advancing Scullion. Bo’ness saw the rest of the game out, restricting Broomhill’s efforts to get back. BU keeper Musa Dibaga easily saved a shot from Ally McColm and Alfie Robinson headed over, the only goal attempts of note from the visitors.

Bo'ness: Dibaga, Stevenson, Macaulay, Hawkins (McArthur 80), Irving, Gemmell (Grant 80), Stenhouse (Kennedy 75), Johnston, Dalziel (Malcolm 80), Porteous (Mooney 75), Henderson.
Subs (Not Used). SG Fullerton

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2024/2025

Date – Tuesday 20 August 2024

Competition –Park’s Motors Group Lowland League

Bo'ness United 3
(Stenhouse 23 27, Porteous 80)

Civil Service Strollers 2
(Valentine 39, M Vata 88)

Bo’ness United managed a victory against Civil Service Strollers where the contest was not only against their opponents but once again the horrible overhead conditions that made it a difficult game to both play in and watch. Shooting into the wind it was the BUs who went ahead as Lucas Stenhouse was strong in brushing off a challenge wide on the left before cutting across to angle low into the near corner of the goal. That was just over twenty minutes in and only four minutes later it was two for Bo’ness and Stenhouse. The youngster took a short corner to Keir Macaulay who crossed into the box and by the time Stenhouse moved into the goalmouth the ball found its way to him to shoot in in just inches from the line. Just before the break the Strollers pulled one back as a cross from Euan Valentine was caught in the breeze, the ball sailing over BU keeper Liam Campbell and into the net.

Into the second half and as is common, Bo’ness struggled with the elements at their back with overhit passes and crosses. However, they were getting shots and with ten minutes remaining a tidy Ryan Porteous half volley just inside the box regained the two goal cushion. Just before the end however Civil Service again pulled one back Campbell punching clear but only as far as Luca Vata who from twelve yards fired low into the Bo’ness net. There was no further scoring and the Bo’ness win was welcomed by the hardy souls who had braved the elements to watch their team and congratulate Ryan Stevenson’s two hundredth appearance for Bo’ness United.

Bo'ness: Campbell, Stevenson Trialist 72), Macaulay, Hawkins, Rutherford (Duffy 82), Grant (Irving 67), Stenhouse, Johnston, Osadolor, Porteous, Nicol (Kennedy 82). Subs (Not Used): Gemmell, Malcolm, SG: Melrose.