Looking ahead with Chief match correspondent John Spowart
 

MUSSELBURGH ATHLETIC

Bukta TeamWear.com East Region
Super League

Saturday 6th March 2010

Bo'ness United hope they can get a decent run of games starting on Saturday where Musselburgh Athletic are the visitors for a league match at Newtown Park. It is yet another important game for the BUs particularly with Newtongrange Star only a point behind although the Star have played a couple of games more. A victory for Bo'ness will keep them ahead in the race for the Super League Flag while increasing the pressure on the chasing pack

Musselburgh got off to a flyer winning their League Cup section only losing out to Linlithgow in the semi final after a penalty shoot out. They also made a good start to the League but have faltered a bit with eleven points from ten games are are currently in seventh position in the table. They were disappointed to go out in the first round of the Scottish Junior Cup against Irvine Meadow but apparently acquitted themselves well against the Ayrshire giants. A trip to Meadow Park would be a daunting prospect for any team and Musselburgh must consider themselves unlucky to get such a draw in the first round of the National Tournament.

Apart from the early Scottish exit Musselburgh are into round three of the East of Scotland Cup after victories against Haddington and Broxburn, and maintain an interest in the Fife &Lothians Cup with a second round tie at Edinburgh United  to look forward to after beating Lochore in round one. Musselburgh will be hoping to maintain their cup reputation after winning three trophies over the last two seasons.

Bo'ness have already played Musselburgh this season with a hard fought Super League draw at Olivebank in September. Indeed the clubs have met on a number of occasions over the last few years and, apart from a one sided Brown Cup Final in 2004 where Musselburgh ran out easy winners, all the games have been tight affairs.

There is nothing to suggest that Saturday's game will be any different and the current fifteen point gap between the sides will mean nothing. Bo'ness know that only hard work will win the points and that will be the aim for the BUs who are keen to get back to winning ways.

Half Term Report 

Chief correspondent John Spowart looks at the season so far.

August - December 2009
 

Christmas is normally the time when people want to be with their families, though it is also still nice to get away for a while to watch their favourite team on a Saturday. Unfortunately this year has not been an option for BU fans as Junior football has closed down for the holiday period.

The BU faithful will have to wait until Saturday January 9 for the next scheduled game away to Kelty Hearts in the league, followed by the trip to Blantyre Vics for round four of the Scottish Junior Cup. Meanwhile, the fans can reflect on the season so far that has seen only one defeat in nineteen matches, representing the best start Bo'ness United have had for a long number of years.       

Allan McGonigal came in for the final game of last season and he has certainly made his mark with wholesale changes to the playing squad. Five new players started against Edinburgh in the opening game of the season but by the time the League kicked off in late August, it was eight new players in the starting line up.

The defeat at Edinburgh meant that Bo'ness missed out on qualification for the later stages of the League Cup but since then the BUs have dominated the League campaign and still have an interest in the main cup competitions. Eight wins and two draws sees Bo'ness heading the League table, seven points clear of their nearest challengers. Other teams have games in hand but the BUs have the points in the bag and are the side to catch. Victories against Darvel and Montrose in the National tournament, and Arbroath SC and Kirkcaldy in the East of Scotland Cup keep Bo'ness on track in these other competitions.

Some of the Bo'ness league performances have been impressive, notably the away victories at Lochee United and Glenrothes as well as some hard fought wins against other tough opposition. The wins at home to Bathgate, Bonnyrigg, and Whitburn both home and away proved to be very hard games and the BUs did well to win all the points in these matches. In the cup games, the draws have been favourable with Bo'ness paired against teams from lower leagues. Arbroath SC and Kirkcaldy YM were disposed of without too much trouble and although the results against Darvel and Montrose were close in terms of goals, Bo'ness were comfortable winners on both occasions. In all of these ties Bo'ness  treated their opposition with respect, knowing nothing could be taken for granted. 

It is significant that Bo'ness are winning games they have not won in a number of seasons and there seems to be a determination in the dressing room that has not been evident for a good few years. However nothing has been won yet and everyone at Newtown Park will be keen to resume the season and continue the hard work that will be necessary to bring success that is not expected but hoped for and certainly wanted.

