Season: 2023/24

Attendance 955

Broxburn Athletic vs Dalbeattie Star Lowland League Playoff Second Leg- Albyn Park

Today is the biggest game of the season. We take on Dalbeattie Star on the final day at Albyn Park. Broxburn lead 4-1 on aggregate after last Saturday’s away day win in Dalbeattie. Gary Brass scored twice, while Nick Locke and Greg Page were also on the scoresheet for Broxburn, while Charlie Watson scored a rocket of a volley for Dalbeattie Star.

DALBEATTIE STAR FORM

(8/5/24) Creetown (A) 1-1 (D)     (10/5/24) Lochar Thistle (A) 0-1 (L)

(13/5/23) Creetown (H) 3-1 (W)    (18/5/24) Broxburn (H) 1-4 (L)

Broxburn Athletic are in their traditional kits. Red and white shirts, white shorts and red and white socks and start with a 4-4-2 diamond formation. Visitors Dalbeattie Star are in blue and white stripes, blue shorts and socks and start with a 4-5-1 formation. There are no changes to the Broxburn side from last week’s first leg 4-1 win at Islecoft Stadium

It’s been raining on and off all afternoon, but the rain stops as the East of Scotland Champions Broxburn Athletic & South of Scotland champions Dalbeattie Star emerge from the tunnel.

Broxburn create the first chance in 2 minutes. Greg Page plays a great long ball  to Ross Nimmo’s feet wide right. The Broxburn winger’s shot is saved by Dalbeattie keeper Konar Pietcsh.

GOAL! Dalbeattie silence Albyn Park and take the lead. Ross Hunter plays in Declan Rogerson who finishes well for the opening goal.

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 0

DALBEATTIE STAR 1 (Rogerson-5 Minutes)

(4-2 Broxburn on Aggregate)

Two big chances for a Broxburn equaliser in a minute. Good play by left back Callum Heath who gets down the left flank and his cross finds Errol Douglas whose shot is saved by Dalbeattie keeper Pietcsh.  Second chance was a stinging shot by Alassan Jones that was saved by Pietcsh. On 8 minutes, Ross Nimmo’s delivery from the right finds Gary Brass who heads over the bar.

Good play by Nick Locke on 9 minutes, he gets to the byline and delivers a low, dangerous cross, but no one gambles, and it goes out for a goal kick.

GOAL!! Broxburn equalise. Good cross by Callum Heath finds Ross Nimmo whose header is saved. The rebound falls To Gary Brass who scores the rebound high into the net.

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 1 (Gary Brass-11 Minutes)

DALBEATTIE STAR 1

(5-2 Broxburn on Aggregate)

Long ball forward finds Alassan Jones behind the Dalbeattie defence. Jones takes the ball down well with a great first touch but blasts his effort way over the bar.

GOAL! Broxburn take the lead. Great through ball by Ross Nimmo finds Errol Douglas who finishes well into the left corner.

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 2 (Errol Douglas-16 Minutes)

DALBEATTIE STAR 1

(6-2 Broxburn on Aggregate)

GOAL! Broxburn score their third.  Its Ross Nimmo with a great cross from the right that is headed home by Alassan Jones.

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 3 (Alassan Jones-20 Minutes)

DALBEATTIE STAR 1

(7-2 Broxburn on Aggregate)

GOAL! Broxburn are 4-1 up. Greg Page plays a long ball forward to Ross Nimmo on the right who’s cross is scored from close range by Gary Brass for his second of the match.

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 4 (Gary Brass- 26 Minutes)

DALBEATTIE STAR 1

(8-2 Broxburn on Aggregate)

On 33 minutes, Ross Nimmo’s twist and turns away from the Dalbeattie Star defence, but his shot is saved by Dalbeattie keeper Konar Pietsch. A good delivery by Marky Munro is hits of Dalbeattie Star captain David Taylor into his own net. But the linesman had his flag up on the far side and it was ruled out.

On 43 minutes, A long ball forward finds Errol Douglas who stays onside and is right through on goal with just Konar Pietsch to beat. The Dalbeattie keeper takes out Douglas just outside the box and is shown a straight red card. GOAL! Up steps Alassan Jones to take the free kick. His powerful effort beats the wall and finds the bottom left corner.

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 5 (Alassan Jones-45 Minutes)

DALBEATTIE STAR 1

(9-2 Broxburn on Aggregate)

HALF TIME (5-1 Broxburn/ 9-2 Broxburn on aggregate)

Pace of the game has slowed down rapidly. Broxburn dominating possession so far in the second half.

SUBSTITUTION BROXBURN (58 Minutes)

ON-Conor Thomson

OFF-Ross Nimmo

On 63 minutes, a Marky Munro cross finds Errol Douglas who heads over the bar.

GOAL! Its 6-1 Broxburn. Great corner by Alassan Jones finds Gary Brass who heads home for his hat-trick!

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 6 (Gary Brass-68 Minutes)

DALBEATTIE STAR 1

(10-2 Broxburn on Aggregate)

DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION BROXBURN (69 Minutes)

ON-Downie & Bremner

OFF-Jones & Brass

GOAL! Its 7-1. Long high cross by Callum Heath finds Callum Bremner whose pass finds Marky Munro who heads home.

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 7 (Marky Munro-72 Minutes)

DALBEATTIE STAR 1

(11-2 Broxburn on Aggregate)

Great idea by Lewis Turner who ball through has too much on it for Darren Downie.

Good play by Conor Thomson who plays a great ball through for Callum Heath whose shot is saved on 81 minutes.

GOAL! 8^th for Broxburn. Conor Thomson with a great assist finds Callum Bremner who heads home.

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 8 (Callum Bremner-84 Minutes)

DALBEATTIE STAR 1

(12-2 Broxburn on Aggregate)

On 86 minutes, Broxburn captain Nick Locke drives through with just the keeper to beat, he attempts a chip over the Dalbeattie keeper that is saved. Callum Bremner has a shot saved on 88 minutes.

The final whistle is blown by referee Curran and its confirmed, 23/24 East of Scotland Premier Division Champions. Broxburn Athletic have been promoted to the Lowland League. Scenes of absolute delight round Albyn Park as the players and fans celebrate on the park. Huge congratulations to everyone at the club.

FULL TIME

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 8 (Brass x3, Jones x2, Munro, Bremner, Douglas)

DALBEATTIE STAR 1

(Broxburn won 12-2 on Aggregate)

Teams

BROXBURN ATHLETIC – Watt, Munro, Page, Moyles, Nimmo, Jones, Douglas, Heath, Brass, Turner, Locke

SUBS- Donoghue (GK), Downie, Thomson, Sayers, Davidson, Bremner, Millar

DALBEATTIE STAR – Pietsch, Swan, Jamieson, Williamson, Summerbee, Taylor ©, Carmichael, Watson, Hunter, Potts, Rogerson

SUBS- Shaw, Minto, McMurtrie, G Gourlay, E Gourlay, McKeeman, Milligan

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE- Mr J Curran

ASSISTANTS-Mr M Harris & Mr S Duff

FOURTH OFFICIAL- Mr B  Falconer