29/03/08 K.O. 14.30 Referee: Photos and Highlights Next Match League table
Musselburgh Athletic progressed to the next round of the Dem Masters Cup after an end to end cup tie against Bo’ness eventually going through after a penalty shoot out after the sides had shared six goals with Burgh striker CJ Osazowa garbing a hat trick. Musselburgh made only one change from the side that had drawn at Newtongrange the previous week with Brian Murray dropping to the bench and Johnny Bain coming in at left back.
In front of a sizeable crowd with the away side well represented it was the visitors who took the lead after only twelve minutes when a corner kick was swung over and the ball found Andy Scott at the back post unmarked and he volleyed the ball home from close range. Two minutes later Musselburgh nearly fell further behind when Craig McManus let a high ball go past him and Paul Tweedy nipped in but his first time shot went over the crossbar. The match was littered with petty fouls and finally the referee made the first booking of the match when he cautioned goal scorer Andy Scott for a foul on Andy Porteous and he was followed into the book five minutes later by Kevin Donnelly who tripped Paul Currie as he broke from midfield. Musselburgh should have equalised on twenty five minutes when Chris King did well out wide and he turned the defence before sending over an inch perfect cross and CJ Osazowa was left unmarked but from only three yards out he headed the ball wide of the post. However the tall striker made amends two minutes later when he did get the equaliser when a high ball was played into the box and with the Bo’ness players claiming for offside CJ rose to head the ball past the diving keeper. Bo’ness almost hit back immediately when Scott Mauchlin met a cross at the back post but fortunately for the Burgh he headed narrowly wide. After thirty five minutes Musselburgh went ahead with the assistance of keeper Robert Burns who failed to hold a low cross from Paul Tansey and as the ball spilled from his hands CJ Osazowa reacted quickly to stab the ball home from a yard out.
Into the second half and full back Robbie Henderson became the third Bo’ness player to be yellow carded when he went into the book for dissent and he was quickly followed by Stephen Payne for a rash challenge on Paul Tansey. On the hour mark Bo’ness put all three substitutes on as they looked to get back into a match that Musselburgh were starting to dominate and they were reduced to ten men two minutes later when Kevin Donnelly tripped Paul Tansey and the referee had no option but to send him off much to the annoyance of the vocal visiting support. Musselburgh full back Johnny Bain then went on a rampaging run up the left and was only stopped when he was tackled inside the area by Will Snowdon and Bo’ness quickly countered and the broke quickly up field and substitute Scott Brown found himself with only Ronnie McPherson to beat but the Burgh keeper did well to block his shot with his legs to keep his side ahead. Defender Will Snowdon became the sixth booking for the visitors when he went into the book for dissent as tempers started to rise both on and off the park. With fifteen minutes remaining and against the run of play Bo’ness got an equalizer when Musselburgh failed to clear the ball when it came into the box and Scott Brown was on hand to score from close range. But almost immediately Musselburgh went back in front when Paul Currie sent over an inch perfect cross and CJ Osazowa rose at the front post to head powerfully home to restore the Burgh lead. But with ten minutes remaining the sides were level once again when Paul Tweedy out on the right tried his luck with a low shot which Ronnie McPherson looked to have covered but the ball bounced awkwardly and he could only palm the ball into the air and the ball came off the post and landed in the net. With five minutes remaining Burgh captain Wes Mitchell became the first player from the home side to be booked for dissent and with a minute left Burgh manager David McGlynn made a couple of tactical substitutions with the penalty shoot out imminent when he sent on Martin Murphy and Brian Murray. With the match ending all square the match went to a penalty decider and keeper Ronnie McPherson excelled yet again at penalty deciders when he saved the second kick from Paul Tweedy and Martin Murphy stepped up and with literally his first kick of the match scored to give Burgh the advantage. However Scott Devlin had his kick saved by keeper Burns before striker Andy Scott pulled his kick wide off the post leaving Brian Murray to step up to score to give Musselburgh the victory that over the ninety minutes their play deserved.
Mitchell
Musselburgh Athletic: McPherson, Porteous, Bain, Mitchell, McManus, Kelly, Devlin, Currie, Osazowa, King, Tansey. Subs: Barnes, Murphy, Hawkins, Murray, Polowyj.
Designed and developed by Liam Kelly 2008 ©
