Watch Video
Lowland League Preview – Bonnyrigg Rose (A)
Can BSC Glasgow hand The Rose their first loss? You’ll have to get yourself to New Dundas Park on Saturday to find out.
The current league leaders have had a tremendous start to the season. Robbie Horn’s former East of Scotland side have been firing goals by every side they’ve encountered during the start of their inaugural Lowland League campaign. The only side able to take a point from them has been Civil Service Strollers in a nervy 1-1 stalemate.
Last weekend, they put three past Caledonian Braves with a brace coming from Dan Baur in the first half. However Baur is only one in a handful of players Ross McMillan and his back line must keep an eye on. George Hunter is their current top scorer having scored five in seven games.
Last season, the Midlothian men made the trip to Alloa for a South Challenge Cup tie and walked away with their heads held high thanks to a 3-1 victory. A result that came as a reality check for a BSC who were enjoying a string of victories and spurred them on for the rest of the Lowland League season.
A win could see us go within three points of the leaders and anything less than a draw could see us drop down a fair few positions as it’s extremely tight at the top.
Lowland League Preview – Vale of Leithen (H)
We’re back after a weekend off while all the other sides caught up with their games in hand, and Swifty’s men are looking for continue their fantastic run of form after resounding victories over Dalbeattie Star and Caledonian Braves.
Chris Anderson and Vale of Leithen make the journey from Innerleithen desperate to register their first point of the season after an abysmal start to the campaign. After suffering a massive 7-0 defeat to Kelty Hearts last weekend, they then endured a 4-0 loss to University of Stirling in their midweek fixture.
Following a weekend to recharge the batteries after a gruelling start to the season, BSC Glasgow are without any major injury concerns, while Joe Irvine has gone out on a month’s loan to Kirkintilloch Rob Roy.
If last season’s meetings with Vale, who are currently bottom of the table, are anything to go by, BSC go in as favourites. A 4-0 win at the Indodrill helped us on our journey to being last year’s highest scoring team while 3-0 victory away from home helped us secure 2nd.
Despite our recent high scoring victories and Vale’s 28 conceded goals, the borders side will be itching to prove themselves and upset the bookmakers with a win on Saturday.
BSC Glasgow Appoint Club Ambassador
BSC Glasgow are delighted to announce that our eSports Partner Derek, AKA Mozza Gaming has been appointed as the club’s first ever ambassador.
He has been working with us for two seasons creating content in the Football Manager video game. By throwing himself into a passionate community of fellow gamers and engaging an audience of thousands with his easy-going and approachable personality, Derek has become one of the premier Football Manager Twitch streamers.
He is a hardcore BSC Glasgow supporter and spends a significant amount of time talking up the work that we do to his audience and, to be quite honest with you, anyone who will listen. We love his passion and we feel that this is the best way to reward him.
Derek said: “I’m delighted to have been appointed as an ambassador. Having supported and worked with BSC over the last couple of years, it means a lot that George and those involved considered me suitable to further represent the club.”
General Manager George Fraser said: “Ever since Mozza joined us as our eSports Partner we have been appreciative of the extra publicity and support he has generated through the online community. We see this as a way of thanking him for his work, and more importantly his commitment to the club.”
Lowland League Preview: Dalbeattie Star (H)
We’re back in Alloa for our fifth game in fourteen days as we host Ritchie Maxwell and his Star men for our second home fixture of the new season.
First off, the less said about our last two outings, the better. A last minute Colts winner saw us pick up our first loss of the season and we don’t really need to talk about our first round performance in the Tunnocks Caramel Wafer Cup, do we?
The Islecroft side will hope to replicate their victory over us last season to put their first three fixtures behind them. A huge 8-0 loss to Kelty Hearts, 2-0 to East Kilbride and 1-0 defeat to Gala Fairydean Rovers last weekend.
On the subject of last season, Star proved to be a thorn in the side of BSC Glasgow being the only team outside the top four to hand them a loss the entire season. Despite a 4-1 victory in the home fixture, it was relegation-battling Star that dominated the away leg, running out 2-1 winners.
It will surely be in their head that they could be capable of another upset but BSC will be keen to bounce back after two losses on the spin and get back on track.
Late Heartbreak As Colts Snatch Victory
A refreshed Cumbernauld Colts capitalised on a leggy performance from BSC Glasgow to grab victory with the last kick of the ball at a sun-drenched Broadwood on Friday evening.
The starting eleven for BSC was identical to the side that took the win over Spartans on Tuesday night. The only changes were on the bench with Ricky Miller dropping out and Michael Anderson absent due to illness.
The opening twenty minutes saw both teams fail to capitalise on fantastic chances; a good cross for Colts set up Fraser Team but a heavy first touch put the shot over the bar. A BSC free kick landed almost at the feet of Tom Orr but Colts keeper Jonathan Grier scrambled the ball clear.
In the 24th minute, it looked to be a certain goal for the Cumbernauld side as a lovely lofted shot from outside the box bounced off the bar and then a strike from the rebound smacked off the post before the ball fell for Marty Wright who struck at Stephen Barr who made a great save to keep the sides even.
