League: East of Scotland Qualifying Cup

Attendance 275

Broxburn Athletic (4-4-2) – Pettigrew (GK), Munro, Moyles, G Page, Rodden, Bell, Nimmo, Locke ©, Heath, Downie, Russell  

SUBS- Watt (GK), J Page, Morris, Douglas, Jones & Turner  

Broxburn Athletic kicked off their East of Scotland qualifying cup campaign on Tuesday night against local rivals Blackburn United. 

Blackburn United finished season 2023/24 in 10TH place in the East of Scotland First Division. The club recently appointed Andrew Meechan as their new manager. Andrew done a great job with the Blackburn under 20’s and has been involved with Blackburn for 15 + years. Ex Livingston & Celtic academy coach David Gibson also joins the club as assistant manager. The club kicked off their league campaign last Saturday with a 3-3 draw with Whitehill Welfare at Ferguson Park. McDowall, Campbell & Sampson were on the scoresheet for United.  

Blackburn United’s Last 4 Games  

(15/7/24) Bathgate Thistle (A) 1-1 (D)   

(20/7/24) Armadale (N) 1-1 (Lost on penalties)  

(21/7/24) Stoneyburn (A) 1-1(D) 

(27/7/24) Whitehill Welfare (A) 3-3 (D)  

It was a stunning night in West Lothian as both teams entered the pitch. Broxburn Athletic were in their traditional colours, Red and white strips, white shorts and red socks and start with a 4-4-2 formation. Visitors Blackburn United are in all yellow and start with a 4-5-1 formation. Broxburn make six changes from the team that defeated Broomhill last Saturday. In come Jordan Pettigrew, Callum Heath, Kyle Bell Ross Nimmo, Kieran Moyles and Darren Downie. They replace Bob Watt, Jonathan Page, Alassan Jones, Errol Douglas, Gary Brass and Lewis Turner.  

Broxburn have an early corner on 2 minutes, Callum Heath’s corner from the left finds Greg Page who puts his header over the bar.  

On 12 minutes, Callum Heath is booked for simulation by referee Shephard. The Broxburn winger looked to be caught by the Blackburn defender.  

GOAL! Broxburn have a deserved lead. Callum Heath does well to keep it in play over on the left. His deep cross finds Ross Nimmo whose header is saved, but it rebounds back to skipper Nick Locke who heads into the right corner to open the scoring.    

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 1 (Nick Locke-15 Minutes)  

BLACKBURN ATHLETIC 0   

GOAL! Its 2-0 Broxburn. Callum Heath with a well delivered corner from the right meets the head of Page and it smashes into the back of the net.   

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 2 (Greg Page-18 Minutes)  

BLACKBURN ATHLETIC 0   

GOAL! Its 3-0! Callum Heath finds Andy Rodden wide left. He crosses for Darren Downie, who toes it beyond the Blackburn keeper.  

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 3 (Darren Downie-23 Minutes)  

BLACKBURN ATHLETIC 0   

Ross Nimmo plays a good one-two with Nick Locke, but the Broxburn winger drags his shot wide of target on 32 minutes.  On 35 minutes, Darren Downie wins the ball high up the park on the right, but his shot is saved by the Blackburn keeper. On 41 minutes, Ross Nimmo is found wide right by a great pass by Luke Morris. Nimmo takes on the Blackburn right back and is in on goal with just the keeper to beat, but the Blackburn keeper makes a good block.  

HALF TIME (3-0 Broxburn Athletic)  

SUBSTITUTION BROXBURN (At Half Time)  

ON- Luke Morris  

OFF- Andy Rodden   

Good one touch football by Broxburn. It’s worked forward to Callum Heath whose shot is wide of target.   

On 50 minutes, Blackburn create their first chance of the match. Ball into the box finds Kyle Sampson who drags his shot wide of target.  

On the 55th minute. Darren Downie has a shot cleared of the line by the Blackburn defender Kyle McClung. On 58 minutes, Marky Munro delivers a great ball into the area from the right, that finds Darren Downie. The Broxburn striker’s header hits the bar and bounces out.   