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Bo’ness United Season Review 2008/2009

In the final match of the 2008/2009 season Bo'ness United were defeated by Bonnyrigg Rose in Round 2 of the MJM Flooring Cup after an epic penalty kick shoot out, but the BU faithful still left Newtown Park with a smile on their faces.

Despite losing out on the final chance of some silverware in a season where decent performances were few and far between, news had just come through that Forfar West End's defeat at Glenrothes meant that Bo'ness could not be relegated. The BUs had won their final two league games and thankfully a season total of twenty eight points proved sufficient to keep Bo'ness in the Super League next Season. As things turned out it was Tayport and Forfar West End who were relegated to the Premier League

The season had approached with hope that the BUs would make an impact on their return to the Super League but there was the usual inconspicuous start with Bo'ness finishing third in their League Cup section with only two victories from five starts. However the League Campaign got off to a flyer with a rare victory at Camelon followed by a home win against Forfar West End. The next two matches saw defeats at Bathgate and Linlithgow and so it was an up and down start for the BUs. 

The main Cup competitions turned up with tough draws away to Kelty Hearts in the East of Scotland Cup and Musselburgh in the Scottish Junior Cup. The BUs managed to win through in both games which was no mean feat and this was followed up with a victory at home to Lochee United in the League.

Bo'ness then went out in the first round of the Fife & Lothian's Cup to Hill of Beath but won through to the third round of the Scottish, beating Ardrossan Winton Rovers.  However this early November win in Ayrshire was followed with the next few weeks seeing Bo'ness go down to Bonnyrigg in the East of Scotland Cup as well as exiting the Scottish Cup at Auchinleck after a draw at Newtown Park.  Another defeat at the hands of Hill of Beath and a draw at Glenrothes left the BU support concerned at the inconsistent League form on top of being out of all the major trophies before Christmas.

A home victory against Kelty was followed by a win at Bonnyrigg and in the space of a couple of weeks Bo'ness were now among the front runners in what was turning out to be a strange Super League Campaign. Linlithgow Rose had looked to be racing away from everyone else but a disastrous run of results pulled them back and by the end of the year all the Super League teams were in a position where relegation was arithmetically possible as was finishing champions at the end of the season.

The first game in the New Year witnessed Bo'ness being drubbed at home by Tayport but the very next week a good display finished with three points being won at Lochee United. There was some optimism after the result at Thomson Park but it proved to be unfounded as Bo'ness won only three points from the next nine league games and the BUs looked doomed for the drop. In the middle of this poor run, Eric Sinclair resigned with his assistant Paul McKinlay taking charge and the first match showed some promise with a draw against Championship contenders Camelon. The next match against fellow strugglers Tayport was the classic six pointer but a BU penalty miss followed by a Tayport strike saw a possible draw turn into a disastrous defeat.

The following week, defeat at Whitburn left the stand in coach with the final two League games at home where points were vital to try to avoid the drop, and even then the BUs would have to depend on others around them dropping points in the final run in.

Before that, Bo'ness were scheduled to visit Broxburn in the first round of MJM Flooring Cup. With their Super League future in doubt, this tie appeared to be something of a distraction but a victory of any sort was welcome and the BUs achieved that very thing with a win at Albyn Park

With some confidence gained from the Broxburn match, Bo'ness put in a couple of good performances, as well as providing the fans with some real excitement to win their final two League matches against Bathgate and Glenrothes. Now it was a case of waiting to see what happened elsewhere.

Tayport drew their last League match against Bonnyrigg to finish a point short of Bo'ness's total. Bathgate looked the likeliest to join Tayport having five games left with little room for manoeuvre and a defeat at Camelon didn't help their cause. However there were other teams in danger including Whitburn, Glenrothes, Hill of Beath and Forfar West End. In the remaining fixtures Forfar's defeat at Glenrothes kept Bo'ness up and Whitburn beat title chasing Camelon making them safe while ensuring Bonnyrigg won the League.

