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Bo'ness United's hopes of tangible reward from their fine season received a blow with elimination from the Doug 'n' Al sponsored Brown Cup at home to Camelon, after an unlucky late own goal by David King. It was an unfortunate way to end a very even, well-contested and highly enjoyable 90 minutes which brightened up this drab May evening.
Those who opted to brave the chill and showers were treated to a splendid first half, end to end, energetic, and at times frantic. Following United's previous victories in this competition - quite dreadful and lifeless wins over Fauldhouse and Broxburn - this was quite a change. The first chance came for the visitors after eight minutes when their No.7 was played through in the box, but under pressure his effort from ten yards was parried by Kevin McFarlane, deputising for the injured Neil Binnie in the Bo'ness goal.
Four minutes later Camelon were threatening again, when an unconvincing challenge from Dougie Todd in the Bo'ness defence allowed No.11 to raid down the right and swing a ball into the box. No.9 collected it at the far post, but was denied from eight yards out when King made a terrific sliding block.
Bo'ness, though, came closest yet with quarter of an hour on the clock when ex-Camelon full-back Gary Smith went on a typical surging run forward, cut inside and saw his left-footed effort loop deceptively over the goalkeeper and onto the bar, before bouncing to safety. It was as near as either side would come in the first period, but despite the absence of goals it was an engaging forty five minutes, played at pace and flowing nicely. Camelon's No.9 drew a good stop from McFarlane with an effort from outside the box, and Wood and Mooney both forced the Camelon 'keeper into action with shots from distance as both sides displayed their willingness to push forward.
Pleasingly, the match continued in similar vain in the second half. Camelon, though, were stronger in the early stages of the second period, and indeed their No.7 could well have had a hat-trick before the hour mark. First, with 52 minutes played, he blazed an effort over McFarlane's crossbar from ten yards out.
Five minutes later, Camelon's centre forward broke through on goal, but as he tried to round the goalkeeper, McFarlane held him up well, forcing him wide. But with the 'keeper out of position, the No.9 played a ball across the face of the goal to No.7 at the far post, whose attempt to knock the ball into the empty net was denied when Smith somehow managed to make a sliding clearance to keep the score level. And a minute later, Smith was the hero again with a second goal line clearance, after Jamie Loney had presented the No.7 with the ball and a clear run on goal after being caught in possession.
Following this hat-trick of let-offs, however, Bo'ness came right back into the contest and gradually assumed the momentum. They nearly worked a goal with three quarters of the game played but were denied by some determined defending in a packed penalty area, and in the following minutes David Wood dragged a shot just wide from out on the left, before substitute Dean McPherson, supplied by Gordon Herd, chipped over from the edge of the area when better might have been expected - a driven effort was surely the better option.
Then, with nine minutes to play, it looked as if the home team had been the beneficiaries of some outrageous luck. A McPherson effort from 25 yards struck team-mate and fellow substitute Gordon Abbott (making his first appearance of the season following injury) on the edge of the box and took a wicked deflection, leaving the wrong-footed goalkeeper with no chance as the ball bounced into the net. However, celebrations were cut short when the referee ruled Abbott to have been in an offside position. Very much a reprieve for Camelon.
By this point penalty kicks were looming, but this was always an unlikely candidate for a goalless draw - and on 85 minutes, the goal duly came when Camelon received their own slice of outrageous fortune. King tried to block a (seemingly wayward) shot from 25 yards, only to see the ball come off his outstretched boot and fly just inside McFarlane's left hand post. Again no chance for the goalkeeper, only this time there was also no chance of the referee disallowing the goal. Somewhat against the run of play, the visitors had a late lead.
Cue frantic late efforts from the home team to force penalty kicks, but the ball would not fall for them and Camelon held on for a narrow 1-0 win from a splendid cup tie.
Bo'ness United: McFarlane; Smith (McPherson), Loney, Todd [capt], King, Muirhead, Ryan, Mooney, Herd, Jeffrey (Abbott), Wood.