In light of the recent SFA decision to suspend all football matches under their auspices until further notice, including the East of Scotland League and the Lowland U20 Development League, the board of the Blackburn United Community Sports Club have taken the decision to immediately suspend all training activities at the Purdie Worldwide Community Stadium for the period of one week. This decision will be reviewed in seven days.

We will provide further updates on the re-commencement or otherwise of the 2019-2020 season when we have it.

East of Scotland League Cup 2nd Round

Sauchie 2 (Cross (pen) 20mins, Bryson 47mins)

Blackburn United 1 (Queen 44mins)

After winning away to Premier Division opposition in the first round of the League Cup United’s reward was another away tie against another Premier Division side and with striker Danny Campbell out injured and young back-up Laurie Devine having had to play the full ninety minutes the previous evening in the Lowland Development League game against Spartans, captain Michael Browne was forced to become an auxiliary striker for the afternoon, although an injury to midfielder Marc Smith midway through the half forced a reshuffle that eventually saw Devine enter the fray to take up the striking duties and allow Browne to slot back into the middle of the park. However, moments before this change Blackburn had slipped behind to a penalty, Crawford skipping past one challenge after another before being brought to ground just inside the eighteen yard box and from the resultant penalty CROSS slammed the ball past Craig Saunders and into the bottom left hand corner. Sauchie then came close to adding a second but when Finlayson came in off the left his twenty five yarder was too high. Five minutes later James Mildren headed a Cross delivery clear but only as far as Finlayson whose curled effort flew over the top. Young was then brought into action in the home goal when Kyle McClung made ground on the right and cut inside before firing his shot from around twenty yards into the midriff of the ‘keeper. The equaliser, though, arrived just before the break when a sharp and incisive first time pass from Martin Lawrie sent Paddy QUEEN racing clear on the left and when he cut inside Houston he unleashed an unstoppable effort into the roof of Young’s net from twenty yards or more.

Parity only lasted a mere one hundred and twenty seconds of the second half however and when a long ball forward caught the United rearguard square BRYSON raced in behind amongst a howl of offside calls and retained his composure sufficiently to slot the ball past the advancing Saunders. Saunders was then called into action to save a McCaughie shot after Syme and Finlayson had combined to set him up but the action was being confined to the midfield areas of a heavy playing surface that was slowly beginning to cut-up and was offering up no real opportunities at either end, although the hosts long ball delivery was constantly a test for the Blackburn back four. Midway through the half John Drummond was first to reach a Darren McIntosh cross into the Sauchie box but although his effort ended up in the net he was adjudged to have bundled the keeper over in putting it there and the goal was disallowed. With no more chances forthcoming thereafter it was the Beechwood Park men who advanced to the third round draw.

Blackburn United line-up: Saunders, McIntosh (Welsh 82), Lawrie, Mildren, Drummond, Smith (L.Devine 23), McClung, Kane, Browne, McLeod, Queen (McDowall 66)  Subs (not used): Howe, Clements

Sauchie line-up: Young, Houston, Syme, Wright, Cross, Sharp, McCaughie, Donaldson, Crawford, Bryson, Finlayson  Subs: McTaggart, Dawson, Cummings, McKeown, Cameron, Maitland

Referee: Mr. Ryan Lee

Assistants: Mr. James Taylor & Mr. Cameron Doyle

Due to the forthcoming changes at the Mill Centre our lottery sales desk is moving – but don’t worry, you can still get your ticket ahead of each Wednesday nights draw by visiting the Partnership Centre every Tuesday morning from next week onwards where Jimmy will be waiting with his usual warm welcome!

Why not make a point of a weekly visit to buy a lottery ticket and support your local football club?

Blackburn United 1 (Mildren 19mins)

Camelon 1 (Boubekri 49mins)

United hosted top half of the table Camelon having already beaten them in the reverse fixture earlier in the season and came agonisingly close in the opening minutes when Danny Campbell made ground on the left and fired a delivery across the face of goal which found Stuart McLeod in glorious position only six yards out but he somehow managed to lift his effort over the crossbar. McLeod then worked his way in off the left hand side and onto a Richie Hutton pass but his angled shot was held at the second attempt by Shaw in the visiting goal. However, only two minutes later and Blackburn’s early pressure was eventually rewarded, Calum McDowall flighting in a corner from the left that arrived amongst a sea of bodies milling in and around the six yard area from where James MILDREN was able to turn it beyond a wrong footed Shaw to open the scoring. McKenzie then had a pop from distance for the Mariners that Craig Saunders held comfortably before Morrison hit a half volley from the right angle of the box that flew over. Right on half time United were forced into a change when Campbell hobbled off to be replaced by Laurie Devine, the youngster having scored twice the previous evening for the U20s in a Lowland League game at home to Bonnyrigg Rose that had had to be abandoned due to fog in the 70^th minute.

