This Saturday Bo’ness United start this season’s League Cup campaign with a visit to Albion Rovers. Last year the BUs defeated Gretna 2008 in the first round but a subsequent visit to East Kilbride ended in defeat. Indeed, East Kilbride have proved a thorn in the flesh as far as the League Cup is concerned, twice beating the BUs in the final. Last season Albion Rovers exited in round one of the competition, going out at the hands of Civil Service Strollers.

Albion Rovers are one place above Bo’ness in the Lowland League table, both on the same points but Rovers with a superior goal difference and having played one game less. The Coatbridge side experienced an idle January with no competitive games, anything scheduled falling foul of the weather. Their last outing was a narrow defeat at East Kilbride, before that draws against Cowdenbeath and Tranent sandwiched a win at home to Gretna 2008. In contrast Bo’ness had a relatively busy January. After the New Year postponement at Linlithgow Rose the BUs defeated the Shire and Gretna 2008 but lost at home to East Kilbride. The Gretna win last Saturday was a closely fought game, Bo’ness winning thanks to a solitary Kieran Mitchell goal (Report).

The League Cup represents the BUs last opportunity for silverware this season and manager Stuart Hunter is keen to see his side win a trophy. Bo’ness have already met Albion Rovers in the league with a narrow win at Newtown early in the season, A Ryan Porteus double had Bo’ness ahead at half time, Albion pulling one back late on (Report). The league match in Coatbridge last season finished in a no score draw (Report).

Albion Rovers are also keen to progress and Bo’ness face a big challenge to make it through to the next round. The two recent wins will have given the players some confidence but again the best is required to achieve a positive result. Gretna post Eowyn proved a prohibitively long journey for the BU Faithful but Coatbridge is a short jaunt with a decent weather forecast so there is likely to be a greater contingent supporting the team in blue.

John Spowart
Friday 31 January 2024

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2024/2025

Date – Saturday 10 August 2024

Competition –Park’s Motors Group Lowland League

Bo'ness United 2
(Porteous 2 27)

Albion Rovers 1
(Trialist 90)

Bo’ness United achieved the first win they’ve been looking for, deservedly taking all the points in their clash with Albion Rovers on a windswept Newtown Park. Shooting with the gale at their backs the BUs were ahead after only two minutes, Ryan Porteous heading home a Ryan Stevenson cross. Just before the half hour it was a second for Bo’ness and Porteous, this time a Tom Grant corner landing at the far post for him to head back over the head of Rovers keeper Ross Connelly. Before the break Rovers had a chance with an Adam Fernie shot across goal, the ball just beating the far post. Bo’ness might have made it three but Connelly brought off a great save to deny Lewis Hawkins.

In the second half Bo’ness faced into the breeze but coped well with the elements, playing the ball on the ground as much as possible while putting in a resolute rearguard operation. They created a few chances, Gregor Nicol getting a shot in at the near post and a Fin Malcolm header going wide. The BUs were closing down the Albion moves at every opportunity but just before the end they did concede, the Trialist’s angled shot deflected past BU keeper Liam Campbell. It was a nervous five minutes time added on with Dean McMahon shooting wide of the post but Bo’ness held on for a welcome three points.

Bo'ness: Campbell, Stevenson (Trialist 75), Macaulay, Hawkins, Rutherford, Grant (Gemmell 87), Stenhouse, Johnston, Mitchell (Malcolm 39), Porteous, Nicol. Subs (Not Used): Kennedy, Duffy, Hamilton.

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2023/2024

Date – Saturday 24 February 2024

Competition –Park’s Motor Group Lowland League

Albion Rovers 0

Bo'ness United 0

Bo’ness United left the Reigart Stadium with a hard-earned point after a tough encounter against Albion Rovers. In a game of few chances where both goalkeepers were rarely tested, the biggest moment came in the final minutes when the BUs were denied what they thought was a clear penalty. Before that, the large crowd witnessed what was a largely scrappy game where either team might have snatched the winner although a draw was probably a fair result.

Albion Rovers looked the better side in the first fifteen minutes or so although Bo’ness grew into the half that saw action at either side. There’s no doubt the BU defence was the busier in these early stages but proved effective in keeping the home side at bay who in turn had to do their own work to keep a clean sheet.

After the break Rovers scrambled to clear from a dangerous corner while BU keeper Musa Dibaga got down to make a good save. As the game wore on it increasingly looked like one goal would settle things although the lack of clear-cut chances made a draw the most likely outcome. However just before the end Tom Grant looked to have been tripped in the Rovers box but despite the vociferous appeals by the Bo’ness players the referee refused to give the penalty award. On top of this BU manager Stuart Hunter was shown an uncharacteristic red card, clearly convinced in the error of the judgement.

As it was there was to be no scoring and a point against a side who were on a three-game winning run at home must be considered a decent result for the BUs.

Bo'ness: Dibaga, Hawkins, Rutherford (Macaulay 46) Travis, Irving, Gemmell (Stevenson 60), Mitchell, Johnston, Dalziel (Malcolm 68), Porteous, Kennedy (Grant 60). Subs (Not Used): Henderson, Hamilton, SG Ruddy

Match details

Match date

Sat 01 Feb 2025

Kickoff

15:00

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