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With something approaching their strongest team available for the first time under Jimmy Sandison, Bo'ness United showed great improvements on the midweek League Cup capitulation to Camelon to take a point at Oakley in their first ever Super League game - though there was disappointment that they failed to do more. Having recovered from a goal down to lead their hosts 2-1, Bo'ness had to settle for a draw after conceding an equaliser against a side who finished with nine men following two sending offs. It was a busy day at the office for the referee, who also granted either side a penalty kick as well as flashing his red card twice in addition to numerous yellows.
It was no great surprise that Oakley failed to finish the match with their full complement of players following their "physical" (euphemism) first half display. Indeed, their imposing defence's strongarm tactics were the chief feature of a first period which was starved of goal chances, if not talking points. A controversial approach, perhaps, but an undeniably effective one. Bo'ness looked most dangerous when they were able to get the ball on the turf and play football, but there wasn't enough of that - their more notable efforts in the opening 35 minutes were an unthreatening header from skipper Derek Yates, making his first appearance of the season, and a long-range shot from Dale Ryan which comfortably passed the post by some six yards or more. Oakley, for their part, looked less likely overall, but still managed to match the Bo'ness attempts with a tame header and wild long-range strike of their own.
At least goals began to look more of a possibility in the closing stages of the half. With 37 minutes gone Dougie Todd came closest yet for Bo'ness, a fine curling free kick effort from 25 yards flying narrowly wide of the goalkeeper's right post. With 44 minutes on the clock, the visitors then produced the best chance so far - David Muirhead getting on the end of a long ball, and John Jeffrey chased onto his superb downward header from the edge of the box. Through on goal, but under pressure, the striker poked his left foot effort inches wide.
Not to be outdone, Oakley responded with an injury time chance of their own. A throw-in from the right was flicked into the danger area, but from six yards a forward could only stab the ball over the crossbar.
The football game had at last come alive, and thankfully the interruption of half-time did not stunt the development of a gripping contest. It was Oakley who opened the scoring thirteen minutes into the second period from the penalty spot - Yates presenting a forward with a leg to fall over, and the Oakley player accepted the invitation, turning into the defender and going down for the award of a spot kick. Unquestionably the forward had played for the penalty, but the referee had no doubts. Neither did the No.5, who stepped up to belt the ball home.
The BUs received a boost five minutes later when Oakley were reduced to ten men, their No.11 sent off for dissent, his second yellow card. Harsh for the player, particularly given some of the his team mates' tackles that the referee had let go.
Bo'ness wasted little time in cashing in on their numerical advantage. On 67 minutes Ryan, having a splendid game, played Jeffrey through on goal with a magnificent low ball in behind the defence. The forward's effort went wide, but he was fouled by the No.4 as he took the shot. The second penalty of the game, and Muirhead confidently evened matters up at 1-1 from 12 yards.
The momentum was now back with the visitors, and on 73 minutes they took the lead. Gary Smith played a great ball down the right wing which Ryan chased and crossed into the box; with a near post run, Gordon Abbott poked the ball in from six yards.
Against ten men, that should probably have been game over. And Oakley's defeat looked confirmed two minutes later when they had a second man sent off. After Abbott played a short pass to Todd, Oakley's already-cautioned No.3 lunged into a fifty-fifty tackle. Todd went down, and the red card came straight out.
Remarkably, however, a goal and two men worse off, Oakley found a new level. Bo'ness hardly looked like a team with a considerable numerical advantage. They looked for a third but lacked the killer ball, while Oakley were causing greater problems at the other end. Twelve minutes from time Cairns was forced into two good saves. First the No.4 was denied after a shooting chance had opened up for him from a corner; then a fine long distance effort from No.14 was turned away for a corner.
The impressive but tiring Yates was replaced as Bo'ness looked to shore up at the back, but Oakley would soon have their equaliser. Nine minutes from time, a corner kick from the right was met by the No.4, whose looping header beat Cairns.
With neither side able to forge a clear chance in the remainder of the match - though not through lack of effort - both had to settle for a 2-2 scoreline. Oakley, in the circumstances, will have been happier. For Bo'ness there was the feeling of two points thrown away - never the best way to start a league season - but at least the consolation of a much-improved performance.
Bo'ness United: Cairns; Smith, Loney, Todd, Yates [capt] (McCluskey). Borroughs, Ryan (Struthers), McPherson, Abbott, Muirhead, Jeffrey.