Another chance for Blackburn attacker Kyle Sampson who again shoots wide.  

On 62 minutes, half time substitute Luke Morris cuts inside and his shot smacks the bar.  

DOUBLE SUBSTITUTE BROXBURN (65 Minutes)  

ON- Alassan Jones & Lewis Turner  

OFF- Ross Nimmo & Callum Heath  

Next in the referee’s book is Blackburn’s Dylan Weldon for a foul on 69 minutes.   

On 70 minutes, Broxburn midfielder Lewis Turner puts his shot over the bar.  

Goal!! Broxburn score a fourth. Lewis Turner with a lovely drag back pass finds Darren Downie whose deflected shot flies past Blackburn keeper Callum McDonald.   

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 4 (Darren Downie-72 Minutes)  

BLACKBURN ATHLETIC 0 

GOAL! Three minutes later it’s 5-0 Broxburn. Lewis Turner with another assist. He finds Alassan Jones who lobs the keeper, and his effort nestles into the empty net.   

BROXBURN ATHLETIC  5 (Alassan Jones-76 Minutes)  

BLACKBURN ATHLETIC 0   

Blackburn have two corners in the dying minutes. The latter is caught by keeper Jordan Pettigrew. Bang on 90 minutes, referee Shephard blows for full time. A good performance for Broxburn and a good chance to get some players game time and confidence going into a busy spell.   

FULL TIME  

Broxburn Athletic 5 (Downie 2, Locke, Page, Jones)  

Blackburn United 0  

MATCH OFFICIALS 

REFEREE- Mr Shephard  

ASSISTANTS- Mr Doyle  & Mr Robertson   

Blackburn United – MacDonald (GK), Scooler, McClung, Maguire©, Graham, Donaldson, Jones, Kirk, Weldon, Spence, Sampson 

Subs- Johnston, Hunter, Hendry, Meikle, McDowall, Campbell, Ashley (GK)  

 

Attendance 625

Broxburn Athletic vs Inverkeithing Swifts

This weekend, it was the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup Semi Final at Albyn Park, where Inverkeithing Swifts were the visitors.

ROUTE TO THE SEMI FINAL

BROXBURN ATHLETIC

2ND ROUND- (19/8/23) Peebles Rovers (H) 3-1

3RD ROUND-(7/11/23) Bathgate Thistle (H) 2-1

4TH ROUND- (28/11/23) Bo’ness Athletic (A) 4-3

5TH ROUND (27/2/24) Tranent Juniors (A) 1-0

INVERKEITHING SWIFTS

2ND ROUND- (19/8/23) Whitburn (A) 6-4

3RD ROUND-(23/9/23) Pumpherston (A) 3-2

4TH ROUND-(14/10/24) Fauldhouse (H) 3-0

5TH ROUND- (27/2/24) Gala Fairydean (A) 3-2

Inverkeithing Swifts lie in 13TH place in the East of Scotland Premier Division. In their last fixture last weekend, they lost to Haddington Athletic away 3-1.

Broxburn make 5 changes from last weekend’s 2-1 loss away at Glenrothes. In come Kieran Moyles, Ross Nimmo, Ben Davidson & Darren Downie and Callum Heath. They replace Steven Anderson, Gary Brass, Ali Jones, Marky Munro & Callum Bremner.

Broxburn Athletic are in their traditional strips. Red and white shirts, white shorts, and red and white socks. They are playing a 4-4-2 formation.

Inverkeithing Swifts are in yellow shirts, blue shorts and yellow socks and start with a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Broxburn are first to threaten. Nick Locke does well to force the corner. A very inviting corner by Callum Heath has no takers and rolls out for a goal kick.

In the third minute, a good switch of play by Greg Page finds Ross Nimmo out wide right. Nimmo crosses for Nick Locke who heads over.

On the 6th minute, the visitors threatened for the first time. Ben Finnan’s shot is pushed wide by Broxburn keeper Bob Watt. From the resulting corner, the ball comes out to Swifts number 4 John Binnie and Watt pushes it wide again for a second corner. Broxburn eventually clear the third corner.

