League: East Premier League 2023/24

Attendance 163

Crossgates Primrose vs Broxburn Athletic

We headed over to Fife on Saturday, for our rescheduled league match against Crossgates Primrose at Humbug Park.

Crossgates Primrose lie in 13th place in the East of Scotland Premier Division. Due to postponements, the club haven’t been involved in competitive action since Saturday December the 16th, where they drew at home 1-1 with Penicuik Athletic.

Broxburn make 3 changes from last Friday’s 2-1 victory against Hutchison Vale. In comes Calum Heath, Callum Bremner & Debutant Euan McGill. They replace Jason Jarvis, Marcus Miller, and Ben Davidson.

Crossgate’s Primrose are in Yellow and Navy shirts with navy socks and shorts and are playing a 4-2-3-1

Broxburn Athletic are in their traditional kits. Red and White shirts, White shorts, and red and white socks. They start with a 4-4-2 formation.

After both clubs completed their warmups, the pitch has already cut up and a tough muddy 90 minutes were in store on a heavy park for both teams.

Broxburn are first to threaten in the first minute. A deep ball into the box from the right is only cleared as far as Lewis Turner. The Broxburn Midfielder fires his strike over the bar.

Another cross in is half cleared by Crossgates and this time comes back to Gary Brass. The big striker doesn’t connect well with the ball and it’s an easy pick up by Crossgates keeper Shaun Hunter.

In 12 minutes, a Greg page free kick deflects off the Crossgates wall for a corner to Broxburn. The home side stand tall and defend it well.

17 minutes in And Crossgates create a half chance. Long ball forward by Darren Smith finds Crossgates Skipper Archie Campbell whose header is caught by Bob Watt.

Good play by Broxburn skipper Nick Locke. He drives down the left and nutmegs the Crossgates full back. His cross is caught by Crossgates keeper Shaun Hunter.

First big chance of the match comes on 21 minutes for Broxburn. Gary Brass brings down a long Bob Watt ball down, and finds Callum Heath wide left. Heath puts in a good cross for Errol Douglas who heads over the bar.

GOAL! Against the run of play Crossgates take the lead on 24 minutes. A Darren Smith corner is half cleared out to Craig Reid who shoots past Bob Watt into the left corner. Good finish to put the hosts 1-0 up.

CROSSGATES PRIMROSE 1 (Craig Reid -23 Minutes)

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 0

Darren Smith has another corner on 26 minutes from the left and it lands on top of the Broxburn net this time.

Unfortunately, Broxburn captain Nick Locke is injured and can’t continue.

SUBSTITUTION BROXBURN (30 Minutes)

ON-Ross Nimmo

OFF- Nick Locke

Chance for Crossgates on 34 minutes. Darren Smith crosses for Craig Reid who heads over the bar.

Big Chance for a Broxburn Athletic equaliser on 36 minutes. Euan McGill’s long throw over on the left finds Errol Douglas whose shot hits the bar and goes over.

A long ball forward finds Calum Heath, he takes a great first touch and his shot is well saved by the legs of Crossgates keeper Shaun Hunter.

GOAL! Broxburn equalise. Ross Nimmo delivers a great cross in from the right that is headed home by Calum Heath.

CROSSGATES PRIMROSE 1

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 1 (Calum Heath-42 Minutes)

A Lewis Turner corner from the right is goal bound and Crossgates Defender Darren Smith manages to clear it of the line. Greg Page is booked as he jumps with a challenge with Craig Maguire. The Crossgates players surround referee Gamble looking for a red card, but he brings out a yellow card for Page.

HALF TIME (1-1)

Ross Nimmo is booked on 47 minutes for a pull of the jersey.

GOAL! Great delivery from a corner from Calum Heath finds Errol Douglas who slots home from close range to give Broxburn a deserved lead.

CROSSGATES PRIMROSE 1

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 2 (Errol Douglas-49 Minutes)

Callum Bremner finds Calum Heath in space, but his shot is over the bar.

Great play Ross Nimmo who flies down the right and delivers an excellent cross that Primrose keeper Shaun Hunter punches clear.

Euan McGill is next in Referee Gamble’s book on 59 minutes, for a foul on Cammy Muirhead.

Chance for a Crossgates equaliser. Good ball in from the right finds Cammy Muirhead whose shot is wide.

Calum Heath gets ahead of Darren Smith who pulls him down. Referee Gamble points to the spot and it’s a penalty to Broxburn. GOAL! Up steps Errol Douglas who fires it past keeper Hunter into the right corner.

CROSSGATES PRIMROSE 1

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 3 (Errol Douglas-71 Minutes)

GOAL! Broxburn hit on the counter-attack. Callum Bremner pass is ahead of Ross Nimmo, but the winger gets to the ball wide right. He crosses for Gary Brass who converts low into the net.

CROSSGATES PRIMROSE 1

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 4 (Gary Brass-73 Minutes)

SUBSTITUTION BROXBURN (75 Minutes)

ON-Ben Davidson

OFF-Lewis Turner

SUBSTITUTIONS BROXBURN (79 Minutes)

ON-Conor Thomson & Darren Downie

OFF-Calum Heath & Errol Douglas

Chance for Ross Nimmo is just over the bar for Broxburn bang on 90 minutes.