The last day of the League season saw Hill of Beath beat Camelon to stay up and Bathgate completed their final four game winning run to defeat Forfar West End and send the Angus side down.

The final table illustrated just how bizarre the whole League campaign was with Tayport going down on 26 points with the previous highest relegation total being 21. Bonnyrigg were Champions on the lowest total since the inception of the Super League and only fifteen points separated bottom from top. A mere eight points separated second top from second bottom in what was a very compressed final Super League Table.

Whatever the table looks like, the main fact was that Bo'ness maintained their Super League status and can start planning for next season. However it must be said it was a disappointing season and hopefully the appointment of Allan McGonigal will see a change in the fortunes of the club. McGonigal is a man with ambition and he did well at  Sauchie and Camelon winning silverware with both clubs. The next couple of months will see new players coming in and inevitably there will also be players going the other way.

It won't be that long before the pre season training starts and then the warm up games will get underway. It is hoped that the preparations will result in the team starting the new campaign in a positive way and continue in that vain with season 2009/2010 being one the fans will remember as one that will bring real success to Newtown Park with Bo'ness United once again being a team to be reckoned with.

Bo’ness United Season Review 2007/2008

One of the final games in the 2006/07 season saw Oakley United beat Camelon Juniors at Carmuirs Park, an outcome that set the target for Bo’ness United the following season. That result relegated the BUs to the East Region Premier League and everyone at Newtown Park knew that the single aim for this campaign was to make a quick return to the Super League.

In the close season there were the usual changes in personnel with seven players leaving Newtown Park, though just as the season was starting the most notable exit came with long term servant and captain Gary Smith leaving to join of all teams Oakley. By the time the League Cup competition kicked off in early August, seven players had come in; meaning the priority for the League Cup matches was to ensure the new faces were bedded in for the important games to come in the league.

The first League Cup game at Camelon certainly did not bode well with a narrow defeat but with a display that did not inspire confidence. This was followed by a disappointing draw against Armadale at Newtown Park, though a comprehensive victory at home to Bathgate provided the high point. Another home victory against Livingston was followed by defeat at Sauchie in the final game of the section and it was unclear how well the side were prepared for the all important league struggle that lay ahead.

As it was, victory at Rosyth got the show on the road and though the next match saw two points dropped at home to Dundonald, a hard fought victory at Forfar West End meant a reasonable start in the battle for promotion. Unfortunately a narrow defeat at Musselburgh was followed by a poor show at Dundonald and it looked as if the wheels had come off and the BUs were already behind in the race for the top.  

Thankfully next three games saw Bo’ness gain seven points from a possible nine to keep them in touch with the leaders and the focus then changed to the annual Scottish Junior Cup adventure. A bye in round one was followed by a comprehensive victory at Newtown Park against the side from the home of Glenfiddich, Dufftown. Following this match there was great excitement when the draw for the third round paired the BUs with old rivals Linlithgow Rose but unfortunately, despite playing well it was the men from over the hill who triumphed, winning by a solitary goal.

Between the Scottish ties, Bo’ness lost out to Penicuik in the Fife and Lothians Cup but two league victories at home to Montrose Roselea and Newtongrange away ensured that the prime objective was still well within the grasp of the BUs.

There had been real disappointment with the defeat against the Rose where everyone at Bo’ness thought the side deserved at least the chance of a replay but the disappointment experienced at Arniston the following week was of a completely different nature. On a wild December afternoon in Gorebridge the BUs were thumped by the home side who scored five goals without reply, to seriously question Bo’ness’s promotion credentials.

The subsequent Saturday saw Bo’ness in Dundee to play East Craigie in round one of the East of Scotland Cup and two early goals by the Tayside team made it look as if the misery would continue for Bo’ness. However the BUs fought back and a last minute goal by Chris Brown saw them scrape through winning by the odd goal in seven.

Bo’ness ended the year with two league victories against Dundee North End and Armadale and after an extended New Year break because of bad weather, another two league victories including a win over promotion rivals Forfar West End found Bo’ness at the top of the league for the first time.