Ross Nimmo looks for Errol Douglas. The big Broxburn striker forces Inverkeithing defender Ben Ramage into a mistake and Broxburn have a corner. Callum Heath takes and Kieran Moyles heads over the bar.

19 minutes in and Inverkeithing have a corner. A good cross finds Luke Mahady whose header from close range is saved by Bob Watt.

GOAL! Inverkeithing open the scoring and it’s a cracker. Aaron Wood strike finds the top corner from just outside of the D.

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 0

INVERKEITHING SWIFTS 1 (Wood-24 Minutes)

Yellow card is shown to one of the Inverkeithing coaching staff on 25 minutes.

On 26 minutes, ball is worked in to Ross Nimmo whose shot is right at Inverkeithing keeper Michael Gibb.

Two booking in two minutes for the visitors. On 29 minutes, Michael Paterson is booked for a foul on Callum Heath and on 30 minutes John Binnie is booked for a foul on Darren Downie.

On 34 minutes, Inverkeithing’s Michael Paterson who was just booked takes out Lewis Turner and is lucky not to get a second yellow from referee Buchan.

Big chance for Broxburn right on half time. Ross Nimmo does well to deliver a cross despite been forced wide. Errol Douglas at full stretch, can’t get the contact on the ball.

HALF TIME (1-0 Inverkeithing Swifts)

Lewis Turner is booked on 47 minutes for a late challenge.

On 50 minutes, Darren Downie shoots wide of target.

On 53 minutes it’s a penalty Inverkeithing. Luke Mahady goes down in the box. GOAL! Up steps Luke Mahady who sends Bob Watt the wrong way and doubles Inverkeithing’s lead.

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 0

INVERKEITHING SWIFTS 2 (Mahady-54 Minutes)

DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION BROXBURN (56 Minutes)

ON-Conor Thomson & Gary Brass

OFF-Ben Davidson & Darren Downie

Big chance for Broxburn. Ross Nimmo shot from a rebound looks to be over the line, but the linesman doesn’t flag, and we play on.

On 61 minutes, Nick Locke goes down in the box and referee points to the spot. Up steps Lewis Turner whose penalty is saved by Inverkeithing Swifts keeper Michael Gibb.

Great cross by Conor Thomson is only cleared as far as Lewis Turner whose shot deflects wide for a corner.

Big chance for Errol Douglas on 66 minutes. It falls for the big man in the box, but he can’t get his positioning right and Inverkeithing clear their lines.

On 68 minutes after a constant Broxburn onslaught. Inverkeithing break forward and Bob Watt makes 2 great saves, first from Luke Mahady and on the rebound he saves from Aaron Wood.

Ross Nimmo has the ball in the net, but referee Buchan blows straight away for offside. Looked a very tight call from my viewpoint. A member of the Broxburn coaching staff is booked on 71 minutes.

Shot by Nick Locke is right at the keeper on 73 minutes.

Ross Nimmo delivers a good teasing ball into the box. Nick Locke hits fresh air with his strike and Inverkeithing clear their lines again.

Inverkeithing’s Michael Patterson is shown a second yellow card for a pull-on Nick Locke on 75 minutes. GOAL! From the resulting free kick. Greg page delivers a great cross and Errol Douglas heads home.

BROXNURN ATHLETIC 1 (Errol Douglas-77 Minutes)

INVERKEITHING SWIFTS 2

Next in the book is Inverkeithing number 6 Ben Ramage for a foul.

Broxburn are throwing everything at it. Nick Locke shot is tipped over the bar by Inverkeithing Swifts keeper Michael Gibb.

Fair play to Inverkeithing who have defended well today. Keeper made some cracking saves. We wish them all the best for the season.

Next up its Leith Athletic at Meadowbank and it’s a chance for the boys to get back to winning ways.

FULL TIME

Broxburn Athletic 1(Douglas)

Inverkeithing Swifts 2

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee- Mr Buchan

Assistants- Mr Allan & Mr McAlpine