Main | Who? | News | Results | Match Reports | Squad | Stats/Tables | Pictures | Previous Seasons | Honours | Links | Contact
A scoreline to suit the match, as these two sides moved into the festive break with a game which held the attention but rarely promised to produce goals at a rain-soaked Newtown Park. The seven game winning streak of Bo'ness was thus snapped, but they extended their unbeaten run to eight - a notable achievement given the ever-deepening injury concerns, which today saw Gordon Abbott carried off to be replaced by a debutant, and assistant coach John Martin also make his first substitute appearance for the BUs, replacing goalkeeper Mark Cairns.
Bo'ness nearly got on the scoresheet early on when a Martin Mooney corner from the left was met by Billy Struthers, but his headed flick bounced away off the crossbar. An encouraging start for Bo'ness, but as the first half progressed it was Glenrothes who looked stronger, playing the neater football as the home side settled for an unproductive long ball strategy. The Fifers came close on eight minutes, when the ball broke to the No.8 at the edge of the box, but he volleyed narrowly over the bar. On 21 minutes there was a half-chance for the Glenrothes No.9 as his side attacked down the left flank, but 15 yards from goal his effort went straight to the hands of Cairns.
Very little was happening for Bo'ness going forward, but having been very much second best for the opening half hour, they began to claw their way back into the contest and the players believed they had a penalty kick when Abbott was tripped as he jinked past the last defender 18 yards from goal. The foul, however, was awarded just outside the box and the offender escaped a card. Glenrothes were almost punished anyway, but Dougie Todd's piledriver of a free kick was superbly beaten away by the goalkeeper.
Into the second half, the game increasingly had the look of a scoreless draw about it. The BUs attacking threat had been hampered by the forced substitution of Abbott, with a knee injury, shortly before the half, while Glenrothes looked a less impressive proposition than in the first period, with their grip on midfield broken and failing to carve a noteworthy chance in the second forty-five minutes.
Bo'ness had the better chances to take maximum points. On 56 minutes, Abbott's replacement, the No.14, played Jamie Loney through on goal with a fine pass, but the Glenrothes 'keeper was quick off his mark and charged out to block Loney's shot at the edge of his box, his second excellent save of the game. After 72 minutes the away side survived a goalmouth scramble, Ellis' header first being knocked away from the post, and a second strike from six yards blocked by a pack of defenders.
Glenrothes might have had a chance to take advantage of the BUs' misfortune when goalkeeper Cairns - himself in as cover for the injured Jamie Campbell - was forced off with an ailment ten minutes from time, but they were unable to really test the current shape of Airdrie legend John Martin, unexpectedly drafted into action.
A result, then, that neither team can grumble about. Not a score or performance Bo'ness will be delighted with, but under the circumstances they can be satisfied about heading into the break with a long unbeaten run, and hope that their onerous injury concerns will have eased slightly by mid-January.
Bo'ness United: Cairns (Martin); Ellis, Dolan, Todd [capt], Burrows, Loney, Ryan, Mooney, Thomas, Struthers (Jeffrey), Abbott (No.14).