Match Preview 2024 2025
Linlithgow Rose
Park’s Motor Group Lowland League
Prestonfield
Saturday 01 March 2025

Originally scheduled as the first game of the new year but postponed due to the weather, Bo’ness United visit Prestonfield on Saturday to meet derby rivals Linlithgow Rose. Playing their second Lowland League campaign, the Rose are doing well, currently in fourth place in the table. They enjoyed a win at Tranent last weekend to consolidate their position and catching second place Caledonian Braves with a game in hand is not beyond their reach. However, seven behind top place East Kilbride having played two games may be a step too far.

Bo’ness hosted Linlithgow in the final game of last year, the contest finishing with a convincing win for the visitors. Dylan Paterson and Dean Watson put Linlithgow ahead before Ryan Porteous got Bo’ness off the mark from a free kick that saw Linlithgow’s Louis Maguire red carded. Into the second half and the BUs were unable to make use of the extra man and before the end Calum Rae scored a third for the Rose (Report). In last season’s contest at Prestonfield Ryan Porteous put Bo’ness ahead before Conor McKenzie equalised before the break. Louis Kennedy scored a late winner for Bo’ness much to the joy of the visiting support (Report).

A lack of consistency has been a problem for Bo’ness this season meaning they are stuck in midtable though working to put together a run to move them up the order. Even on Saturday a poor first half saw them two down, Danny Galbraith and Jamie Semple scoring for Gala Fairydean Rovers. In the second period Ryan Schiavone and Keir Macaulay brought the BUs level and might have got a winner before the end (Report).

Linlithgow Rose have also demonstrated some inconsistency, although being fifteen points ahead of the BUs tells its own story of their season so far. The Rose are hot favourites to win this one and the Bo’ness management and players alike know they have to be very good to take anything from the game. It is a derby match and a big crowd is expected with many supporting the team in blue and hopefully the BUs can manage the occasion to get the result that can provide a platform for the rest of the season.

John Spowart
28 February 2025

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2024/2025

Date – Saturday 28 December 2024

Competition – Park’s Motor Group Lowland League

Bo’ness United 1
(Porteous 45)

Linlithgow 3
(Paterson 35, Watson 37, Rae 79)

It proved a disappointing afternoon for Bo’ness United as they lost out to Linlithgow Rose in the first of the festive derbies. Two down, just before the break the BUs pulled one back as Linlithgow were reduced to ten men but with a punchless second half display Bo’ness were unable to take advantage, Linlithgow sealing the points with a third just before the end.

In the first thirty minutes play was even with opportunities at either end, the closest a Dylan Paterson free kick shot well saved by Cade Melrose who also stopped Dean Watson’s follow up. However, two Linlithgow goals in two minutes had the visitors firmly in the driving seat, the first Dylan Paterson connecting with a Jack Ogilvie low cross to divert the ball into the opposite corner of the Bo’ness net. The second saw Dean Watson making room for himself to hit a low shot that beat Melrose from twenty yards. Just on half time Linlithgow were reduced to ten men as Louis Maguire’s barge on Kyle Johnston was judged to be preventing a goal scoring opportunity and the player was sent off. From the resulting free kick Ryan Porteous fired low past Cameron Binnie

A great time to score but after the break Bo’ness struggled to break down the Linlithgow defence and it was the Rose who looked the more dangerous with their quick breaks up the park. Unable to make the breakthrough, any hope of a Bo’ness comeback was shattered late on as the ball was given away allowing Calum Rae to run from half way before smashing an unstoppable shot past Cade Melrose.

This was a deserved Linlithgow Rose win and Bo’ness are left to lick their wounds, leaving manager Stuart Hunter with plenty to think about as the sides meet again at Prestonfield next weekend.

Bo’ness: Melrose, Stevenson, Macaulay, Irving, Travis, Johnston (Henderson 79), Stenhouse, Grant (Hamilton 74), Osadolor (Schiavone 63), Porteous, Mitchell (Kennedy 74). Subs (Not Used): Gemmell, Duffy, Masson,

Linlithgow: Binnie, Thomson, Thom, Skinner, Paterson, McMullen (McMartin 74), Brown (Devine 63), Watson (Rae 74), Ogilvie, Allan. Maguire. Subs (Not used): Wallace, Allison, Sneddon, McCracken.

