Match Preview

Match preview submitted by JOHN SPOWART!

Bo’ness United finish off February with a home fixture against Dunbar United, a welcome match after a sparse month of action. The league games at Camelon Juniors, Sauchie Juniors and Tranent Juniors were all called off due to the weather with only the wins against Dundonald Bluebell in the league and Edinburgh United in the League Cup surviving. They did fit in a closed door friendly against Berwick Rangers on Tuesday, a Fraser Keast strike and a Mark McKenzie double being too good for the Lowland League side’s single counter.

Brian Ritchie opened the scoring from the spot in fifteen minutes against Edinburgh and soon after Kieran Anderson scored his first two goals after his recent return to Newtown Park. A comfortable lead at the break, but in the second half, the BUs huffed and puffed and it was Edinburgh who pulled one back through Martin Maughan. However, Bo’ness achieved their aim, a win to progress to the next round. In the Dundonald match Fraser Keast struck early for Bo’ness but again, missed chances prevented a more comprehensive result, including a penalty saved late on.

The corresponding fixture at Dunbar saw Ross Campbell give Bo’ness an early lead and they should perhaps have scored more as they dominated the first half. The second half was more of a scrappy affair but Bo’ness scored a second, Ryan Stevenson converting from the spot after a handball in the box. With ten minutes remaining, substitute Darren McGraw pulled one back but Bo’ness saw the game out for a deserved three points. Dunbar’s last visit to Newtown Park was in the final year of the twentieth century and they won a resounding victory scoring four with only a single Steven Bryce reply for the BUs.

Dunbar are sitting just above the relegation places in the Premier Division and clearly need wins to pull themselves clear. They have only won four points from their last four games, a draw at home to Blackburn United and a win versus Newtongrange Star. Both losses were by the odd goal in seven, running Dundonald Bluebell and Broxburn Athletic close. They scored eleven goals in these games, an impressive count but at the other end lost the same amount. It’s obvious where their problems lie and no doubt, they will be working to improve their defensive record.

Including Dunbar, the BUs have four home and six away fixtures remaining, seven yet to be scheduled and all to be played by the first Saturday in May. A busy two months to come with plenty of tough games to look forward to.

Bo’ness cannot afford too many more slip ups and although Dunbar will be heartened by the fact that both Blackburn and Whitehill Welfare have won at Newtown the BUs are determined to ensure there is no repeat of these types of results. The players know they have to work hard to win and the BU Faithful must encourage them in that task.

John Spowart
26 February 2020