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Bo'ness have a strange knack of failing to win when they deserve to, and fortunately winning when they are outplayed. Last time they met Bonnyrigg at Newtown they did the latter; this time two late goals from the visitors gave them an ill-deserved three points to maintain their one hundred per cent league record.
With regulars such as goalkeeper Neil Binnie, midfielder Greig Hodge and forward Sean Irvine missing, Bo'ness had the look of an under-strength team about them early on, and went behind after just five minutes to a weak header which reserve goalkeeper Mitchell should have dealt better with, palming into his own net. The BUs responded well, however, and should have levelled just a minute later when the unmarked Ward headed wide from inside the six yard box.
Even with the balance of play in favour of Bo'ness, it was Bonnyrigg came agonisingly close to extending their lead just after the half hour, when they hit the bar twice in a matter of minutes. The first looked as if it may have crossed the line before bouncing out, but the referee, without the aid of assistants, could only allow play to continue.
Regardless, Bo'ness were well worth the 1-1 scoreline at half-time, achieved through a powerful low drive from Brian Kemp from outside the area after five minutes of stoppage time.
And how the home side failed to collect full points in the second half was mind-boggling. Now in near complete control of midfield, Bonnyrigg's only threat came from rare counter-attacks. Early in the half, John Sludden forced a magnificent save from the goalkeeper, who tipped the Bo'ness player-manager's curling effort wide of his right post. The home side came even closer when substitute Paul McKinlay rattled the crossbar with a marvellous free-kick with around fifteen minutes to play.
But, with ten minutes to go, Bonnyrigg cashed in their Get Out of Jail Free card. When a dubious free-kick was awarded for an Inglis foul just inside the Bo'ness half, the ball was pumped into the box where a remarkable diving header sent the ball in off Mitchell's right-hand post - the goalkeeper this time was left with no chance.
As Bo'ness pushed for the equaliser, a breakaway from a corner-kick allowed Bonnyrigg to score a third after 87 minutes, when a shot rebounded off a post to the feet of an attacker.
Bo'ness: Mitchell; Smith, King, Black, Yates, Inglis, Drew, Kemp, Ward (McKinlay), Sludden, Loney
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