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2023/2024

Date – Saturday 23 March 2024

Competition –Park’s Motor Group Lowland League

Linlithgow Rose 1
(McKenzie 29)

Bo'ness United 2
(Porteous 5, Kennedy 90)

Two Bo’ness United goals bookended what was a typically tough derby match where good football proved scarce in a scrappy affair littered with yellow cards plus one red shown in the dying minutes of this closely fought contest.

It was five minutes in when the BUs took the lead with a good passing move, JJ Henderson prompting Fin Malcolm wide on the right and his cross was contested by Adam Masson and Ryan Porteous the latter getting the decisive touch to loop the ball over Rose keeper Cameron Binnie and into the net. Linlithgow struck back on the half hour, a long throw knocked on to the back post where Conor McKenzie headed past Musa Dibaga.

Both sides worked hard in the second half to get a winner, the closest for the Rose being a Dylan Paterson free kick shot that curled just wide. However, it was the BUs who secured the winner in ninety minutes, a Tom Grant corner bouncing around the box before Louis Kennedy pounced to side foot a deflected shot past the stranded Binnie. The Linlithgow misery was compounded in time added on when Owen Foster was shown his second yellow card of the match followed by the inevitable red.

Needless to say, the final whistle was met with great celebrations both on and off the park as the BUs once more demonstrated their ability to work until the very end. This work ethic once more reaped the reward of another three points, welcome both in terms of maintaining their third place but extra special as won against their old derby rivals.

Bo'ness: Dibaga, Stevenson, Irving, Travis, Hawkins, Henderson, Malcolm (Kennedy 61), Johnston, Dalziel (McArthur 73), Grant, Porteous (Macaulay 90). Subs (Not Used): Hamilton, Gemmell, Rutherford, SG Ruddy:

Linlithgow: Binnie, Thomson, Thom, McMullen (Ogilvie 77), Devine, McKenzie (Maguire 77), Sneddon (Paterson68), Rae (Simpson 85), Masson (Penman 85), Allan, Foster. Subs (Not Used):
McDowell SG McMinn

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2024/2025

Date – Saturday 22 February 2025

Competition – Park’s Motor Group Lowland League

Bo’ness United 2
(Schiavone 58, Macaulay 85)

Gala Fairydean Rovers 2
(Galbraith 4, Semple 42)

It was a case of the good, the bad and the ugly for Bo’ness United as they recovered from a two goal first half deficit to eventually earn a draw at home to bottom side Gala Fairydean Rovers.

Gala scored in the first five minutes ex BU Danny Galbraith latching on to a through chip before smashing a shot past BU keeper Liam Campbell. The goal gave Rovers confidence and they started to dominate proceedings, Lewis Hall heading wide from a Danny Galbraith cross. Bo’ness struggled to get to grips with the game with little or no flow to their game as Gala closed them down at every opportunity. The BUs gradually got their act together and it was ironic that just before the break they lost a second goal Jamie Semple heading home from close in.

BU manager rung the changes for the second half as Bo’ness looked to get back into the game. It was Gala though that had a chance to extend their lead even further a Che Reilly shot deflected past the post. However the game was more and more being played in the Fairydean half and with just over thirty minutes left Bo’ness eventually scored, Ryan Schiavone meeting Kieran Mitchell’s great cross to head into the net. Soon after Schiavone was unlucky not to equalise seeing his shot crashing off the bar. The clock was running down, Gala doing their best to use up every second and were five minutes from achieving their aim until an inswinging Keir Macaulay corner found the far corner of the net. Bo’ness pushed for the winner and came close with a Kyle Johnston header going just over.

In the end the draw did not satisfy either team, Gala disappointed at giving up a two goal lead while Bo’ness were looking to capitalise on a home game against a team struggling down the bottom of the league. Next week it’s Linlithgow Rose away and Bo’ness know they must improve to get a result at Prestonfield.

Bo’ness: Campbell. Hawkins (Stevenson 46), Macaulay, Irving (Duffy 46), Hutchison, Johnston, Mitchell, Dowling (Hamilton 77), Schiavone, Foster (Grant 77), Kennedy (Donnelly 46). Subs (Not Used): McCormick, Gemmell