Four minutes after the resumption Camelon were level when McKenzie strode in from the left to hit a shot goalwards that BOUBEKRI may just have got the merest of touches to as it sneaked past Saunders on the way into the bottom corner of his net. Three minutes later Donald Morrison hit the byeline and picked out his namesake David but his side footed effort was too high. United too then came close when a David Howe free-kick from around twenty yards out was pushed away from his goal by Shaw who was then quick from his line not once but twice in the space of ten minutes to thwart a darting Devine whose pace had beaten the visitors offside trap. Offside was to thwart John Drummond though when he thought he had given United the lead again after a piece of fine chest control and a neat finish had beaten Shaw only for the referee’s whistle to silence the celebrations. Ten minutes from time McKenzie tried one from all of twenty five yards but Saunders tipped the shot over for a fruitless corner to ensure that the spoils were shared on a bitterly cold day.

Blackburn United line-up: Saunders, Welsh, Lawrie, Mildren, Drummond, McLeod (McClung 85), McDowall, Kane, Campbell (L.Devine 44), Howe, Hutton.  Subs: Gunn, Young, Mitchell, Clements

Camelon line-up: Shaw, Gillespie, B.Sneddon, Do.Morrison, Skinner, Kay, McMullan, Da.Morrison, A.Sneddon, Boubekri, McKenzie  Subs: Daramola, Langton, Kane, McCroary, McKay

Referee: Mr. Iain Snedden

Assistants: Mr. Konrad Spalony & Mr. Callum Wallace

Blackburn United 0

Sauchie 2 (Donaldson 28mins, Finlayson 53mins)

Match Abandoned – 61mins

A bitterly cold wind welcomed the players on an afternoon when all other Premier Division games had been postponed thanks to Storm Ellen and it was the visitors who settled earliest, Jordan Watson clearing a looping cross only as far as Sharp on the edge of the box but he sent his half volley narrowly over the top. Sixty seconds later Donaldson latched onto a loose ball eighteen yards out but his shot flew past the left hand upright. Just beyond the twenty minute mark United themselves then came agonisingly close to opening the scoring when Calum McDowall sent Danny Campbell clear on the right and when his cross arrived in the middle, Wright stooped to rattle his defensive header against his own post. Fortunately for the centre-half the ball cannoned straight back to his ‘keeper who flopped on it gratefully. Richie Hutton then tested Dolan with a pop from more than twenty yards that the Sauchie ‘keeper pushed past the post. From the resultant corner the ball was cleared to the edge of the area where Marc Smith was waiting but his shot sailed over. The opening goal, though, arrived at the other end four minutes later when Finlayson got free on the right to lift a ball into the box and although Michael Browne got his boot to it the ball came off his heel to spin awkwardly into the air and onto the back post where DONALSON was lurking to give Craig Saunders no chance with a half volley from no more than six yards. By now the snow was beginning to fall and as it increased in intensity players from both sides, as well as the match officials, seemed to be struggling to deal with what was becoming blizzard like conditions and Hutton required treatment after slipping and picking up an injury. Before the break Saunders went down to gather a routine effort that slipped from his grasp thanks to the snow but he was able to recover before Donaldson could take advantage and the last chance of the half came for Blackburn when Watson danced past several tackles before sliding a pass into McDowall but his shot cum cross took a deflection and went wide of goal.

In the swirling snow United officials cleared the lines at the interval to ensure the game could resume, although both the referee and his assistants had taken a long hard look at the deteriorating surface conditions during those fifteen minutes. The game, however, did restart and David Howe barrelled in off the right hand side to hit and effort at goal that Dolan was equal to, the ball spinning from his slippery grasp before he could claim it at the second attempt. For Sauchie, Comrie hit a terrific effort from distance that struck Saunders right hand post in forty nine minutes. By now, referee Mr. Lee had stopped play on a couple of occasions to speak with both captains and both managers and was clearly concerned with the danger being posed by the underfoot conditions, but play continued and from a corner-kick in fifty three minutes the visitors lead was doubled, FINLAYSON getting the freedom of the six yard area to head past Saunders. However, that was to be the last real action as the referee brought the captains together one last time just after Blackburn centre-half John Drummond had slipped and fell when losing his footing in pursuit of an overhit through ball and abandoned the game, a decision not entirely welcomed by the men from Sauchie but probably the correct one nonetheless.