A draw at Kinnoull saw Bo’ness give some ground away but victory against Arniston and a hard fought win against fellow challengers Dundee North End meant that Bo’ness were starting to put some real pressure on the teams behind them.

Another break for cup competitions and two weeks in a row Bo’ness progressed in the Dem Master Demolition Cup and the East of Scotland Cup thanks to penalty shoot out wins against Dalkeith and Blairgowrie respectively. Back to league business and a nervy single goal victory at Montrose meant that promotion was almost in sight, particularly with. Newtongrange and Dundee North End both dropping points that day. However Forfar West End had won and the Angus side were looking to be Bo’ness’s main challengers for the championship.

Having played many more games than their opponents, Bo’ness went a full month without a fixture though the next game at Musselburgh finished with Bo’ness losing in the Dem Master Demolition Cup on penalties, the trophy they had won the previous season.

There followed another period of inactivity with only a friendly victory against Kilsyth  to keep the players match fit until Friday 18 April with a fixture against Musselburgh where the pressure was on for points. Despite a great run of results nothing was decided yet and though Bo’ness had the points Forfar West End, Newtongrange Star and Dundee North End were all still in the hunt. A poor first half had the BU nerves jangling but a better second half with two goals from substitute David Thornton gave Bo’ness victory and the BUs could only lose it now.

The Musselburgh result meant that any slip up by their rivals would see Bo’ness promoted with possibly winning the Championship itself, even though they still had two games to play. As it was on the very next day, Newtongrange and North End fought out a score draw and Bo’ness were indeed promoted. The following Wednesday, Forfar were defeated at Montrose and the BUs were Champions. Since late December Bo’ness had gone nine league games undefeated, amassing twenty five points from a possible twenty seven, a total that finally proved too much for their rivals who were unable to achieve that sort of consistency.

With the League won Bo’ness beat Armadale to progress in the Dechmont Forklift Cup but a heavy defeat at Bathgate ended their East of Scotland Cup aspirations.

Although Bo’ness were Champions, the second promotion place was still to be decided and Newtongrange were desperate for the points when they visited Newtown Park on the day when the BUs were to be presented with the League trophy. At the end of the game Newtongrange won the day with a resounding victory but unfortunately for Newtongrange the win proved fruitless as Forfar’s win against North End meant they would join Bo’ness in the Super League.

Bo’ness rounded off their league programme with a victory at Penicuik and had by that time won through to the Dechmont Forklift Cup final with after beating Fauldhouse at Newtown Park. The final was to be the last game of the season for Bo’ness but it turned out to be a disappointing event at Albyn Park Broxburn with a poor game ending in a scoreless draw. The destination of the cup was decided on penalties but again the BUs lost out to Musselburgh for the second cup competition of the year.

A second trophy in the cabinet would have been a great end to the 2007 2008 season but with the most important prize, the Premier League Championship already in the place of honour Bo’ness United will rightly consider the season to be a success.

The next few weeks will inevitably see comings and goings at Newtown Park but by the time the curtain goes up in early August, the BU faithful will be hoping that coaches Eric Sinclair and Paul McKinlay will have a squad assembled capable of making an impact in the Super League

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Season review from the website match reporter: JOHN SPOWART

The season 2006/07 has come to an end and the website must thank John Spowart for the devoted time to his beloved Bo'ness United and helping the website to achieve the credits it has from supporters home and abroad who regularly visit the site to find out how their team has performed at the weekend. Also a thank you to the visiting supporters from other clubs who have said the site has been a great help to them. John has finished of his season with a review and here is how he sees it.

Bo’ness United Season Review 2006/2007

After the trauma of the previous season it was hoped that Bo’ness United would get onto an even keel, but the 2006/2007 season was to prove just as dramatic as the BUs were relegated from the East Region Super league. There was some cheer in the form of a St Michael’s Cup win but overall the season will be seen as a disappointment

Willie Irvine was installed as coach late in the preceding season and when the new campaign began there were no less than seven new faces in the side that lined up at Carmuirs Park for the opening match against Camelon. Twelve players had left the club during the close season and the BU faithful were keen to see what the incoming batch of players had to offer.