Broxburn take 3 points back home over the Queensferry Crossing in horrible conditions. Another big win for the lads.

FULL TIME

CROSSGATES PRIMROSE 1

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 4 (Douglas x2, Heath, Brass)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE- Mr Gamble

ASSISTANTS- Mr Walsh & Mr Walls

Attendance 315

Hutchison Vale vs Broxburn Athletic

It was back to the capital for Broxburn for the second week running, as we visit Ainslie Park for a tough away tie against Hutchison Vale in the EOSFL Premier Division.

Hutchison Vale lie in second place, 2 points ahead of Jeanfield Swifts but have played 4 more games than the Perth side. In their last fixture, they defeated Inverkeithing Swifts 7-1, last Saturday the 6th of January.

Broxburn make two changes from the team that defeated Tynecastle 3-2 last Saturday. In come Kieran Moyles & Ben Davidson who replace Callum Bremner & Conor Thomson.

Hutchison Vale are in Yellow and Black shirts, Black shorts and yellow socks and start with a 4-3-3.

Broxburn are in their traditional home strips. Red & White shirts, white shorts, and red and white socks and are starting with a 4-4-2 Diamond formation.

Both teams emerge from the tunnel on a cold Friday night under the lights in Granton. Broxburn are the first to threaten on three minutes. Gary Brass gets beyond the Hutchison Vale full back and delivers a cross that catches the bar and goes over.

Big chance for the hosts on 9 minutes. Joe Viola shoots just wide of target. Another chance soon after, Veteran defender Ricky Miller’s shot is just wide of target.

Broxburn brake down the right, Nick Locke crosses for Gary Brass who is in an advanced position. He tries to square it for Errol Douglas, but Hutchison Vale clear their lines.

Gary Brass does well to win a header and nod the ball on to Errol Douglas. The big striker looks to be in, but the Hutchison Vale defender gets in too clear.

Broxburn have looked the more likely in the early stages. On 27 minutes they had another chance to open the scoring. Ben Davidson delivers a good cross and finds Errol Douglas at the front post and heads over the bar.

Errol Douglas had another chance 2 minutes later. A good cross from Davidson was half cleared by Hutchison Vale. It comes back to Errol Douglas who ‘s powerful effort blazed it over the bar.

On 30 minutes it was a penalty to Broxburn. What looked from our viewpoint like a 50/50 challenge between Miller and Douglas left referee Shephard with no hesitation and pointed to the spot. GOAL! Errol Douglas steps up and slots home for his 19th goal of the season.

HUTCHISON VALE 0

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 1 (Douglas- 32 minutes)

Ricky Miller has a shot from distance for Hutchison Vale but its wide of target.

Ben Davidson drives into the box and his cross goes for a corner to Broxburn. From the resulting corner, it deflects out to Lewis Turner whose shot is narrowly wide.

Next in the book is Hutchison Vale number 2 for a foul on Errol Douglas on 36 minutes.

Few chances for the hosts in quick succession. First by Viola whose shot is narrowly wide of the left-hand post. Broxburn gave a silly free kick away on the edge of the box. Ricky Miller took it, and his effort is right at Bob Watt.

On 42 minutes, Kieran Moyles was booked for a foul on the Hutchison Vale number 16.

HALF TIME (1-0 Broxburn)

Broxburn are the first to threaten in the second half. Gary Brass’s strike is well saved by the Hutchison Vale keeper.

Ball through from Nick Locke finds Errol Douglas, he rounds the keeper and from an angle blazes his effort over the bar.

Ben Davidson is booked for a foul on 54 minutes.

Broxburn have a free kick just inside the Hutchison Vale half. GOAL! Jason Jarvis takes it and his ball into the area is missed by everyone and finds the net. Keeper has had a howler.

HUTCHISON VALE 0

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 2 (Jarvis-57 minutes)

SUBSTITUTION BROXBURN (59 Minutes)

ON-Conor Thomson

OFF-Nick Locke

Good save from the Hutchison Vale keeper from Gary Brass.

GOAL! And a great goal by the hosts. The Hutchison Vale number 11 skips past two players. He finds Luke Paxton who slots it past Bob Watt into the left corner.

HUTCHISON VALE 1 (Paxton-68 minutes)

BROXBURN ATHLETIC 2

SUBSTITUTIONS BROXBURN (70 Minutes)

ON-Callum Heath & Darren Downie

OFF- Errol Douglas & Marcus Miller

Hutchison Vale are pushing for an equaliser. Ball in from the left falls to 19 and veteran defender Steven Anderson makes a great block to save Broxburn.

Broxburn counter attack after sustained Hutchison Vale pressure. Gary Brass finds Callum Heath. Heath’s ball has too much on it for Darren Downie who is at full stretch. Ball takes a nick of the post on the way through.

Free kick by Ricky Miller is pushed away by Bob Watt. 13 collects and puts a teasing ball into the area for 19 who has a tap in, but Stevie Anderson is the hero with a great block again. From the resulting corner, Broxburn Athletic half clear. It comes back to Ricky Miller whose strike is cleared on the line.

Ricky Miller is shown a straight red card by referee Shepherd on 92 minutes foul and abusive language.

FULL TIME

Hutchison Vale 1

Broxburn Athletic 2 (Douglas & Jarvis)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE- Mr Shepherd ASSISTANTS- Mr White & Mr Williamson