Attendance 424
Lowland League : Broxburn Athletic v East Kilbride 31 August 2024
On a glorious day for football at a sun drenched Albyn Park the Brox were looking to keep their fantastic start to the season on track in a top of the table clash against current Lowland League champions.
Broxburn went into the game on the back of a 4 league game winning streak with no goals conceded latest victims being Gretna 2008 last Saturday where a 2-0 win was recorded. Broxburn welcomed back Douglas for R.Nimmo and Watt replaced Pettigrew in goal.
Current champions East Kilbride had racked up some big wins in their start to the season but had shown they weren’t infallible with a 4-4 draw at Gala, with only 9 men and a loss at Cumbernauld Colts. East Kilbride made 3 changes from last weeks 4-4 draw McDonald, Biggar and Robertson were replaced by Livingstone, Spence and Fagan.
Broxburn set out to frustrate their visitors and from a long ball forward by Munro, Douglas forced an error with the ball breaking to Jones on the left. JONES cut in from the left and fired in a shot which took a deflection which wrong footed keeper Connelly and ended up in the back of the net which gave the home side an amazing start. Time 15 minutes.
The Kilby responded with a Fagan header just clearing the bar.
In the 25th minute right back Ferguson got to the bye line with Jones doing well to track him and block his cross away for a corner.
The corner taken by Livingstone was deep to the back post where Spence got his head to the ball with Watt having to look sharp to tip the ball over the bar. Watt was fouled from the next corner.
From a mis control by G.Page this resulted in another corner. Watt again was forced into action tipping the corner on to the bar. Stirling took the corner from the left but G.Page cleared Brox lines.
A bit of controversy on 31 minutes when McCrory-Irvine played a defence splitting pass through the East Kilbride defence to Bell who had a run in on goal halted by a crude challenge from McGregor. The referee decided a yellow card was sufficient.
From the free kick G.Page did not get enough power on his effort to trouble Connolly.
Leitch was next into the referee’s notebook for a poor tackle on Munro. Time 33 minutes.
The Brox then had a decent opportunity to increase their lead when McCrory-Irvine fashioned a shooting chance from a corner, which was blocked inside the 6 yard box, G.Page forced the ball toward the goal line and J.Page slid in to try and force the ball home but he caught an East Kilbride defender and was booked.
The Kilby were finishing the half strongly with Watt pulling off a great save with his feet to deny Balde.
In 44 minutes Livingstone played the ball inside to Stirling who looked to get a shot away at the edge of the penalty box where the Brox defence did well to deny him the space until he slid the ball right to Elliot who was the latest to be denied by another Watt save.
HALF TIME: Broxburn Athletic 1 – 0 East Kilbride
East Kilbride started the 2nd half with a fair bit of purpose, a free kick from the left in 48 minutes by Lockie swung in dangerously hitting Balde but fortunately ran through to Watt in the home goal.
The equaliser wasn’t delayed long however with the ball played to BALDE 20 yards out and he let rip a fantastic shot which arrowed past Watt and into the right bottom corner of the net. Time 50 minutes.
Munro then conceded a free kick on the right which Livingstone took with Kilby striker Elliot misjudging his header completely which ended up being a clearance.
In 54 minutes the Brox conceded again Balde turned provider this time clipping the ball through to LEITCH, who advanced a few yards and chipped the ball over Watt.
Brass replaced Russell for Broxburn a minute later.
East Kilbride were making it really difficult for Broxburn to get a foothold in the game now and punished them further in 62 minutes from a long ball forward ELLIOT and G.Page tussled for the ball with the Kilby striker getting the better of the battle for the ball and lobbed the ball over Watt.
The Broxburn defence were outpaced 2 minutes later Spence playing the ball to STIRLING who provided a neat finish to make it 1-4.
The visitors then hit the bar in 68 minutes with an audacious effort from Livingstone who tried an overhead kick with his back to goal which hit the the top of the crossbar.
Rodden swung in a decent ball in 78 minutes which Douglas won with his head but his effort was straight at Connelly.
In 81 minutes Douglas, Jones and Mwangi were replaced by Downie, Heath and Kagni-Soupke.
The Brox kept plugging away in 84 minutes Rodden again delivered in a good ball Brass getting his head to the ball which forced Connelly to tip the ball over the bar. From the corner taken by McCrory-Irvine, Brass won, with his header drifting just wide of the right hand post.
G.Page was booked in 85 minutes for a foul on Balde.
Elliot was then replaced for East Kilbride by ex Morton player Boyd.
Miller replaced J.Page in 90 minutes for Broxburn.
Boyd nearly got himself on the scoresheet deep into injury time after a neat turn his shot deflected off Miller and just trickled past the right hand post.
A clinical 2nd half performance from the current Lowland League champions saw off a stuffy Broxburn side. The games continue to come thick and fast with Bo’ness United visiting the Albyn on Tuesday night in a big derby clash.
FULL TIME: Broxburn Athletic 1 – 4 East Kilbride