Murieston United 0 v 9 Bathgate Thistle

21 March 2015 – Bankton Mains, Livingston – League

Starting Line Up; Jake, Leon, James, Sean, Scott, Connor, Sam, Lewis, Bally, Harry, Bailey.    Subs; Gareth, David, Aidan & Ross

It’s a great day for football, a clear and crisp morning with minimal breeze. The pitch is looking good but it’s a bit spongy underfoot. Bathgate have a full squad to choose from and are in their black away kit. There’s been some great matches between these sides over the past few seasons, so this is always a game to look forward to on the fixture list.

The match kicks off and Bathgate go on the front foot by launching a couple of attacks, Thistle look up for it today. Murieston respond by counter attacking and a long distance shot skims the top of the cross bar with Jake well beaten.

Bathgate are constantly probing the Murieston defence and the breakthrough comes in 12 minutes, Bally flights in an accurately looping cross to the back post, it sails over the keeper and it’s met by Bailey at the back post, who heads it in to the net

Thistle double their lead on 18 minutes, the ball breaks to Connor who strikes it from 25 yards out, it curls into the far corner pasts the outstretched hand of the Murieston keeper. It’s an outstanding finish to make it; Murieston 0 v 2 Bathgate Thistle.

Just 4 minutes later and it’s 0 v 3, Connor is involved again with a great run and shot, the Murieston keeper makes a great save but Harry follows and gets to it first to score. Bailey then gets his second goal of the game, Lewis finds him with a neat pass and Bailey dispatches it into the net from the far left hand corner of the box.

The sides go in at half time with the score at Murieston 0 v 4 Bathgate Thistle. Bathgate change things around with 4 subs coming on, including Gareth for Jake

Bathgate’s next goal is an outstanding team goal. Connor finds Harry at the edge of the box with a long cross. Harry shows great control to bring it down and he passes to Leon who rounds the keeper and scores from a tight angle. Lewis then makes it 6 with a screamer of a shot from 20 yards into the top right hand corner of the net.

The game then enters a scrappy phase with some loose passing and neither team is able to make any headway but Bathgate gradually start to build momentum and control the game again. Bailey gets his hat trick after some great work by Sam. Murieston 0 v 7 Bathgate Thistle.  Sam then goes close himself, he rounds the keeper and hits for goal but it’s cleared off the line, Bailey is on hand to tap it in and get his 4^th goal of the game. Leon, who’s been playing in a more attacking role in the second half, then gets his second of the game. David finds him with a good pass and Leon clinically finishes with an accurate shot just inside the post

Final score Murieston 0 v 9 Bathgate Thistle.

It’s another 2 points on the board for Bathgate with a convincing performance and away victory. Thistle were dominant throughout the match with 90% of the game being played in Murieston territory. As well as the 9 goals, there is an important clean sheet for the defence.