Saturday sees Bo’ness United’s final home game of the season as they welcome Cumbernauld Colts to Newtown Park. The Colts come to Bo’ness desperately seeking points to avoid the relegation spot. With two games to play it’s still only five points separating the bottom four teams and Cumbernauld need two to ensure safety. Bo’ness are now only playing mainly for pride although if results go their way a top half finish is still possible.

The sides met earlier in the season at the Broadwood Stadium, the game finishing in a draw. Louis Kennedy fired Bo’ness ahead though they squandered a great opportunity to go two up before half time as Colts keeper Yan Gromov Godik saved a Ryan Porteous penalty. Cumbernauld equalised early in the second half through Sean Boreland and despite both sides creating chances there was no further scoring. (Report). Last season’s meeting at Newtown proved disappointing for Bo’ness as a lacklustre display saw them well beaten. Craig Holmes gave Cumbernauld a first half lead from the spot and late on Billy Mortimer and Cole McIntyre ensured a win for the visitors (Report).

Neither team are enjoying an inspired run of form, Bo’ness having lost their last three league matches, slipping from eighth position in to the table to tenth. Meanwhile the Colts lost at home to Tranent and at Berwick Rangers following a creditable draw at East Kilbride. Last weekend Bo’ness went down at Caledonian Braves, Kian Spiers and Ross McNeil giving the home side a half time lead. Bo’ness improved after the break with Kieran Mitchell scoring and Lewis Duffy was unlucky not to equalise before the end (Report).

Bo’ness manager Stuart Hunter wants to win the last home match of the campaign but knows it will be difficult against a side keen to ensure their Lowland League status. The players know only a top performance over the whole ninety minutes can achieve the positive result both they and the BU Faithful crave.

John Spowart
11 April 2025

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2024/2025

Date – Saturday 09 November 2024

Competition – Park’s Motor Group Lowland League

Cumbernauld Colts 1
(Boreland 51)

Bo’ness United 1
(Kennedy 16)

Bo’ness United yet again were unable to achieve a win at Cumbernauld Colts, this time having to be satisfied with a share of the points. Once again, a failure to convert chances cost the BUs even to the extent of missing a penalty shortly before the break.

After a frantic start Cumbernauld had the first effort, a Robbie McGale shot dealt with by BU keeper Cade Melrose. However, Bo’ness struck soon after as Adam Masson blocked a Cumbernauld shot before the ball quickly moved to the other end, Kieran Mitchell sending Louis Kennedy through to coolly shoot past Colts keeper Yan Gromov Godik.

Cumbernauld almost hit back straight away, Adam Carnwath connecting with a Zac McKay low cross but his shot was well saved by Cade Melrose. It was then Yan Gromov Godik who had to make a significant saves, a curling free kick shot from Ryan Stevenson almost sneaking in at the far post plus another from Stevenson the keeper again making a great save

Just on half time Bo’ness had a great opportunity to double their lead as they were awarded a penalty. John Binnie had fouled Keir Macaulay in the box but Colts’ keeper Godik was equal to the task, saving Ryan Porteous’s shot from twelve yards.

Six minutes into the second half Bo’ness regretted the lost opportunity when Cumbernauld drew level. A free kick cross was cleared to the edge of the box where Sean Boreland fired a low shot, the ball going in just inside the post. This gave Cumbernauld confidence and it was their turn to dominate as Bo’ness struggled to find the form shown in the first half. They did recover as both sides looked to score the winner. As the game moved to its conclusion the Colts looked the more likely and just before the whistle Cade Melrose had to look lively, tipping a Zac McKay shot over his bar.

Two points from nine in the last three games is well short of expectations of the BUs and they now face a different challenge next week with the visit of East of Scotland Premier League side Musselburgh Athletic. This is the first of two cup clashes, a South Cup tie before Bo’ness visits Musselburgh two weeks later in the Scottish Cup.

Bo'ness: Melrose, Masson, Macaulay, Irving (Duffy 77), Travis, Johnston, Stevenson (Gemmell 59), Porteous (Grant 59), Osadolor, Mitchell (McLinden 46), Kennedy. Subs (Not Used): Hawkins, SG: Ritchie.

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2023/2024

Date – Saturday 26 August 2023
Competition – Park’s Motor Group Lowland League

Bo'ness United 0

Cumbernauld Colts 3
(C Holmes 33 pen, Mortimer 75, McIntyre 81)

It’s been a trying few days for Bo’ness United, losing to Albion Rovers on Wednesday followed by this defeat, both at home to Cumbernauld Colts. The BUs were lacklustre against a Colts side who were faster and sharper fully deserving their win.

Cumbernauld got themselves ahead in half an hour, Craig Holmes converting from the spot after a handball offence in the box. Ryan Porteous had a couple of attempts to get Bo’ness back in it with a header that went over and a shot saved by keeper Ryan Adamson.

In the second half Bo’ness looked better but with just over fifteen minutes remaining two incidents saw the BUs spurn a great chance to draw equal only to find themselves further behind. A goalmouth scramble resulted in Tom Grant being fouled in the Cumbernauld box, and with no one else seemingly keen to take the responsibility, Ryan Stevenson hit the penalty kick only for Adamson to get down to save at the post. If that was bad, only two minutes later Cumbernauld broke up the park, Billy Mortimer firing a low angled shot into the far bottom corner of the net.

Worse was to come for Bo’ness when substitute Cole McIntyre blasted in a third for the visitors who in the final minutes almost rubbed salt in the wound with a shot that crashed off the BU bar.

Bo'ness: Dibaga, Stevenson, Rutherford (Macaulay 29), Hawkins, McArthur, Henderson (Irving 72), Stenhouse (Kennedy 57) Gemmell (Mooney 57), Malcolm (Johnston 57) Porteous, Grant.
Subs (Not Used). SG Fullerton

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2024/2025

Date – Saturday 05 April 2025

Competition – Park’s Motor Group Lowland League

Caledonian Braves 2
(Spiers 9, McNeil 38)

Bo’ness United 1
(Mitchell 57)

Bo’ness United made it three league defeats in a row as they went down at Caledonian Braves and although they put up a spirited second half performance it was not enough to counter the loss of two first half goals. Kian Spiers shooting home from the edge of the box with Ross McNeil knocking in from close in With just over thirty minutes remaining Lucas Stenhouse cut in from the right feeding Kieran Mitchell who shot low into the Braves net and just before the end Bo’ness substitute Lewis Duffy connected with a Louis Kennedy corner and was unlucky to see his header crash off the goal frame.

Bo’ness: 1 Liam Campbell, 2 Billy Hutchison, 3 Keir Macaulay (Kennedy 46), 4 Adam Masson,
5 Shaun Rutherford (Hawkins 46), 6 Michael Gemmell (Foster 34), 7 Lucas Stenhouse,
8 Kyle Johnston (Capt), 9 Ryan Schiavone (Duffy 84), 10 Ryan Stevenson, 11 Kieran Mitchell

Subs: 12 Lewis Hawkins, 14 Max Dowling (Not Used), 15 Keir Foster, 16 Tom Grant (Not Used),
17 Louis Kennedy, 18 Lennon Connelly (Not Used), 19 Lewis Duffy

Match details

Match date

Sat 12 Apr 2025

Kickoff

15:00

Team overview

Team Sponsors