Match Preview 2024 2025
East Kilbride
Park’s Motor Group Lowland League
K Park Training Academy
Saturday 19 April 2025

Bo’ness United round off their season with a visit to newly crowned Lowland League Champions East Kilbride. This game represents a most difficult finale to what has been a disappointing campaign though it gives the BUs the opportunity to once more test themselves against the best team in the league.

This is the third meeting with Kilby this season, the last being the Lowland League Cup final only a few weeks ago. East Kilbride were two goals up within half an hour, Cameron Elliot and Daire O’Connor on target. Keir Foster got Bo’ness off the mark before the break but Bo’ness were unable to find an equaliser and four minutes before the end conceded a penalty converted by Cameron Elliot (Report). Earlier in the year the sides met for a league match at Newtown Park where a few minutes before half time Kieran Mitchell fired Bo’ness into the lead only for Jack Leitch and John Robertson to put the visitors ahead at the break. After the turnaround Jack Leitch and Scott Ferguson extended East Kilbride’s advantage with Kieran Mitchell pulling one back before the end (Report).

In the corresponding league fixture at the K Park last season Bo’ness managed a first ever victory against East Kilbride. The win was thoroughly merited with an all round excellent performance from the BUs. An early Scott Dalziel goal stung the home side and Bo’ness doubled their lead just before the interval with a Ryan Porteous penalty. There was also plenty of defending to do but that side of the game was well taken care of, including BU keeper Musa Dibaga making some great saves. (Report).

While East Kilbride have been marching towards their Lowland League Title, Bo’ness have struggled since the start of the year. Fourteen points from a possible forty two tells its own story, including four losses in the last four. This includes Saturday’s home defeat to Cumbernauld Colts when a Callum Wilson double had Cumbernauld two up before Euan Ross made it three before the turnaround. Bo’ness did improve but only managed a Keir Foster consolation before the end (Report).

Since being declared Champions, East Kilbride have lost at home to Linlithgow Rose and drawn at Tranent. Bo’ness can take little comfort from this as Kilby will want to finish with a bang on trophy day as well as playing for a place in the play off matches against Highland Champions Brora Rangers. Both the players and the Bo’ness team as a whole must be at their best if they hope to take anything from this game. It is possible though and the BU Faithful making the trip to the K park Training Academy hope the final contest of the season can be positive with their favourites signing off with a result.

John Spowart
18 April 2025

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2024/2025

Date – Sunday 30 March 2025

Competition –Lowland League Cup Final

Bo’ness United 1
(Foster 37)

East Kilbride 3
(Elliot 6 87(pen), O’Connor 29)

Bo’ness United were unable to make it third time lucky as they once again lost to East Kilbride in the final of the Lowland League Cup. Over the piece East Kilbride were the better side and Bo’ness can have few complaints about the outcome.

East Kilbride got their noses in front early as a corner found its way beyond the back post where Cameron Elliott angled a shot into the opposite corner of the net. Just short of half an hour Kilby doubled their lead as Daire O’Connor’s shot towards goal took a wicked deflection off Ryan Stevenson, the ball beating BU keeper Liam Campbell. Bo’ness had showed little in the way of going forward but pulled a goal back when Lucas Stenhouse dispossessed an East Kilbride defender before running through to shoot low past Matthew Connelly in goal.

In the second half there was improvement in the Bo’ness play as they were winning the ball more and enjoyed a greater amount of possession. Unfortunately, they created few chances, a Kieran Mitchell cross cleared for a corner and a Keir Foster shot from distance gathered by Connelly. Bo’ness never stopped trying, hoping for an equaliser but with only a few minutes remaining they conceded a penalty, the award converted by Cameron Elliott, the BU hopes dashed and the cup destined for South Lanarkshire.

Bo’ness: 1 Liam Campbel, 20 Ryan Stevenson, 3 Keir Macaulay (Capt), 4 Adam Masson,
5 Shaun Rutherford, 6 Dan Irving, 7 Lucas Stenhouse, 8 Keir Foster,
9 Ryan Schiavone (Osadolor 76},10 Tom Grant (Dowling 59), 11 Louis Kennedy (Mitchell 50)

Subs: 12 Kieran Mitchell, 14 Smart Osadolor, 15 Max Dowling, 16 Lewis Hawkins (Not Used),
17 Lewis Duffy (Not Used), 18 (Billy Hutchison Not Used), 19 Lennon Connolly (Not Used)

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2024/2025

Date – Saturday 18 January 2025

Competition – Park’s Motor Group Lowland League

Bo’ness United 2
Scorer: Mitchell 43 76

East Kilbride 4
Scorer: Leitch 44 65, Robertson 45+3, Ferguson 72

Bo’ness United are still looking for their first home victory against East Kilbride, the South Lanarkshire side once again leaving Newtown Park with all the points. It was always going to be a difficult task and as expected the BU defence came under a lot of pressure though it was not always one way traffic as Bo’ness created a number of chances, scoring the first and final goal of the match.

An early East Kilbride break brought out a good save from BU keeper Liam Campbell while at the other end the Kilby keeper Matthew Connelly pushed a Keir Macaulay corner off the crossbar before being cleared. A frantic end to the first half saw three goals in as many minutes Kieran Mitchell’s audacious lob putting Bo’ness ahead before Jack Leitch slotted home John Robertson’s cut back and Robertson himself fired in to give the visitors a half time lead.

