Bo'ness United 0-0 Dunbar United

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

With the pitch at Tranent last week deemed unplayable the last time the BU saw competitive action was Wednesday the 19th winning a home cup tie against promotion chasing Edinburgh United. With league games called off the past 2 weekends the last league match was back near the beginning of the month on the 8th with the BU coming out 1-0 winners at home to Dundonald. The artificial surface at Newtown Park comes to the fore today however as we face what will be a tough match against Dunbar however with matches again falling victim to the weather deeming pitches unplayable it is a chance to extend our lead at the top of the Premier league table. The Gaffer and players have been all to well aware that keeping playing and winning is important and a bounce game at home against Berwick through the week saw the BU win 3-1 and in doing so hopefully maintains the confidence and fitness amongst the squad. Today’s opponents gave a good account of themselves when we travelled through to Dunbar earlier in the season and although they are in the bottom half of the table they will not be taken lightly by any means today. The usual large home support will be once again out in force urging the players on and all hopeful of another 3 points for the home side.

Into the match then and the home side began attacking the goal towards fisons with the wind at their backs. The opening 15minutes saw the home side with most of the possession but only 1 save for the visiting keeper to make as Comrie had a shot on target at the near post. A decent move forward from the home side saw Morgan feed the ball through to Keast but the keeper was out to clear before he could get on the end of it. 18 minutes in and controversy as a clear foul with 2 hands pushing the back of Morgan inside the box, down he went but the linesman turned a blind eye and didn’t raise his flag and the referee waved away the appeal from all around the terraces, home bench and players on the pitch. A very lucky escape for the visitors as it was most certainly a stone wall penalty. At the other end a free kick on the edge of the box gave the visitors a chance but it was straight at the defensive wall and away for a corner. The ball came across the box this time and was cleared but soon returned in and as it looked in the air Murphy in the BU goal clutched it without any danger coming. The home side were trying to press forward but moves were breaking down on the edge of the box as Dunbar piled bodies behind the ball in defence. A good ball wide found Jacobs who crossed but Morgan’s shot was saved by the keeper. A superb cross field ball found Stevenson in acres of space 33 minutes in and he controlled it so well he was running in 1 on 1 with the keeper, he shit towards goal but unfortunately it was straight at the keeper who was already on the way down to make the save as the ball hit straight off him. A quick throw out wide gave Comrie time to take a touch and cross but the ball didn’t get past the 1st man in black and white for Dunbar. Then a superb cross field ball from right to left by Jacobs found Stevenson in acres of space, he crossed well and it was cleared as far as Comrie in the edge of the box who skidded his shot and as it was cleared Morgan tried to keep the move going but couldn’t. The ball was soon back at the right end for the home side this time Comrie chested it down on the edge of the box and hit a good shot that was on target and had to be saved by the Dunbar keeper. At the end of the half the visitors had a low ball across the box that went for a goal kick which was then the last kick before it ended BU 0 - 0 Dunbar.

Into the 2nd half and 3 opportunities for the home sled came straight from the start 1st a save from the keeper rebounded only for the follow up shot to go wide and not long after another chance went begging as the ball went off target. From the sideline it looked like 1 man up front at home against a team putting everyone behind the ball just wasn’t working for the home side as again they enjoyed possession but poses very little threat on goal. A free kick offered the opportunity to put a ball in but it was wasted as it was hit straight at a costing player who simply headed the ball clear. Another free kick this time out on the left was swung in but the keeper punched it clear, it landed nicely on the edge of the box for a shot which was hit wide of the post. More forward play from the home side saw another chance go begging as a shot was deflected away for a corner. Even though they were against the wind it was still all the home side as the visitors even with a wind at their backs were barley over the half way line. Still however the goal eluded and with. 25 minutes to go the score remained 0-0. On a rare move forward the visitors got a corner that was easily dealt with by the home defence and with 20 minutes to go BU Gaffer Max Christie rolled the dice using all 3 subs in one go. Off came Keast, Stevenson & Morgan and on came Ritchie, Anderson & McKenzie. Ritchie has a nice back heal out wide to keep the ball in play and rolled it across the edge of the box for Comrie who hit it on target but it was straight at the keeper who saved comfortably. Ritchie was making an impact since he came on as again he done well this time his efforts winning a corner. In it came and it looked like it must be the goal the home side deserved but the ball went agonisingly wide of the post. As we got into the final 10 minutes you could almost tell that a draw would make the visitors happy as they still packed every man they had behind the ball and every set play they got be it a goal kick throw in it free kick was taking longer and longer for the to restart the game. This however is no excuse for the home side who dominated possession and had chances that could and should have been taken and a lot of the possession they had just didn’t come to any fruition as they struggled to break down he very defensive visitors. 5 minutes to go and a free kick was swung in well by Grant but yet another chance went begging as the header on goal was off target. A quick ball forward had the home side going forward again but the same outcome arose unable to break down a very tight unit. Almost the final kick when more time could and possibly should have been added the last kick was shot from Nimmo which looked a goal all the way but somehow he was denied. As the ball got played up field the match was ended BU 0 - 0 Dunbar.