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Bo'ness recorded their first win under Jimmy Sandison in this Tuesday evening
pre-season friendly, seeing off Gala Fairydean with a score of 2-0 thanks
to an early own goal and a late clincher from Stephen Wotherspoon. Pleasingly,
Bo'ness, in their first appearance at Newtown this season, showed greater
staying power than in their weekend matches which both saw the team fall
away in the later stages.
The home team started brightly, showing aggression and exposing the vulnerability of the Gala back line, who looked prone to error and were struggling with the BUs' direct passing. With eleven minutes played, Graeme Donald nearly added to his two weekend goals when he headed a Martin Mooney free kick against the bar.
But Bo'ness were not to be denied for long, finding a goal just two minutes later - albeit one which owed much to good fortune. Dale Ryan got down the right wing to the bye line, and his ball back across goal was deflected into the net at the far post by a defender under no real pressure.
Lifted by this breakthrough, Bo'ness dominated the following minutes, nearly exposing the unconvincing Gala defence on a number of occasions, and coming close to a second goal on twenty minutes. Mooney, so far showing great awareness and enthusiasm, found the run of Donald with a quickly taken free kick midway in the visitors' half, but the latter's effort from the edge of the area was deflected wide. On 31 minutes, Mooney came close himself, latching onto a Gary Smith cross from the right to make good contact with the ball, but he hooked his low volley from twelve yards narrowly wide.
Gala, having failed to forge any chances in the opening half hour, began to threaten more towards the end of the half. On 37 minutes, their No.7 took advantage of hesitant defending on the edge of the Bo'ness box to burst through on goal, but from a tricky angle he could only fire across goal and wide of Cairns' right post. Four minutes later the same player was looking dangerous again, this time with a close range diving header from a right wing cross, but he was unable to turn the ball on target, going wide of the same post.
The second period began in a real cut and thrust manner, both teams showing hunger and aggression, and both teams creating and missing half chances. Gordon Abbott, a half-time substitute, twice went close for Bo'ness, with the visitors' No.8 posing problems at the other end, also passing up a couple of opportunities. With 62 minutes played Abbott had another chance when the Gala 'keeper flapped at a high, looping cross from Mooney. The ball fell for the BU forward, but with the goalkeeper stranded a defender was able to block Abbott's effort from little more than six yards. Five minutes later and another Mooney cross was again exposing Gala's defensive frailties, this time a corner kick which found a wide open Donald, but he headed clear over the bar from ten yards.
Gala were still looking dangerous though, putting pressure on through a series of corner kicks, before the No.8 volleyed just wide from the edge of the box with 70 minutes on the clock. Two minutes later Abbott, looking a real handful, ran onto a forward ball to beat the goalkeeper from an angle, but a defender was able to rush back to hook the ball away.
It began to appear increasingly likely that the single goal would decide it, but Bo'ness wrapped up the victory just seconds from the end of the ninety minutes. Abbott made a surging run from half-way before, on the move, playing a great diagonal ball out to late substitute Wotherspoon out on the left of the box. Wotherspoon, bursting clear of his marker, showed tremendous skill and composure, stylishly taking the ball around the goalkeeper before firing in from a tight angle to put the result beyond doubt.