Dundonald Bluebell 2-2 Bo'ness United

Match report kindly supplied by BRYAN COPELAND.

Tonight is the 2nd game of the season for the BU after the 1-1 opening day draw away to Broxburn last Saturday. The home side however will be fresh as this is their 1st game due to having their opener at home postponed due to a waterlogged pitch so both teams have cause to want all 3 points tonight.

Into the match and it was taken in by a decent crowd with as always a good travelling support for the BU. The home side got us underway kicking from right to left and it was them with the 1st chance as a through ball was hit 1st time from distance. It sailed high wide and out the ground. As the game settled the visitors started to come into the play and a corner saw hunter rise and put a header past the post. Morgan then done well on the right to win a throw which led to another corner. The keeper dived out and managed to just get a touch on it sending it for another corner. The ball was cleared as far as Campbell on the edge of the box and his drive back across goal would have been in with only the slightest touch as the ball went for a goal kick. It was then the home sides turn for some pressure as they worked the ball forward well. BU Gaffer Max Christie was livid on the side lines as a foul was given not far outside the box. The home side played it in and Ex BU player Callum Scott saw an effort come back off the bar. In an end to end spell forward came the BU again with another effort going just wide of the home keepers right hand post. A foul right on the edge of the box gave the home side a free kick and a fantastic effort was struck towards goal, only a brilliant stop from Murphy kept the score at 0-0. A corner swung in by the visitors was an easy catch for the Home keeper. Forward came the BU again however with good play between Morgan & Stevenson, Morgan tried to make room for a shot but found it blocked on the edge of the box. More good play again, this time between Morgan & Gray initially saw a poor return pass to Gray end the move forward. 16 minutes until half time and McKenzie had a wild shot towards goal from way out that saw the ball miss the target by a long way. Hunter was alert at the back to clear a long ball forward from the home side. A well organised BU midfield & defence dealt calmly and easily with a few throw ins and balls forward from the home side before again looking good with quick 1-2 passes going forward, unfortunately the end product looked to be lacking with no shots on the home keepers goal. With 5 minutes of the half remaining the home keeper got a simple catch to make as Campbell got his head on a corner. BU keeper Andy Murphy was then almost the villain as he came rushing out for a long ball forward, he misjudged it but got back before coming off his line again this time making an excellent stop. The home side had a couple of shots from outside the box the 1st well blocked by Hunter and the 2nd well blocked by Jacobs. Nimmo then done well bringing the ball down and played it forward to McKenzie, he lost out but the ball went for a throw. Now right on half time and the opening goal of the game come. Gray crossed well into the area and Hunter rose to head it past the home keeper and into the net off the Stantion. Dundonald 0 - 1 BU. Other than the home side restarting the match there was no more action and the 1st half ended Dundonald 0 - 1 BU.

Into the 2nd half and as the floodlights came on the BU got the match back underway. Only a few minutes in and the match was back level the visiting defence seemed to stop as the home side came forward and with the central defence beat Murphy tried to come off his line to rescue the situation. Unfortunately he was left in no mans land and the ball was placed easily into the bottom corner of the net. Dundonald 1 - 1 BU. The visitors temporarily played with 10 men as McKenzie pulled up and had to receive treatment before the signal to the bench and Gaffer Max Christie was that a change would be required. On came Fraser Keast as McKenzie limped away with the physio. Hunter blocked a cross from the home side sending the ball for a corner that was cleared for another on the opposite side. This time the ball was cleared out and a quick break ensured before it was stopped by the home defence to the right of the box. Forward came the home side again and it was Andy Murphy in goal to the rescue once more as yet more poor defending in the middle of the box almost cost another goal, the ball should have been cleared but still wasn’t after 2 attempts before the home side stung the gloves of Murphy with a shot. The visitors then picked up the tempo and looked good with ball to feet quick passes unfortunately there was no shot on goal at the end of any of the good play. A quick breakaway from the home side almost caught the BU out but Hewitt was alert and rose well to head the ball back into the gloves of Murphy. Jacobs fizzed a great ball over the box but it missed everyone only for Morgan to burst a gut and keep it in play, another ball in looked dangerous but it was cleared before Keast could get a shot away. More good play starting from Hunter at the back had the visitors on the attack again and another good cross this time found Morgan, he got his shot away and it was on target but blocked by the home defence. As the home side tried to break quickly Hewitt found himself in the referees book for a body check on the half way line. The visitors were now looking promising playing some really good football and a goal was there if only there was an end product. Unfortunately the match was turned on it’s head with 17 minutes remaining as a ball forward to the half way line had the home side l running towards goal, the BU defence beaten for pace all the way in they went to box before calmly slotting the ball low into the corner past Murphy. Dundonald 2 - 1 BU. A substitution for the visitors saw Stevenson replaced by a trialist before the game got back underway. The BU played their way forward into the box but again with no end product the home keeper wasn’t troubled. Forward again however came the BU and a corner was swung into the box, the ball bounced around the penalty spot before eventually being cleared by the home defence. Good play from Hunter down the left had the visitors on the attack again and as the ball came back out the box Hunter again done superbly to retain possession and win a corner. Morgan swung it in and it was headed away before being returned quickly by Jacobs. The home keeper was quick off his line and caught the ball easily. The visitors weren’t giving up and win another corner that had to be cleared by the home defence, the ball was returned again but the same result ensued as the home side cleared yet again. The referee awarded a free kick to the home side for handball on the half way line which resulted in a yellow card for Nimmo as he attempted to argue the decision. Murphy in the BU goal gathered the ball and played it back up he pitch quickly as the game now went into added time. The final chance for the BU was a free kick swung into the box by Morgan, the BU had everyone but Murphy in the home box and the initial ball was cleared but soon the ball was in the net as it was returned to the box there was a bit of a mix up before Keast found the net 4 minutes into stoppage time. Dundonald 2 - 2 BU. You would think that would be it but the referee played on and the home side broke forward and could have won the tie with everyone beat it was left to Murphy to perform another superb save to keep the ball out the net and seconds later he was called on again as the ball looked to be heading for the back of the net but yet again Murphy somehow got there and made the stop. Finally after a frantic ending and 7 minutes added time the match ended BU 2 - 2 Dundonald.