Blackburn United line-up: Saunders, Watson, McClung (Lawrie 57), Browne, Drummond, Smith, McDowall, Kane, Campbell, Howe, Hutton  Subs (not used): Queen, L.Devine, Mildren, Welsh, McLeod, Clements

Sauchie line-up: Dolan, Houston, Syme, Wright, Cross, Sharp, McCaughie, Comrie, Crawford, Donaldson, Finlayson  Subs: Young, S.Dolan, Dawson, McTaggart, Bryson, Cummins, Cameron

Referee: Mr. Ryan Lee

Assistants: Mr. Andrew McGachan & Mr. Owen Roberts

Dunbar United 0

Blackburn United 0

After moving off the foot of the table with last week’s 1-0 victory over Penicuik Athletic, Blackburn travelled to the east coast knowing victory would haul them above their hosts and out of the relegation zone all together and on a bitterly cold afternoon and in the teeth of a developing gale both sides struggled to produce any sort of accomplished football, although Danny Campbell was perhaps a wee bit unlucky to see his glancing header from a Richie Hutton delivery sneak wide of the Dunbar goal inside the opening ten minutes. Four minutes later David Howe zipped in an effort from some twenty yards or more that took a nick off the toe of a defenders boot and that was just enough to see the ball fly over the top. At the other end Ballantyne’s half-hit shot was saved by Craig Saunders but when it fell for Tait his turn and hit wasn’t enough to get the ball past the big ‘keeper. The same two players were again denied by Saunders not too long thereafter, Tait hitting a shot that was saved as was Ballantyne’s follow-up. Before the interval a Justin Watson delivery from the Blackburn right found Campbell but his pop at goal was deflected past.

With the wind an ever present factor and the rain making frequent appearances too, the second period became a bit of a war of attrition with the hosts having the bulk of the play but with Blackburn perhaps looking just that little bit more threatening and when a long ball by Saunders allowed Campbell to head on and into the path of Hutton his lay-off to Calum McDowall was hit past the right hand post with the substitute not quite making the contact he would have hoped for. Just after the hour mark a spell of Blackburn pressure ended when the Seasiders broke quickly, McLaren getting in on the right but firing his shot too high before the same player had another opportunity seven minutes from time but found Saunders was comfortable enough in saving his effort.

Blackburn United line-up: Saunders, Welsh (McDowall 35), McClung, Browne, Drummond (Mildren 84), Smith, Hutton (Queen 60), Kane, Campbell, Howe, Watson  Subs (not used): L.Devine, McIntosh, Gunn, Mitchell, Clements

Dunbar United line-up: Laing, McFarlane, Peden, Szemis, Harley, McTernan, Neave, S.Tait, McLaren, Handling, Ballantyne  Subs: Cropley, McCraw, Ingram, K.Tait, Fiddler, Johnstone

Referee: Mr. Alex Shepherd

Assistants: Mr. Boise Allan & Mr. Warren Chadwick

Tickets for this years Sportmans Dinner are now available.

We will also be presenting the Senior and U20 player awards.

Get your tickets now!

Blackburn United 1 (Campbell 41mins)

Penicuik Athletic 0

United were almost in trouble inside the opening minute when only a perfectly timed, last gasp tackle from John Drummond prevented Somerville from pulling the trigger in front of goal with only Craig Saunders to beat. At the other end, Kieran Welsh sent Danny Campbell in on the right but after he’d tricked his way past O’Donnell his drilled ball across the face of goal went begging. The visitors, too, saw a tempting ball into the six yard box find no takers when McCrory-Irving wriggled into space on the right before whipping in a delivery that came to naught. Just beyond the half-hour mark David Howe made some room to clip in a twenty yarder that Watt in the Cuikie goal held before, two minutes later, Penicuik also came close, O’Donnell pulling a ball back for Tansey whose shot flew across the face of goal and narrowly past. With just four minutes until the interval Blackburn then made the breakthrough, Saunders sending a long, penetrating ball forward from the edge of his box to release Danny CAMPBELL in behind Connolly and, as Watt advanced from his goal line, the striker coolly lifted the ball over the big ‘keepers head and into the waiting net.

