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After a series of recent cup exits - and not always against the mightiest opposition - Bo'ness turned in an assured performance with two goals from Paul McKinlay to advance to the last four of the East of Scotland Cup.
The final score did not flatter the home side, who might easily have scored four or five and largely looked comfortable at the back. Edinburgh's best opportunity came after 13 minutes, but they were denied when BUs' goalkeeper Neil Binnie rushed out to smother the ball at the attacker's feet. Until the last ten minutes, when a splendid looping header forced an excellent save from Binnie, the visitors threatened little more than a few speculative long range efforts.
Bo'ness might have moved in front inside the opening quarter, but Alan Ward was well denied by the Edinburgh 'keeper, a candidate for man of the match, who scrambled out to the 18 yard line to block the effort.
The home team had not benefited from any breaks going forward, and had been regularly caught offside, but got lucky after 31 minutes when a defender failed to cut out a poor low cross from the right by Colin Inglis. McKinlay was on hand to lash the ball past the goalkeeper from six yards out.
With Bo'ness seemingly cruising at the break, it appeared that a single goal would probably be sufficient to kill the tie. And it was McKinlay again who should have scored just five minutes into the second half, again fed by Colin Inglis, but missed an open goal when he took his eye of the ball, allowing it to slip through his legs and behind for a goal kick.
Nevertheless, amends were made in the 66th minute when a route one approach led to John Black sending through McKinlay, who superbly turned the ball past the goalkeeper and inside the post to virtually book the semi-final berth.
As the BUs went for the jugular, Kevin Inglis twice drew good saves from the visiting goalkeeper, enough to keep Edinburgh just in the game, but their late attempted rally failed, with incisive attacks made even more arduous by the home side's withdrawal into defence.
A relief for Bo'ness United to remain in one of the bigger knockout competitions, while the composed performance suggested that the silverware cabinet might not necessarily be empty come the end of the season.
Bo'ness: Binnie; Black, King, No 4 (Loney), Yates, C Inglis (Sludden), K Inglis, Kemp, McKinlay, Ward (No 12), Ryan.
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