The best BSC chances came thanks to the head of Martin Grehan – a great cross from Jamie Hamilton gave the forward an attempt but Jonathan Grier saved easily. A minute later, an almost carbon copy but this time, Grehan caught Grier off balance but the keeper made a fantastic last ditch save to tip the ball away.
The only other first half news would come in the form of an alarm that went off repeatedly in one of the Broadwood stands. There was no panic though and not much acknowledgement as Friday Night Football is, and always will be, more important than the threat of injury or death.
HALF TIME | CUMBERNAULD COLTS 0 – 0 BSC GLASGOW
After the restart, it was definitely BSC who looked most likely to score and surprisingly more energetic, y’know, considering they should be knackered.
Jamie Hamilton was able to make the most of a mix-up at the back with Colts defence and hit a fantastic strike but Grier made an even better save. The rebound fell to Declan Hughes but his shot was blocked.
The chances kept on coming for the away side but no one really took the opportunities that fell their way. Grehan toed a great ball to Tom Orr with the striker hitting a low shot, but the ball went inches by the post. Successive corners and better chances then followed; another Grehan header was flapped away by Grier and cleared by a few defenders before the next corner fell perfectly in the box for a BSC man just to take a strike at it but unfortunately no feet were quick enough.
As frustration was beginning to set in, Stephen Barr made another wonder save when he denied Marty Wright – which on reflection probably just made the Colts frontman angry. Ross Lindsay made way for Thomas Collins just before the deadlock was finally broken.
Colts took advantage of a BSC player going down with an injury and despite Barr’s best attempt to get down quick and smother the ball; a pass was made to Fraser Team who was able to dispatch the ball despite Ross Smith’s best efforts to block it on the line.
It felt like it was going to be one of those nights for BSC as opportunity after opportunity went begging. That was until one a low cross from Jamie Hamilton swept across the face of goal, avoiding repeated Colts clearance attempts, to Jamie McCormack who turned it in at the far post for the equaliser.
Robbie Duncan came off the bench for Jordan Marshall just before Colts’ Craig Holmes was forced off after picking up a nasty injury.
BSC’s hoodoo in front of the Colts goal wasn’t broken by the equaliser and when some good footwork from Jamie Mills and Tom Orr allowed a lay off to Thomas Collins, his strike was on target but blocked by Grier.
Just when you thought that surely the ball had to find the back of the net, physics was defied when a great cross from McCormack found the head of Orr close to goal but the ball took a deflection and span away.
With just seconds left in the match, BSC conceded a free kick and allowed Colts one last cross into the box. Marty Wright managed to control the ball and smack it beyond Barr, clinching the win for Colts.
FULL TIME | CUMBERNAULD COLTS 2 – 1 BSC GLASGOW
Lowland League Preview: Spartans (A)
It’s a mere three days since our last game and it’s already Matchday 2! We travel to Ainslie Park to meet our good ol’ sparring partners Spartans tonight.
Spartans opening fixture against University of Stirling was called off due to a waterlogged Forthbank which could either give BSC a slight advantage to capitalise on a bit of rust from the Spartans or the extra rest for Dougie Samuel’s men could help them edge out their opponents. Y’know… it’s probably going to be one of the two.
Last season, we managed the double over the (then) defending champions in two very tight contests; the home game saw a last minute Declan Hughes stunner win us the three points, and the away fixture saw a sole Tom Orr chip upset the apple cart in Edinburgh.
Both BSC and the Ainslie Park men haven’t had much focus on them compared to other Lowland League sides preseason and both sides will certainly have something to prove with many ‘pundits’ not believing either will threaten in the title fight, despite Spartans fourth place finish last season (not to mention the title the year before) and BSC’s runner-up position and Lowland League Cup win. This will surely be a close run thing.
Our home tie with East Stirlingshire on Saturday saw standout performances from Ross Smith, Jamie McCormack and Jamie Hamilton and hopefully some of that fancy footwork will be on display to secure victory over Spartans and give the fans their first win of the season.
Report: History Repeats in Shire Stalemate
Our first game of the season and once again, it was East Stirlingshire who graced us with their presence. Our opening fixture of the last three Lowland League campaigns have come against Shire.
All four of Swifty’s close-season signings made the matchday squad with Jamie Hamilton starting in midfield, while Michael Anderson, Simon White and Ricky Miller were on the bench.
Despite the excitement in the Indodrill, the opening ten minutes were somewhat slow – the only half chance coming from some beautiful footwork from Jamie Hamilton to allow Jamie McCormack an attempt at a low shot that went just wide of the post.
Tempers gradually flared in the dugouts with both managers airing their grievances with the referee. Shire debutant Matty Flynn committed a rough tackle on Jamie Hamilton sparking outrage from the BSC dugout when no yellow was brandished.
The travelling Shire faithful didn’t have to wait too long for their side to break the deadlock. The 25th minute saw Derek Ure’s men win a corner which they managed to convert thanks to a near-post header from Jordan Tapping.
