Bo’ness United completed the season with a win at home to University of Stirling, both laying a bogey while achieving a more than creditable third place in the Lowland League. The BUs had yet to beat the Stirling students at Newtown Park and their third spot is the highest attained in the tier five table.

Both sides took time to settle but it was Bo’ness who created the first real chance, a Ryan Stevenson cross headed onto the post by Scott Dalziel. Just after twenty minutes the BUs did go ahead when Ryan Porteous was fouled in the box and he got up to make no mistake from the spot. A Lewis McArthur volley hitting the bar almost doubled the BU lead but it was not all one way. BU keeper Musa Dibaga had to look smart, beating Ben McIvor Redwood to grab the ball and the same player laid the ball off for Thomas Vonk whose scuffed shot was just wide. Before half time Dalziel had a header that was off target though two minutes before the whistle Bo’ness got their second goal, From a Scott Dalziel headed layoff Fin Malcolm pounced onto Tom Grant’s cutback to fire in low from eight yards.

Ten minutes after the turnaround the University pulled a goal back when Lewis McArthur cleared off the line but the ball came back in as the referee penalised a hand ball in the box and Ciaran McAninch converted. Almost immediately Bo’ness made two changes, JJ Henderson and Kieran Mitchell entering the fray and only a few minutes later the two combined, Henderson passing forward to Mitchell who sidestepped the opposition before angling a great shot past keeper Yan Gromov Godic. Stirling worked to get back and Shea Scally shot just wide and soon after Ben McIver Redwood rose to head in at the far post.

It proved a tense final twenty minutes as Bo’ness wanted the all important win and after five minutes time added on, the final whistle was greeted with a combination of pleasure and satisfaction as the players and supporters celebrated a job well done.

Bo'ness: Dibaga, Stevenson (Hamilton 78), Macaulay, Travis, McArthur (Rutherford 66), Gemmell (Henderson 56), Malcolm (Mitchell 56), Johnston, Dalziel, Grant (Kennedy 78), Porteous.
Subs (Not Used): SG Ruddy: