United showed several changes from last week's draw against Harthill Royal with injury and tactical necessity both playing their part and the changes made for a good start with Grant Plenderleith finding space wide on the left twice in the early moments, the second such occasion resulting in David Fowler's shot from twelve yards being blocked by Ferguson in the home goal. Andy McQuillan then surged in off the right to drift past Gibson and Ritchie only to see his shot half saved and scrambled clear before Greig Crooks deep free-kick found the head of Fowler but he could only direct his effort into the hands of Ferguson. In reply, Baird saw a twenty two yarder dip over Francis Carlin's bar, a feat matched by Chilton when he got onto the end of a Wells pass but couldn't quite keep his shot down. However, on the half hour mark Wells was again the architect and this time CHILTON made absolutely no mistake, planting the ball high past Carlin from the edge of the six yard box with a well measured instep. Blackburn were then almost right back in the game ninety seconds later but fine link play between Plenderleith and Ross Williamson wasn't entirely matched by McQuillan's parting shot, although his twenty yarder only just scraped past. Five minutes from the interval Williamson also went close but after darting onto a long through ball he lifted his shot into the hands of Ferguson under pressure from the back tracking Gibson.
The hosts were forced into an unwanted change at the outset of the second half after goalkeeper Ferguson had hobbled from the action at the break and his replacement was equal to an early tester from Alan Brown, plucking the midfielders twenty five yard free-kick from the air above his head. At the other end Young's delivery was only partially cleared by Ricky Miller and fell invitingly for Douglas lurking on the penalty spot but Carlin comfortably hung onto his hurried strike. Broxburn left back Gibson then heralded the end of a long spell of turgid midfield play by driving forward from the centre circle towards a Blackburn defence that seemed to back off a little too much but his eventual pop at goal sliced high and wide. Minutes later Chilton slid a pass along the eighteen yard line where Baird ran onto it and into the area where Carlin bravely blocked and Young's follow up from the edge of the box was deflected over the top. Baird then came closer still but it was another deflection that saved United and took Baird's shot onto the base of the left hand post. Right at the death Blackburn almost found the goal that would have ensured a share of the spoils but after McQuillan spread the ball wide right to Martin Stewart and made a darting run into the box he couldn't quite stretch to get his head on the substitute's inviting cross.
Blackburn United Line-Up: Carlin, Miller, Sneddon, Spence, Crooks (Rintoul 71), Fowler, Plenderleith, Brown, Williamson (Waddell 58), McQuillan, Gillespie (Stewart 78) Subs (not used): Gilhouley, Keir, Baxter
Broxburn Athletic Line-Up: Ferguson, Bishop, Gibson, Ritchie, Cunningham, Wilson, Young, Baird, Chilton, Douglas, Wells Subs: Robertson, Dunn, Smith, Middleton, McCafferty
Referee: Mr. Keith Maskell
