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Season 1997/98 For much of the 1997/98 season, Bo'ness put up a strong challenge for the league title, but it was ultimately won by the more consistent Whitburn. The season began well, with the club advancing from the group stage of the league cup, including two wins, 2-0 away and 2-1 at home, over local rivals Linlithgow Rose (the latter involved a sensational comeback with two goals inside the last ten minutes) and a promising league campaign start - including an 8-1 home thrashing of Tranent with seven second half goals, but things soon began to go awry: there were two major set-backs, a convincing defeat away to Whitburn and Scottish Cup elimination at the hands of Central League side Neilston, by 4-1. League form soon began to be affected, and problems were evident in a David Moffat cup clash with Dalkeith - bottom of the entire Eastern League - when they had to come from 1-0 down at home to take a 2-1 lead, before missing chances and allowing their less-illustrious opponents and equaliser. Penalties were necessary, and the BUs squeezed through, winning the shootout 3-0, despite Halford's effort finding orbit, when Binnie saved two and another Dalkeith penalty was fired wide. After this, league form deteriorated further, and Bo'ness effectively fell out of the race. There remained only the David Moffat Cup to fight for after being embarrassingly ousted at home by Linlithgow in another competition. There would be some league consolation, though. Not only did the Rose not succeed in their late challenge for the title, but Bo'ness secured a morale raising win over Whitburn. With Whitburn needing just a point from their trip to Newtown Park to secure the championship, the BUs were determined that, even if their own chances were almost gone, their visitors would not clinch the title on Bo'ness' own turf. They looked on course to do so, however, until three minutes from time, when the ball fell to Steve Bryce about thirty yards out. The mercurial Brycie just looked up, and smashed a sensational volley over the goalkeeper for the 1-0 win. This victory would have more important consequences. After Bo'ness slightly surprisingly won at Camelon, where they had been knocked out of the league cup and lost a league fixture already this season, they had to go to Whitburn in the David Moffat Cup semi-final. Against all the odds, Bo'ness produced another narrow victory to secure a final place against...Linlithgow. The two sides had met five times already this season, Bo'ness winning the first three (the league cup games and then a 1-0 home league win thanks to a fourth minute Darryl Drew goal) and losing the two most recent. This was to be the BUs day, however. After having the better of most of the game, they were awarded a penalty kick with just six minutes left on the clock. Up stepped big Paul McKinlay, to fire Bo'ness to their third cup win in two years.
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