Bo'ness United 4, Cowdenbeath 2

A DISAPPOINTING second-half on Saturday saw the Blue Brazil slip to 13th place in the Lowland League, as wins for University of Stirling and Albion Rovers saw them overtake Calum Elliot’s side in the table.

Exciting winger Zac Butterworth and defender Jack Duncan were sidelined by injuries but it was otherwise a full-strength squad which headed over the River Forth to Bo'ness.

It was an even open 45 minutes at Newtown Park, with little of note in terms of clear attempts on either goal, but two quick fire strikes turned the game in United’s favour before Cowden got themselves back in the game, only to lose a fourth goal and eventually end the 90 minutes with ten men in a dramatic second half.

Bo’ness opened the scoring with 11 minutes gone when Cowden ‘keeper Craig Hepburn failed to deal with a corner from Tom Grant and Ryan PORTEOUS pounced to slip the ball home.

Six minutes later it appeared as if Ewan MacPherson had been fouled on the edge of the box as he raced towards the home goal but he found himself in the referee’s book for simulation.

But three minutes from the break, MacPHERSON scored for the second successive game, after getting on the end of a low cross from the left by Matty McDonald.

Then Jamie Docherty beat three players to race in on goal, but his shot from the edge of the box was saved by ‘keeper Musa Dibaga.

The home side made a blistering start to the second half and Lucas Stenhouse had the ball in the back of the Cowden net but he was judged to have fouled Hepburn.

However, his side had to wait only two minutes to restore their lead when Tom GRANT, after being set up by ex-Central Parker Scott Dalziel, fired home his seventh goal of the season from the edge of the box.

Then with 52 minutes gone PORTEOUS got his second goal of the afternoon, with a looping header.

Minutes later Keir MacAulay raced up the park and played the ball to Lucas Stenhouse, but Gregor Jordan cleared the ball off the line.

Just past the hour mark the Blue Brazil gave themselves a lifeline when DOCHERTY picked up a pass from Matty McDonald, and fired home from a tight angle.

Then with 11 minutes remaining Bo’ness restored their two goal advantage when Keir FOSTER beat Jordan and fired home his second goal in four days, since signing from QOS on loan, with a shot from the edge of the box.

The disappointing second half then closed with Andy Rodden receiving a straight red card in stoppage time following a foul on Louis Kennedy.

Bo'ness United: Digaba; Stevenson, MacAulay, Travis, McArthur, Foster (Mooney 83), Stenhouse, Gemmell (Henderson 59), Dalziel (Malcolm 59), Grant (Irving 69), Porteous, (Kennedy 83). Subs not used – Thomson &Rutherford.

Cowdenbeath: Hepburn; Walker (MacDonald 85), Rodden, Jordan, Hill, McNab, McLaughlin (Berry), Docherty, MacPherson, Chalmers (Jack 59), McDonald (Cunningham 76). Subs not used – Blair and Duncan.

Referee: Kyle Hall.

Attendance: 250.