Bo'ness Athletic boost as top striker returns to face Auchinleck Talbot

Sandy Cunningham will be back for Bo'ness Athletic this weekend (Pic Scott Louden)

Bo’ness Athletic boss Willie Irvine reckons the absence of main striker Sandy Cunningham was key to his side drawing a blank in last Saturday’s home goalless 0-0 draw against Camelon Juniors.

Irvine told the Falkirk Herald: "Sandy was missed. He’s got 11 goals in eight games and has a great strike rate since he came to the club. I think it was 35 goals in 21 games last season.

"Unfortunately he was unavailable last week because he was on holiday. But the season’s so long now that the boys need their holidays.

“It wasn’t the best of games I didn’t think. There were a lot of misplaced passes from both teams. We probably had three shots at goal and they had one on target.

Irvine pictured at Boness Athletic 0-0 Camelon (Pic Mark Ferguson)

"There were very few chances. I expect Camelon to be there or thereabouts this season, I think they’ll do well.

"They’re a good side and so are we.”

Cunningham will no doubt be a key man for Athletic as they host Auchinleck Talbot in the Challenge Cup second round this Saturday, 2.30pm kick-off.

"Having Sandy back is a major boost because he’s our main talisman,” Irvine said.

"I think it’s a great tie for us in the sense it’s getting a big team so early. It’s good to play teams like Auchinleck and see what kind of standard they are.

"I would rather get a good team at home than a lower league team away from home on a poor park.

"Make no mistake, we can win on Saturday. We are good enough, the boys have proved it, they have beaten the West champions in the past two years.”