BSC attempted to grab an equaliser straight away but to no avail. It was Jamie McCormack yet again who connected with a decent header from a corner but it sailed a good few inches by the post. Five minutes later and the last major chance of the half from either team – a signature Declan Hughes free kick caught the head of Martin Grehan but it couldn’t go anywhere but over.
HALF TIME | BSC GLASGOW 0 – 1 EAST STIRLINGSHIRE
As the second half commenced, BSC attempted to fly out the gate with some good footwork. Tom Orr, Ross Lindsay and Jamie Hamilton proved some fantastic link-up play that slipped through the Shire defence but Hamilton’s shot was easily saved by Jamie Barclay.
Tempers flared again, especially with the Shire fans’ belief that decisions were not going their way and this only worsened when the referee pointed to the spot after Orr was brought down by Adam Murray. The Shire faithful and their Twitterer were outraged but Assistant Coach Andy Rodgers told Shire TV after the match that they could have no complaints. It was last season’s top scorer Orr who stepped up and found the equaliser slotting the ball into the bottom right corner, escaping Barclay’s fingers by mere millimetres.
The scoreline matched up with the action for the next twenty minutes as both teams failed to break through the other’s back line. As the time ran out, it wasn’t just the spectators that were getting riled up – both Robbie McNab and Declan Hughes went into the book for a reckless tackle and a shirt pull. With ten minutes to go, Ross Smith went into the book for dissent just before almost finding a winner when his looping header from a Hughes corner went just over the bar and landed on the top of the net.
The final moments of the game saw many players reach their limit as frustration showed; Ross McMillan went into the book after knocking heads with a Shire player resulting in a crowd of players having what we’re going to call ‘a heated debate’ and seeing Jamie McCormack’s name enter the book.
FULL TIME | BSC GLASGOW 1-1 EAST STIRLINGSHIRE
LASER AMORE MAN OF THE MATCH | ROSS SMITH
Lowland League Preview: East Stirlingshire (H)
The Lowland League is finally back! We host East Stirlingshire in the opener this Saturday for the third consecutive season.
After finishing last season in second place and winning the Lowland League Cup in a tightly contested final with our visitors on Saturday, the boys will be going into the season with a degree of confidence. Add to that the fact that we have retained the services of key players from last season, things are looking positive.
Of the players who have moved on, most of them were loan deals which don’t last forever! Our Young Player of the Year Carlo Pignatiello recently signed on loan with Stranraer, Euan O’Reilly has headed to Airdrieonians for a brief spell, Cammy Ballantyne returned to St Johnstone and Ben Quigley will be a visitor to the Indodrill this season after signing on with University of Stirling as a scholar.
Not to worry though! Swifty has made some astute signings to close the gap. First up we’ve got Michael Anderson who joins from last year’s League winners East Kilbride and will join an already impressive midfield. Next is Ricky Miller who’ll join up with the back line after spending last season with Gala Fairydean Rovers. We’ve also brought in Simon White, East Stirlingshire’s Young Player of the Year from last season who’ll also take his place in the middle of the pitch, and winger Jamie Hamilton who joins from Petershill.
Even in the dugout, there are changes that will have an impact for the boys in yellow this season. After a fantastic spell in coaching roles, Michael Moore and Richie Salveta have decided to leave the club. Taking their place is a former Stranraer, St Johnstone and Kilmarnock man in Frazer Wright who immediately takes up the Assistant Coach role. Meanwhile, our very own Club Captain Ross McMillan will step up to a player/coach role.
Now… onto our first opponents for the 2019/20 Lowland League campaign, East Stirlingshire!
Last season, the two clubs shared the spoils on the opening day of the season thanks to a late Tom Orr equaliser. We then had to wait until the final day of the campaign to meet them again, and it was BSC that came out on top in a 2-1 victory.
However, this season’s Shire is a different breed to last. Derek Ure’s men have cracked out the chequebook and brought in some interesting signings such as Nicky Low from Queen of the South, Dumbarton duo Bobby Barr and Willie Dyer, plus major captures from clubs in the Lowland League. Jamie Dishington comes in from Spartans, former Cumbernauld Colts talisman Sean Brown has joined as well as Matty Flynn from soon-to-be-renamed Edusport Academy.
Shire have lost their fair share of players though. Ross Allum, Chris McKee, Graeme McGregor and Fraser Neave have all moved on and Stephen Swift will no doubt be encouraging his boys to call on last season’s results and pull a victory out the bag to kick-start yet another fantastic season.
£10 Shirt Sponsorship Raffle
It’s almost pay day so why not use the last tenner in your bank to get right behind BSC Glasgow this season… literally.
We’re giving two lucky businesses… or anyone really… the chance to win back of shirt sponsorships on our home and away kits next season (which will be the same as last year’s kits – surprise reveal!).
All you have to do is purchase an entry and we’ll draw the winners on Saturday 3rd August.
Get involved! It’s cheaper than a salad some places…
£10 Shirt Sponsorship Entry
Enter the random draw here, we’ll put everyone into a hat, and we’ll randomly draw the two winners.
Remember to leave the name of the person or business you want to enter into the draw in the ‘Order Notes’!
£10.00