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Bo'ness got off to a flying start in this one-sided Scottish Junior Cup tie in north east Fife, leading 4-0 after half an hour, and ultimately coasted through with a 7-0 victory. The travelling support could hardly have expected such a comfortable afternoon - St Andrews had picked up ten points from a possible twelve at home in the league this season. However, only the previous weekend St Andrews lost 5-0 at home to Armadale (a team Bo'ness beat 7-0 in their last meeting) in the Fife and Lothians, and it was evident that this result had damaged the home team's self-belief. But Bo'ness could not afford to take anything for granted after that result, given their lamentable form in the Scottish over the past decade, and memories of their last visit to Fife in the competition, when they endured a torrid time at Lochore, eventually going out after a replay.
But any apprehension or nerves coming into the game were soon settled. After a scrappy first ten minutes, Bo'ness scored from a corner on the right, brilliantly swung in by David Wood - whose crosses thus far had been miserable - flicked on, then nodded in at the far post by David Muirhead.
Two minutes later, Andy Grant had a fine curling effort from 25 yards comfortably saved by Neil Binnie - almost the only time in the half that the goalkeeper was called into action. Hopes of an equaliser were short-lived for Saints. With thirteen minutes on the clock, the BUs extended their lead with an excellent goal. Mooney flicked a superb ball into space ahead of Wood on the left, who charged into the box and, with options to play the ball across, instead opted to drill the ball across the face of the goal and into the far corner.
Bo'ness were already looking very comfortable, but the tie was effectively killed off with a bizarre goal just eight minutes later, with Gordon Herd outpacing a defender to get clear on goal; his first effort was well blocked by the 'keeper, but the ball deflected back up and bounced off Herd to go over the goal line.
Evidently, it was going to be one of those days when everything works out. The visitors' confidence was demonstrated by their fourth goal, on the half hour, when a high ball was lobbed forward and won by Dale Ryan, who once inside the box unleashed a ferocious volley from twelve yards which flew into the top corner. The goalkeeper hadn't a prayer.
With St Andrews in a state of shock, Bo'ness added one more before the interval. Gary Smith played a high ball forward which Ryan headed into the path of Herd. Under pressure from a defender, Herd demonstrated his composure with a lovely finish, curling the ball out of the goalkeeper's reach and into the corner of the net.
The home side, presumably subject to a "pep talk" at half time, began the second half in a more sprightly and determined fashion, playing better football than in the first period and applying more pressure. Still, though, they were unable to create many real opportunities, and after coming through the opening twenty minutes of the second half with their five goal lead intact, it was once more Bo'ness who looked more likely to add to the scoring. Muirhead hit a low shot just wide of the post, then, about midway through the second half, Herd whacked a tremendous long range effort of the bar. St Andrews had not escaped, though. The ball bounced off the woodwork and into the path of substitute Greig Hodge who was denied the chance to simply knock in the rebound when brought down from behind. Herd stepped up to complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot.
Ryan completed the rout with a little under quarter of an hour to play, putting a well directed header into the net after connecting with a cross from the right. Smith and Jeffrey might have added to the scoring but both missed good chances in the air. Then in the dying minutes Ryan should have completed a hat-trick, when he hit the ball over an open net with the goalkeeper on the ground after making a good stop from a Mooney shot.
An insipid showing by St Andrews perhaps made the visitors look a little better than they were, but it was a good performance from the BUs nonetheless. And what a pleasant change for Bo'ness to record arguably the best result of the round and progress with such comfort. Another draw like that in the third round, please.
Bo'ness United: Binnie; Smith, King, Todd, Yates (Dillon), Muirhead, Love (Hodge), Mooney, Ryan, Herd, Wood (Jeffrey).