Bo'ness United have exceeded all expectations so far, says boss Stuart Hunter

The Newtown Park side sit third after 24 outings having beaten Edinburgh University 3-1 at home last Saturday afternoon, with the BU now six unbeaten in the league, having won their previous three.

And on the season so far, BU legend Hunter said: “We’ve exceeded my expectations so far. And it is all down to the players – myself and my assistant Michael (Gemmell) simply give the guys a foundation.

"We have some set ideas but that is it and the team have been so consistent over the length of the campaign.

“The hardest thing to do in football is to turn up every week and give the team the same level of effort and determination and everyone has smashed it. We work harder than the opposition.

“My expectations were high but to be third level on points with the team in second is so impressive.

"East Kilbride are a wee bit ahead of everyone else but we have a clear goal to finish this year in that top three or four places.

“That would be a massive improvement from where the club has previously been in this division. But we aren’t there yet and there is a lot of games to play.”

Bo’ness have recently added the likes of ex-Raith Rovers ace Kieran Mitchell and goalkeeper Jack Ruddy to the squad and Hunter says adding quality is important but his main goal is to build a consistent group over time.

He added: “Looking back at the Bo’ness teams I played in, and across the other clubs at this level, the successful teams are build on togetherness and longevity. Bonnyrigg Rose going up to League 2 are a good example, as are Spartans last season.

“You need to build a core over a number of years and you make sure that only a few go in and go out. For too long in my opinion Bo’ness didn’t really have that. Things like re-signing our own players were left too late.

“I don’t want that here. I want us to be able to show players that we are really building something.”

Bo’ness now travel to Airdrie this Saturday to take on Celtic B on league duty.