Bo’ness United.................2
Sauchie Juniors................2

East Region Superleague

SAUCHIE ended their run of consecutive defeats as they played out a thrilling draw with Bo’ness.

In a game which saw both sides reduced to ten men before half time, William Wells put Sauchie in the driving seat with a first-half header.

However, ex-Sauchie player Ryan Millar came back to haunt his old side with an equaliser before Ross Campbell gave the home team the lead for the first time just a minute later.

But captain Brian Morgan came to the Wee County side’s rescue in the closing moments to rescue a point.

The opening stages saw the game swing from end to end and Wells wasn’t far away with a first-time effort on the half-volley, while at the other end Ryan Stevenson tested Darren Dolan with a stinging drive.

Bo’ness thought they should have had a penalty when Millar, who netted 25 times for Sauchie in the Premier League last season, went down in the box under a challenge, but the referee waved play on to the chagrin of the Newtown Park faithful.

Their fury was compounded when the visitors took the lead just after the half-hour mark. Goalkeeper Andy Murphy failed to deal with Stewart Houston’s free kick into the box, and Wells was first to react, looping a header over the defender on the line to break the deadlock.

Things went from bad to worse for the hosts minutes later. Morgan and Will Snowdon had tussled on a couple of occasions during the first half, and when they challenged for a high ball, the Bo’ness man snapped, kicking Morgan in the head as he lay on the ground.

It was an inexplicable moment of madness, and one which left the referee with no option but to brandish a red card.

However, Sauchie would enjoy a numerical advantage for just five minutes before the sides were levelled up.

Conor Kelly responded to a taunt from the home supporters, and on the advice of the assistant referee, he too headed for an early bath.

Bo’ness were a much-improved team after the break and began to sweep forward, Marty Wright calling Dolan into action with another powerful shot from just outside the box.

Millar was looking particularly sharp and was unlucky not to equalise as he twisted and turned his way into the box before firing just over from a tight angle.

But that proved a mere sighter for the former Falkirk striker, who got the home side back on terms with a terrific finish as he swept home Campbell’s cutback.

And the turnaround was complete moments later as Campbell found himself with all the time in the world in the six yard box to knock home from close range.

At that point the hosts thought they had the game won but Sauchie can never be discounted, and began to throw everything at their opponents.

They got their reward with less than ten minutes remaining as Morgan was quickest to a ball into the box, directing up, over Murphy and in off the underside of the bar.

The visitors could have won it in stoppage time when Morgan sent David Morrison racing clear, but this time Murphy was off his line sharply to make a good stop.

In the end it proved just too late for Sauchie to find a winner, but the draw means both they and Bo’ness are all but safe from relegation.

Manager Fraser Duncan said: “It was end-to-end stuff, particularly at the end when it was very open.

“I think Conor’s sending-off was a bit harsh. But theirs was right in front of the dugout, and the boy has kicked Morgy in the head which can’t be tolerated.

“Over the piece I think the draw was a fair result. I’m happy with the way the boys responded to the defeat on Saturday with a better performance.”

SAUCHIE: D. Dolan, Houston, Syme (Morrison), Bell, Hewitt, Comrie, Morgan, McTaggart, Kelly, Wells (Cummings), S. Dolan. UNUSED SUBS: Sinclair, Sharp.