McGonigal hails solid show from champs-elect Bo'ness

BO'NESS boss Alan McGonigal hailed a "professional performance" from his side as they extended their lead at the top of the Super League to 16 points with this drubbing of nine-man Lochee.

The United boss said: "It was a good professional performance from us and one which gives us a lot of confidence for the run-in. The early goal settled us and, once we got our noses in front, we felt we could win the game."

McGonigal believes 45 points will clinch the title and his men are now just three points from that target.

They had a dream start when Andy Shirra played a good ball into the box for David Morrison to chase. He won it ahead of a couple of defenders and slid the ball into the net despite the efforts of Ian Ross to stop it.

Bo'ness took a huge lift from this and McFadyen smashed a header against the bar as they pushed forward. Lochee, though, were still dangerous and Bo'ness keeper Jordan Longmuir had to be at his best to keep his goal intact to half time.

Into the second half and Lochee stepped up a gear, Craig Robertson bringing out the best in Longmuir with a 30 yard free kick which the keeper saved well. Lochee's John Thompson was then sent off however for a reckless challenge, having been booked earlier.

In the 69th minute Bo'ness were awarded a penalty. Lochee keeper Ross brought down substitute Nicky Walker and was promptly sent off for a last-man tackle. Lochee took Paul Blackwood off and replaced him with veteran keeper Jim Butter, whose first job was to pick the ball out of the net after Shirra had scored from the spot.

Five minutes later Bo'ness scored a third. A tremendous free-kick from Derek Fleming saw the ball crash off the bar straight up in the air.

As it fell back down keeper Butter lost control, the ball hit off his shoulder and was fumbled over the line for an own goal. The nine-man Lochee side were really up against it now and luck deserted them completely with only a couple of minutes to go.

Bo'ness sub Darren Gribben, only on the pitch a couple of minutes, picked up the ball some 30 yards out. He took a leisurely swipe at the ball towards the centre of the goal. It bounce and bobbled its way to the goal and was a bread and Butter job for the keeper to take.

However, the ball took a slight bounce before it reached his diving body and bounced over him and into the net. This is a game substitute keeper Butter will want to forget but no doubt will linger long in his memory.

That finished the scoring and it was a jubilant Bo'ness side who took the applause form their supporters with another three points on their march for the title. On this performance they will win the league in style. But the same can't be said for a dejected Lochee side who are deep in the mire near the foot of the table. This result leaves them in second bottom spot with 17 points and in real danger of relegation on this form. Bo'ness boss McGonigal is happy with progress so far: "There's still some way to go yet but we have to be happy with our season. There are a couple of teams who can make life difficult for us but, if we continue to play like that, then I feel we can do the business. When we introduced Nicky Walker his pace caught Lochee out and it changed the game for us.

"He won the penalty and generally gave us a lift. We thought it would be a tough game because Lochee are fighting for their Super League survival.

"We believed they would come here and have a real go at us. They did until the sending-offs which didn't help their cause.

"Forty five points is the number I think will win the title. All the sides will take points from each other in the run-in and I believe if we can get forty five then the title will be ours."

Bo'ness United: Longmuir, Snowdon, Fleming, Forrest, Duffin, Morrison, Shirra, Donnelly, McFadyen, Churchill, Brown. Subs: Ballantyne, Gribben, Kiczynski, Main, Shields, Walker, McGurk.

Lochee United: Ross, Krobot, Hay, Watson, Thompson, Hagen, Alexander, Cargill, Middleton, Blackwood, Robertson. Subs: Voigt, Bannon, Heggie, Khuler, Thomson, Kirk, Butter.