Bo'ness Athletic: Willie Irvine's injury-ravaged team four points clear at top after 7-0 win over Edinburgh College

Goals by Ryan Robertson (3), Callum MacDonald (2), Michael Weir and Jonny Mitchell moved Willie Irvine’s newly promoted outfit onto 30 points having won 10 and lost one of their opening 11 league games, enough for a four-point lead over second-placed Armadale Thistle with two matches in hand.

“It’s been really good for us in the sense that we’ve managed to get the points,” Irvine told the Falkirk Herald. “But we’ve had quite a problem with the number of injuries we’ve had.

"On Saturday we had four or five out, the same the week before, so we’re delighted.

"We’ve got a really strong 16 or 17 players so it helps we can rely on others who can come off the bench, although it will be good to get everybody back.

"On Saturday we had our under-20s goalkeeper on the bench, plus one 16-year-old, one 18-year-old and one senior player, Calum Simpson.”

Athletic, who play Linlithgow Rose in an East of Scotland Qualifying Cup third round tie tomorrow (Tuesday), continue their league campaign at Burntisland Shipyard this Saturday, kick-off 2.30pm.

"We’ve never even been to Burntisland so it's a new thing for the guys,” Irvine said. “They’re mid-table and we’ll find out what they’re like when we get there.

"Sometimes you got to these pitches away from home and they’re not so good but we’ll just have to do our best. It’s the same for the other team.”

Athletic’s outstanding form this season comes despite seeing top scorer Tiwi Daramola leave this summer to join Kelty Hearts.

Irvine added: “We’d love Daramola to be back but Ryan Robertson has got 22 goals already this season.

"We got Robbo – who we bought from Stoneyburn – to replace Daramola you see and we’re very happy with how he’s doing. Tiwi deserved the chance to step up.

"We knew Robbo would be the perfect replacement because he’s a fantastic finisher. I think he's only not scored in two games.”