The pre season friendlies had been far from convincing and a defeat at Camelon saw the start of a disappointing League Cup run. Two victories against bottom division Sauchie could not make up for another defeat by Camelon and already there was concern regarding the season ahead.

Three early Super League defeats confirmed that Bo’ness were going to struggle and the loss at Lochee in mid September saw Irvine’s tenure brought to an abrupt end. The ex Sauchie coach reacted with a verbal attack against the men in charge at Newtown in the local and national press but most people connected with the BUs agreed that this early action was justified.

Defeat at home to Bathgate was followed by a rare victory against Linlithgow, and by the time Bo’ness lined up against Bonnyrigg in the Dechmont Forklift Cup there was a new coaching team in place in the form of Eric Sinclair and all time BU top scorer Paul McKinlay.

There was to be no dream start for the new men in charge, as defeat at Bonnyrigg was followed by League defeats against Carnoustie and Bathgate. The performance at Bathgate showed signs of some spirit returning to the side and Bo’ness went to Glasgow in Round 2 of the Scottish, winning a victory against Benburb.   

Sinclair started to introduce new faces to the squad but the experienced coach was aware that he had a big job on his hands to turn things around for a side that lacked conviction and belief. The League form continued to be poor and Bo’ness saw an early exit from the Fife and Lothian’s Cup and defeat in the next round of the Scottish at Tranent. Gradually many of the players brought in by Irvine found themselves out in the cold as Sinclair and McKinlay tried to get a winning formula.

Ironically after going out of the National tournament Bo’ness managed three League victories in a row but a New Year defeat at Hill of Beath meant that Bo’ness had played more league games than anyone else without a good return for their effort.

The next few weeks saw mixed fortunes with heavy defeats against Whitburn and Bonnyrigg but a resounding victory at home to Kinnoull. The BUs struggled to a home draw against Hill of Beath but deserved more than the solitary point won against Lochee. There were a few more points on the board mixed in with victories against Edinburgh and Carnoustie in the Dem Master Demolition and East of Scotland Cups respectively. The victory against Carnoustie was particularly impressive and three points won at Oakley the week before gave some hope of avoiding the drop. The team was now starting to show some consistency with performances that saw the smiles returning to the faces of the BU faithful.

However the problem was that Bo’ness were rapidly running out of games and their final two League matches involved visits to high flying Linlithgow and their bogey team Camelon. After two idle Saturdays the BUs lost narrowly at Prestonfield but there was cup success with victories at Newtongrange and Penicuik providing some hope for success for the club.

Bo’ness were now in the situation where having played so many games, the allocation of fixtures were erratic, making it difficult to keep the players sharp. A convincing Dem Master Cup victory at Camelon was followed by another gap before the final League match again at Camelon. With Kinnoull already relegated, Bo’ness were favourites to join them but neither Camelon or Oakley were safe though both had games in hand.

Bo’ness went into injury time a goal to the good but a soft penalty award when Willie Irvine, playing as a trialist for Camelon, went down easily in the box saw the Carmuirs side salvage a precious point. Camelon went on to secure their Super League status with a victory over Whitburn but the West Lothian side did Bo’ness a turn, beating Oakley to keep the BU's hopes alive. However Oakley won at Camelon and now only a heavy defeat against Lochee United would see the Fifers take Bo’ness’s place in the relegation position.

Monday 28 May proved to be a significant evening as Bo’ness won the Dem Master Demolition Cup with a convincing victory against Bathgate but on the same night Oakley beat Lochee to confirm Bo’ness’s fate of relegation.

The final match of the season saw Bo’ness lose out to Rosyth on penalties in the East of Scotland Cup and it’s now time to take stock before looking ahead to next season. Performances took a decided turn for the better towards the end of the campaign and with many of the existing squad having already committed their future to Bo’ness, things are looking positive. No doubt Eric Sinclair will be striving to add to the squad and when the BU's kick off the 2007 2008 campaign, promotion will be the goal for the season, with anything less unthinkable.