Twenty minutes into the second half East Kilbride extended their advantage, Jack Leitch heading in from an Ian McShane corner and a few minutes later it was four, Scott Ferguson capitalising on a BU defensive glitch to score from a few yards out. Credit to Bo’ness who never stopped working and they pulled one back when Kieran Michell pounced onto a short pass back to slot in from the tightest of angles.

There’s no doubt East Kilbride were the better team, fully deserving their victory but Bo’ness United stuck to the task and a similar effort in future matches will bring the points required to move them up the table.

Bo’ness: Campbell, Hawkins (Rutherford 69), Macaulay, Duffy, Travis, Johnston, Dowling, Gemmell (Kennedy 69), Schiavone (Osadolor 12), Hamilton (Grant 56), Mitchell. Subs (Not Used): Henderson, McCormick, Hutchison

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2023/2024

Date – Saturday 16 March 2024

Competition –Park’s Motor Group Lowland League

East Kilbride 0

Bo'ness United 2
(Dalziel 16, Porteous 45 pen)

A magnificent performance gave Bo’ness United a first victory over East Kilbride in a match where the BUs fully merited their win. From start to finish, each player gave their all to achieve a result that keeps the BUs in with a chance of achieving a second-place finish in the Lowland League table.

There was an early setback when Kieran Mitchell limped off after only a few minutes and BU keeper Musa Dibaga was called into action making an early save from a Robert Thomson header. However, Bo’ness took this all in their stride beginning to assert themselves and just after fifteen minutes took the lead. East Kilbride tried to play the ball out from the back but Bo’ness pressed with Ryan Stevenson dispossessing Ryan Lockie at the edge of the box, Tom Grant taking advantage to cross for Scott Dalziel to head home from six yards.

Bo’ness were looking good at this point and continued to push forward and although being kept occupied at the back were successful in blunting the East Kilbride attack. Musa Dibaga was doing his bit, making a number of saves to keep a clean sheet and a few minutes before the break it was Bo’ness who extended their lead. A goal bound Dalziel header was blocked and in the ensuing scramble, Kyle Johnston was felled with a Joal Balde tackle allowing Ryan Porteous to dispatch the resulting penalty past Kilby keeper Matthew Connelly. Just on the whistle Dibaga made a great save to defy East Kilbride while Ryan Lockie smashed a shot off the Bo’ness post.

Into the second half and East Kilbride set about hitting back but as in the first they struggle to get past a resolute Bo’ness defence. Twenty minutes in and Dan Irving cleared an effort off the Bo’ness line with a follow up shot hitting the post. Kilby substitute Keir Samson missed a good chance, heading wide of the goal but it wasn’t all one way, Bo’ness looking to counter on the break. With fifteen minutes remaining East Kilbride sensed it was not going to be their day as Musa Dibaga made a fantastic save from a close-range Joal Balde shot.

At the final whistle BU players and fans alike were naturally delighted with the outcome and now look forward to another tough encounter with the visit to Linlithgow Rose next week.

Bo'ness: Dibaga, Stevenson Irving (McArthur 72), Travis, Hawkins, Henderson, Mitchell (Malcolm 5), Johnston (Gemmell 49), Dalziel (Kennedy 72), Grant, Porteous. Subs (Not Used): Macaulay, Hamilton, SG Ruddy

BO’NESS UNITED MATCH SUMMARY SEASON 2024/2025

Date – Saturday 12 April 2025

Competition – Park’s Motor Group Lowland League

Bo’ness United 1
(Foster 84)

Cumbernauld Colts 3
(Wilson 16, 27p, Ross 35)

It proved another miserable day for the BU faithful as once gain their favourites served up a disappointing display to lose their fourth league match in a row. From the beginning it was Cumbernauld who looked the hungrier side as they fought for the points to keep them in the Lowland League and the Colts now have given themselves the chance to stay up next season.

Callum Wilson put the visitors ahead after quarter of an hour and ten minutes later BU keeper Liam Campbell and Cole McIntyre collided in the box both going down injured, and after a lengthy delay the referee decided Campbell was at fault awarding a penalty that Wilson converted. Ten minutes from the break Euan Ross took advantage of a mix up in the Bo’ness defence to make it three for the visitors.

Bo’ness made full use of the bench for the start of the second half and might have got an early goal to make life uncomfortable for the visitors but unable to make the breakthrough Cumbernauld once again looked comfortable. With six minutes remaining Bo’ness did get a goal as Keir Foster weaved through the Cumbernauld defence before angling a low shot into the bottom corner of the net but it was too little too late for the BUs. Bo’ness now go to East Kilbride for the final game of the season and can hopefully sign off on a positive note.

Bo’ness: 1 Liam Campbell, 2 Billy Hutchison, 3 Keir Macaulay, 4 Adam Masson,
5 Lewis Hawkins (Duffy 46), 6 Dan Irving (Foster 46), 7 Lucas Stenhouse,
8 Kyle Johnston (Capt) (Grant 46), 9 Ryan Schiavone, 10 Ryan Stevenson (Dowling 46),
11 Kieran Mitchell (Kennedy 46)

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