Seven minutes after the resumption a deep free-kick found Young to head back across goal to Tansey but his header was brilliantly saved by Saunders before, moments later, Somerville’s cross from the right was again met by the head of Tansey but his effort this time was too high, as was Connolly’s header from Somerville’s knock-down just beyond the hour. Midway through the half and with the visitors piling forward O’Donnell hit a twenty-five yarder that Saunders saved before pouncing gratefully on the ball as it rolled loose. With Penicuik’s attempts at an equaliser becoming ever more desperate United were able to break quickly with ten minutes remaining but when Campbell intelligently held up play on the right of the area waiting for support his eventual lay-off was rattled against the base of the left hand upright by substitute Laurie Devine. Devine himself then showed wonderful skill on the break to set up Marc Smith with a cut-back that the youngster drilled goalwards only for it to be cleared off the line and bundled away, but only as far as Richie Hutton who had a pop at goal from the left angle of the area that was deflected past for a fruitless corner.

Blackburn United line-up: Saunders, Welsh, McClung, Browne, Drummond, Smith, Queen (L.Devine 62), Kane (McLeod 78), Campbell, Howe, Hutton  Subs (not-used): Mildren, McIntosh, Gunn, Lawrie, Mitchell

Penicuik Athletic line-up: Watt, O’Donnell, Young, Page, Connolly, Jones, Somerville, Tansey, McCrory-Irving, Ponton, Forbes  Subs: Baptie, Kateleza, Wilson, Devlin, Stevenson

Referee: Mr. Alastair Grieve

Assistants: Mr. Chris Ashley & Mr. Michael Harte

Newtongrange Star 1 (Paterson 15mins)

Blackburn United 5 (Hutton 43mins, Watson 65mins, Campbell 71 & 74mins, L.Devine 90mins)

United travelled to New Victoria Park for this First Round League Cup game never having previously won away from home against their hosts and inside the first ten minutes it looked as if it might be another torrid afternoon when first Young and then Thomson came close with efforts from around the edge of the eighteen yard box. However, just as it appeared the early flurry from the hosts would bear no fruit a misunderstanding between Kyle McClung and Craig Saunders in the United goal gifted PATERSON a glorious opportunity to open the scoring and he wasn’t about to pass it up and simply walked the ball into an open goal. At the other end Danny Campbell took advantage of some slackness to hit a shot that was deflected into Mack’s hands and then the strong running Paddy Queen slalomed past two challenges only to be blocked by Young as he prepared to shoot. Campbell then stepped up again but his shot flew over the junction of post and bar after he’d turned past Christie and into a yard of space. Three minutes from the interval though and Blackburn had Justin Watson to thank for not falling further behind, the midfielder clearing Paterson’s shot off the line and little more than two minutes later they were instead celebrating, Kieran Welsh linking with Richie HUTTON who controlled the ball on his chest before hitting a looping, twenty five yarder high over the head of Mack and into the top left hand corner.

Nine minutes into the second half an angled Thomson shot was touched onto the post by the fingertips of Darren Mitchell but the hosts presence as an attacking force ended soon thereafter when Young checked the darting run of David Howe and found himself looking at a second yellow card and subsequent dismissal. Blackburn then duly took complete command of the midfield and some clever interplay between Queen and Howe resulted in Marc Smith curling a shot just off target. However, some six minutes later United deservedly moved in front when Justin WATSON picked the ball up in midfield to dance through a packed Newtongrange rearguard and coolly pick his spot behind Mack. Next to find his way onto the scoresheet was CAMPBELL who manoeuvred himself onto the back post where he drilled home an inch perfect delivery from Hutton after the wide man had scampered free on the right and onto a pass from Welsh. Three minutes later CAMPBELL then grabbed his own second and Blackburn’s fourth after Watson almost delivered a repeat of his earlier goal only to be denied by a blocking tackle that fell kindly for the striker to sweep the ball past Mack. A minute into added time the scoring was complete when Welsh rolled a pass into the path of substitute Stuart McLeod and when Mack couldn’t hold onto his strike from the edge of the area fellow substitute Laurie DEVINE was on hand to nod home.

Blackburn United line-up: Saunders, Welsh, McClung, Mildren, Browne, Smith (McLeod 77), Hutton (L.Devine 81), Watson, Campbell, Howe (McDowall 65), Queen  Subs (not used): McIntosh, Gunn, Kinross, Mitchell

Newtongrange Star line-up: Mack, Young, Christie, Cherrie, Nelson, Scott, Paterson, Porteous, Conlon, Thomson, Reid  Subs: Swaney, McIntosh, Hastie, Bracks, Murray, Gillon, Dyet

Referee: Mr. K.Lindsay

A second half goal from Take Hirooka secures all three points on Friday night, securing our third place position in Conference A.