Linlithgow stave off Bo'ness to win Fife & Lothians Cup

Both players were making final appearances , for the time being at least, for their respective clubs - Pinkowski taking a year out to concentrate on his full-time job and McFadyen hanging up his boots.

So it was ironic the two of them were the central characters in the moment late in the game that could easily have changed where the final piece of silverware to be decided in the East Region this season ended up.

Linlithgow, winners of the League Cup in the first half of the campaign, looked to be cruising to a double on the back of first-half goals from Stephen Manson and Gordon Herd, pictured below.

But Super League champions Bo'ness were thrown a lifeline when Chris Donnelly pulled a goal back with six minutes to go and then started pushing for the equaliser that would have taken the tie straight to penalties. Will Snowden came close with a drilled left-foot drive from outside the box then McFadyen almost got his dream finale.

Andy Shirra's corner from the left was knocked down by Stuart Hunter, the ball dropping perfectly for the striker. "I would have put my mortgage on Chris to score," admitted Bo'ness boss Willie Newbigging afterwards and, in fairness to McFadyen, he got his shot on target.

It cannoned off Pinkowski, though, and in doing so the Linlithgow keeper came out on top between the two men bidding their farewells.

"Pinkowski is taking a year out," revealed Linlithgow manager Dave Baikie afterwards. "He's a chartered accountant and as well as doing his exams he is also heavily involved in a business."

A new goalkeeper isn't the only signing Baikie will have to make in the summer. "I'm going to have to sign an entire back four as well," he added. "John Ward and Dario Quinn are away, too."

Baikie lost that pair at a crucial stage of the season and reckoned the Super League title would have ended up at Prestonfield rather than back at Newtown Park if they had been available for the run-in.

"I'm 100 per cent certain that if we'd had Ward and Quinn available towards the end of the season we would have won the league," he said. "We've had a lot of misfortune this season in terms of personnel." Kevin Donnelly was the only recognised defender in the back four for the final match of the campaign but any pressure they may have felt was lifted after just seven minutes.

Manson's corner from the left shouldn't have caused any problems but Bo'ness keeper Stuart Baillie had come too far off his line and allowed the ball to curl behind him and into the far corner. Pinkowski then denied McFadyen on the corner of the six-yard box before Linlithgow went 2-0 up. Stuart McArthur was the architect, delivering an inch-perfect 30-yard pass to the foot of Gordon Herd, who sidefooted past Baillie from close range.

"You can't give goals like that away to a team like Lithgae," declared Newbigging. "It was a horrendous mistake for the first one from the goalkeeper and, in fairness, he held his hand up for that. The second goal was also horrendous from Derek Fleming."

Baillie kept his side in it when he saved at the feet of Roddy McLennan as he burst clear into the box then clawed away a Mark Tyrrell free-kick from underneath his bar.

Tommy Coyne poked a shot against the post early in the second-half following some great link-up play with Herd before the woodwork denied McFadyen at the other end as he re-directed a complete mis-hit from Jamie Hay towards the goal.

The introduction of Grant Plenderleith added a spark to the Bo'ness attack and he was twice denied by Pinkowski before the 'keeper was finally beaten as Donnelly got on the end of a Fleming cross to steer the ball into the net. But, with the Linlithgow rearguard starting to creak, time just ran out for Bo'ness and, unfortunately for McFadyen, he was denied a fitting send-off.

"Chris is getting to the age where he's starting to feel a bit sore after games," said Newbigging, who also looks set to see Brian McQueen and Grant Plenderleith return to Hamilton and Stenhousemuir respectively. "He also wants to spend time with his kids. He's going to re-sign for us and if we need him he'll be on the other end of the phone."

While delighted to end the season on a winning note, Baikie admitted it will be a campaign he'll look back on with some regrets after losing out in a title race they had led for so long. "I'm really disappointed, to be honest," he said. "Yes, we won two Cups and lost to the eventual winners of the Scottish Cup. But it could have been a great season."

Reflecting on the Bo'ness campaign, Newbigging said: "We've done well in every competition and it would have been the icing on the cake if we'd come here and beat them after losing the two previous games between us."

Linlithgow Rose: Pinkowski, Kelly, Nelson, Tyrrell, Donnelly, Nimmo (Johnstone 83), Manson, McArthur, Herd (Strickland 70), Coyne, Roddy McLennan (Ruari McLennan 76). Subs: Bradley, McPherson.

Bo'ness United: Baillie, Snowden, Fleming, Duffin, Hunter, Hay (Plenderleith 61), Donnelly, Shirra, McFadyen, Walker, Ballantine. Subs: Cooper, Forrest, Ure, Longmuir.