Bo’ness skipper Snowdon sniffs Junior Cup glory

WILL SNOWDON wants to join the Bo’ness legends after being regaled with tales of the club’s past successes in the Scottish Junior Cup.

The United skipper is dreaming of getting his hands on the trophy and parading it through the streets of the West Lothian town after booking a last-eight spot. Bo’ness have lifted the famous trophy three times, most recently in the 1983-84 season, and Snowdon reckons it’s about time they went all the way again.

“It’s what the club probably wants more than anything,” said the Englishman after second-half goals from Chris Donnelly and Nicky Walker secured a deserved fifth-round replay win over an Arthurlie side that finished the game with nine men.

“The boys on the committee are always telling us the stories of the club’s three previous Scottish Cup triumphs and coming back up the road on bus with the streets lined by people. To win it this season would be special for everyone and for me to go up and lift it would be amazing. But we’ve still got games to go before we can really start thinking about that. Let’s hope we get a home draw first in the quarter-final.”

Disappointed with their performance in a 1-1 draw in Barrhead, Bo’ness boss Paul Ronald had challenged his players to give a better account of themselves second time around.

He couldn’t have wished for a more positive response as the East Region Super League champions joined Bonnyrigg in the Thursday’s last-eight draw.

Apart from a brief spell right at the start, Bo’ness did all the attacking and could have won a lot more comfortably as they started to run riot after Arthurlie had Steven Gallacher and John Johnston sent off.

Gallacher was shown a straight red card after catching Walker with his arm right in front of the Bo’ness dugout, leaving referee Michael Taylor with his work cut out as tempers boiled over. That was on the hour mark and Bo’ness took only seven minutes to capitalise on their numerical advantage.

Steven Bonar, who was moved from the left-back beat he’s filled recently to the heart of midfield, played a superb ball out to Walker on the right.

The winger, who had used his lighting pace to torment the Arthurlie defence almost from the off, advanced into the box before crossing for Donnelly to sweep the ball home off the underside of the bar from the edge of the six-yard box.

Johnston then got his marching orders for a second booking after an incident off the ball before Walker sealed the win with 12 minutes to go.

Jamie Hay, who had just come on as a substitute, played almost an identical pass to the one earlier from Bonar, and this time Walker drilled a peach of a shot into the opposite corner from the edge of the penalty box. “The tight park in the first game didn’t suit our game but coming back here we were able to play our usual game,” added Snowdon, who praised some of the surprise selection changes by his manager.

They included a first start at left-back for Ricky Waddell, the former Falkirk and Partick Thistle player. He’s off soon to begin a new career in America in the league below the MLS but is helping out Ronald, an old friend, in the meantime.

“Ricky gave us a good option as we’ve not really got anyone in the side who is naturally left-sided,” said Snowdon.

Bo’ness United: Christie, Snowdon, Bonar, Gibb, Reilly, Nimmo (Hay 75), Walker (Hamilton 84), Waddell, Plenderleith, Duffy (Watt 80), Donnelly. Subs: Shields, Beveridge, Allan.

Arthurlie: Ross, Blakey, Crawford, Lundie, Gallacher, McLay, Johnston, McKeown (Deas 80), Marks, Stewart, Muir (Merriman 60). Subs: Livingstone, Ardellany, Bradley, Coulston, Bell.

Referee: M Taylor.