Bo'ness United 0-1 Blackburn United

A view from the terraces, kindly provided by BRYAN COPELAND!

With no competitive game last week for the BU a friendly was organised against the Junior side for midweek as Max Christie aims to keep his squad fresh and prepared for more upcoming important league games. The stunning record of never having lost a league game since taking over the BU in January still stands for Max Christie and with the BU sitting top of the table this season 4 points clear no one wants the run to end.
It’s going to be a difficult few weeks ahead for the BU as after today’s match there’s a trip to Hill of Beath in the league, an away cup tie at now Lowland League Bonnyrigg Rose plus league games at home to Camelon and away to Whitehill before facing Broxburn at home all before Xmas.
Focusing on today however our opponents will be up for the game having had some very good results recently and a player sitting 4th in the leagues top scorers on 7 goal which Brian Morgan tops for us on 9 goals. The table was published by the EOS and is correct up to the end of October.
A final push before the Xmas break is what’s in order for the home side today and the large BU support will be out at all the upcoming games including today to spur the team on I’m sure. Admittedly and it’s been said by the Gaffer and some of the players the BU have won some games this season playing really well and others we have won we haven’t played well but if u give anyone associated with the BU 3 points in the long run how u get them dosen’t matter.

Into today’s game and it was taken in by the usual large BU Support as the home side attacked the goal towards Kinneil School. Within minutes the home side had a chance at goal with a free kick not far outside the box to the centre of goal. Stevenson and Grant stood over it with Grant striking the ball against the defensive wall. The opening goal came after 9 minutes and it was for the visitors, Hunter played the ball back to Murphy and an error gave control to the visitors who simply passed the keeper and slotted the ball into the waiting net. BU 0 - 1 Blackburn. The home side tried to keep the ball and pass it but some was poor. A shout for a penalty just inside the box was waved away by the referee when from distance it looked a foul by the visitors. A long range effort wide of the post from the hone side 20 minutes in was the closest the home side got to an equaliser so far. A dangerous ball across the box from the visitors came off the boot of Campbell and could have went anywhere thankfully for the home side it was no where near the goal. A good move down the right brought the visiting keeper into action as he got down well to save a shot before his defence cleared for a throw in. Jacobs took it long into the box but no one in blue could get on the end of it. The home side tried to get back in the game and a header that could and possibly should have hit the target from Grant went over the bar. The home side were in on goal again minutes later but the far side linesman raised his flag for offside. Another crunching challenge came in from the visitors meaning a free kick to the right off the box for the home side. The cross was defended and as the BU came forward again another hard challenge from the visitors meant another free kick to the BU. Stevenson curled the ball to the back post but as the attacker advances the ball landed with the keeper and a foul was given on him. As half time approached Campbell had a header easily save by the visiting keeper. A corner to the visitors was to be the last action of the half and as the ball was headed away by Hunter the home side tried one last attack which came to nothing.
Half time BU 0 - 1 Blackburn.

Into the 2nd half and the visitors burst forward only for Hunter to stop then with a brilliantly timed tackle. In his 1st change the BU Gaffer sent Syme on for Jacobs and Keast was unlucky at the other end for the BU before it looked like it could be even a great ball found Ritchie at the back post but his shot went over the bar. An injury concern for the BU arose as Keast went didn’t holding his hamstring and was replaced by Henderson. Andy Murphy kept the score at just the 1 for the visitors with a really good save now 15 minutes into the half as the home side still struggled to get a foothold in the game. From the suns the formation changed with Syme slotting into left back McKenzie going out wide and Ritchie moving up front. Grant swung a corner in and Hunter was on the end of it only for the ball to go over the bar. The final change from the BU manager saw McKenzie replaced by Morgan with 27 minutes to go. The visitors broke forward quickly and Campbell took 1 for the team as he received a yellow card for a foul to half the progress. Forward again came the home side with a great ball out to the left the was flicked on to Stevenson who dug out a good cross the clearance fell to Henderson who took a touch and stung the gloves of the visiting keeper, the visitors scrambled to get the ball clear and another shot from the edge of the box was blocked as the home side now looked to lift the temp and get get forward. Another great cross ashy ended up in the net as the visiting keeper palmed the ball away yet again. The passing looked slightly sharper and quicker from the home side but were almost undone by a quick break as the visitors got forward. Massive speaks for a penalty went up from the visitors but the referee awarded a free kick right on the edge of the box and booked Devine for his foul. The free kick was hit direct and came back off the BU wall. Forward came the home side again and got a chance of their own as the referee bizarrely awarded an indirect free kick inside the box. The ball was touched then fired towards goal but blocked before the rebound was hit wide for a goal kick. The visitors came forward and a shot on goal didn’t trouble Murphy with the na going high and wide. The home side laid the pressure on again as a great ball in from Stevenson was just turned away for a corner with Ritchie advancing for a tap in. Morgan sent in a great corner that was cleared as far as Grant who done well to beat his man and get it back over forcing the Blackburn keeper to make a save. 7 minutes to go and a great chance to level for the BU as they came forward a clear foul in the box saw the referee point to the spot. The visitors appealed but it was a clear foul and the penalty decision was correct. With penalty taker Morgan on the pitch he would take it but Stevenson stepped up and as he tried to place it in the corner the ball came back off the post. Things went from bad to worse for the visitors as a free kick was well taken into the box and from just a few yards out Ritchie turned it towards goal only for the visiting keeper to save it when it looked like a certain goal. The pressure was continued to be piled on but the visitors were blasting the ball as far out the park as they could to break up the play. With the BU playing better second half but still not a great performance the visitors saw it out and the match ended BU 0 - 1 Blackburn.