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The Scottish has become a happier hunting ground of late for Bo'ness after years of frustrating underachievement under John Sludden, and after last season's superb run to the semi-final, they were back to winning ways in this second round tie, coach Jimmy Sandison's first match in the competition. And an eventful game it was, the BUs falling behind within a minute but battling back with goals from Graeme Donald, Kevin Thomas and Paul McCluskey to see off an Oakley side who finished - as in the last meeting between the teams - with just nine men.
Ultimately grim stuff for the physical Fifers, then, despite their magnificent start. There were just 40 seconds on the clock when a diagonal ball caught out a sleeping defence, allowing Oakley's No.7 through on the left to squeeze the ball past Jamie Campbell.
But there were soon signs that holding onto that lead would be difficult. Only a minute later Dale Ryan delivered a fine cross from the right, from which Thomas' close range volley was superbly saved by the goalkeeper, at the cost of a corner. Then, with just five minutes gone, Bo'ness were level when a static defence stood and watched Martin Mooney play a free kick high into the box, with Donald the only player to react, running in unchallenged to head in from eight yards.
Defences most certainly not on top, then, and after promising situations had developed at either end in this breathless start, Bo'ness scored again to take the lead after nine minutes. After a corner was only partially cleared the ball fell to Mooney out on the left, and his dangerous cross was headed in by Thomas from point blank range.
The unrelenting pace and action kept up, as it would for the rest of the game, and after 20 minutes Bo'ness went further ahead, 3-1, when a Gordon Abbott cutback from the byeline was stroked low into the corner of the net by Thomas from the edge of the area.
The flood of goals dried up for the rest of the half, but this continued to be a wholly absorbing contest. Within a couple of minutes of the third Bo'ness goal, Oakley had a chance to pull one back when a throw-in from the right was played into the crowded box, but a forward's shot on the turn went safely over Campbell's crossbar.
Bo'ness carried a constant threat with Abbott and Thomas up front, but were unable to find a fourth for the time being, and Oakley began to take charge in the last few minutes of the first period. A goal at that point would have been invaluable for the visitors, but it was not to be - they came closest when Campbell managed to stretch out a leg to just beat the Oakley No.3 to a loose ball inside the box in stoppage time. Bo'ness were forced into a personnel change close to half time, when David Muirhead had to go off with an injured shoulder, replaced by John Burrows.
As expected, Oakley, two down and now with the notable but not overwhelming wind in their favour, began the second half in aggressive manner, pushing forward, but to little avail. There were a couple of chances, however - after 56 minutes a cross from right by the No.14 found No.11 at the penalty spot, but his shot was blocked and then gathered at the second attempt by Campbell. Two minutes later, a shot from Oakley's No.8 could easily have been deflected past the goalkeeper by the No.9, but the ball fell right to Campbell to safely collect.
These were to prove the last moments of hope for Oakley. With an hour gone they were reduced to ten men when, after dragging down Thomas in midfield, the (already booked) No.10 was then shown a straight red for dishing out afters to the forward. A mass brawl ensued, with two more players yellow carded, including Dougie Todd for Bo'ness.
Three minutes later the home side put the result beyond doubt when the goalkeeper spilled a Loney free kick into the box, which he should really have held, and McCluskey was on hand to boot the ball over the goal line from 0.01 yards, his first goal for Bo'ness, and about the easiest he'll ever score.
With the outcome virtually assured, the game might have petered out for a dull final quarter, but that was not to be the case. On 70 minutes, Donald had to get back to knock the ball off the line when Oakley opened up the BU defence down the left and a shot was knocked past the advancing Campbell. With ten minutes to go Bo'ness nearly had a fifth, when Donald went on a good run and cut the ball back for Burrows at the edge of the box, but his sweetly struck shot was excellently pushed away by the 'keeper. On 83 minutes later, Oakley's No.16, attacking down the right, managed to slip but retain possession when Todd also slipped on the ball - however, the forward's chipped shot was easily plucked out of the air by Campbell.
It was the last real chance of the game, though the action was not yet over. The Oakley No.8 was ordered off for a second cautionable offence less than a minute later when he barged an opponent after play had stopped. Then, on 87 minutes, numbers were evened up a bit when John Jeffrey, brought on as a substitute just two minutes before, was red carded for an off the ball incident.
Bo'ness, then, come good in their most important match of the season so far, making it three wins in a row for the first time this season, and with some fine individual performances to boot from the likes of Loney, McCluskey and Thomas. Signs of consistency at last?
Bo'ness United: campbell; Smith, Loney, Todd, McCluskey, Muirhead (Burrows), Ryan, Mooney, Thomas, Donald, Abbott (Jeffrey).