ATTENDANCE 170
East Of Scotland Premier League: Jeanfield Swifts v Broxburn Athletic – 13 August 2022
Broxburn travelled up to Perth to take on league leaders Jeanfield Swifts at a sun soaked Riverside Stadium. The Brox had 7 changes in the starting line up Sinclair, Donaldson, Sayers, Greenhill, Henderson, Clark and Jeffries for Newall, D.Nimmo, Douglas, Gillen, Churchill, Binnie and Gray.
Bizarrely there were 2 injuries in the warm up 1 for each team. Binnie having to be replaced by Ross Nimmo and Reid starting in place of Fergus for the hosts.
Jeanfield made a positive start in 3 minutes Reid having a good run down the right playing the ball to Scott who played the ball inside to Stewart who shot wide of the left post.
Broxburn responded in 5 minutes Orru playing a great cross field ball to Nimmo who beat his man but his cross was behind Brass.
Jeanfield made good ground down the left but Smith’s cross was a poor one.
Hesitation in the visitors defence in 8 minutes gave Reid a great chance but he dragged his shot well wide to the right.
The left side was proving a good area of attack for the home side McLaren beat Sinclair with his cut back finding McLeish whose shot was blocked by Sayers.
In 12 minutes Broxburn were within a whisker of taking the lead, Henderson from a central position passed to Clark on the right and he played in a brilliant cross which Brass won with his head his header just went past the left hand post.
The home side played a long ball down field which Sinclair misjudged but McLaren’s cross had no takers in stripes.
Broxburn were keeping possession well and breaking to good effect Nimmo sending Henderson through but the winger shot well over.
Nimmo’s persistence saw him win the ball on the right in 17 minutes with his cross right on the money causing confusion between Whitehead and keeper Townsley but no one in red was on hand to profit.
Long balls were finding out Broxburn’s makeshift defence McLaren getting in the clear but he could only lob to Donoghue.
In 23 minutes Reid was booked.
In 27 minutes Nimmo mis controlled the ball it breaking to Smith but his shot was straight at Donoghue.
A glorious chance for the Brox to take the lead in 31 minutes Jeffries plays a neat pass to Henderson who slides a great ball to Brass down the right the striker is clear and one on one but he strikes his shot well but too straight at Townsley.
Jeffries was booked for the Brox.
Broxburn were having their best spell now Jeffries and Henderson linking well again with the winger making a good run down the right, his cross was accurate and fortuanately for the home side clips off Reid which was just enough to take the ball away from the late arriving Jeffries at the back post.
In 38 minutes it takes a brilliant save from Townsley to stop a cracking drive from Nimmo after Orru had played a great through ball to him. From the corner there were claims for a penalty for handball as Clark wins the ball with his head but the referee is unmoved.
In 42 minutes Smith combines well with McLaren but his shot is well over the bar.
HALF TIME: Jeanfield Swifts 0 – 0 Broxburn Athletic
In 47 minutes Jeanfield won a corner Smith takes but Brass heads clear well for Broxburn.
Brass is fouled by Sweeney just outside the penalty box to the right, Henderson takes the free kick but his cross disappointingly doesn’t beat the first man.
In 58 minutes a mistake from Sinclair allows McLaren some room Sayers does well to block his cross the ball breaking back to McLaren but he fires well wide of the right hand post.
On the hour F.Smith’s corner is swung in well from the left and hits the right hand post.
A minute later and Henderson gets in a shot with his left foot which he doesn’t catch at all well and it trundles past the left hand post.
The second half was noticeably being played at a slower pace than the first given the hot conditions.
Downie replaced Nimmo in 70 minutes and Reid off with Robertson on 2 minutes later for Jeanfield.
Greenhill was booked in 73 minutes for pulling back McLeish.
In 79 minutes Broxburn broke forward Brass beating 2 defenders before being fouled. Mollison was booked.
Henderson’s free kick was well struck but straight at Townsley.
In 80 minutes disaster strikes the visitors, from a long ball Sinclair is pressured by Robertson, instead of knocking the ball out of play he tries to shepherd the ball out but is tackled and loses the ball. Robertson’s cross is a low one but straight at Donoghue from the left, the keeper fumbles the ball on the ground straight to McLEISH who fires the ball into the right hand corner of the net.
In 82 minutes Donaldson is adjudged to have handled the ball just outside the penalty box F. Smith takes with Donoghue pulling off a good save to tip round the post.
Churchill came on for Clark in 85 minutes.
In a sweeping move on 87 minutes down the right Scott’s cross is mishit by McLeish but McLAREN is on hand at the back post to fire in a second home goal.
Stewart is booked as is Henderson.
In 90 minutes Struthers replaces McLeish.
A real sickener of a defeat with the 2 late goals, after a real gutsy performance from a makeshift Broxburn side, deserving of some reward. The team continue on their travels to Fife next week at Oakley United.
FULL TIME: Jeanfield Swifts 2 – 0 Broxburn Athletic
REFEREE MR T. ORMISTON ASSISTANTS MR G.LENNIE , MR k.LAIRD