Despite making a perfect start,  City suffered a disappointing afternoon at Newtown Park yesterday as Bo'ness United came from behind to secure a 3-1 victory.

City had raced into an early lead through Curtis Main, who continued his impressive goalscoring form with a superb finish inside the opening three minutes. However, that early advantage would ultimately prove to be as good as it got for the visitors, with Bo'ness gradually growing into the contest before producing a strong second-half display to turn the game on its head.

There were five changes to the starting lineup from the Scottish Cup victory over Buckie Thistle a fortnight ago, with Kyle Gourlay returning between the sticks while Ross Milne, Ryan Blair, Bradley Rodden and Dale Hilson were also restored to the starting line-up. There was also a welcome sight on the substitutes' bench, with captain Euan Spark included in a matchday squad for the first time in 10 weeks following injury.

City could hardly have wished for a better start. Just three minutes were on the clock when Hilson collected the ball out wide and crossed into the box where CURTIS MAIN showed excellent awareness to get across his marker and produce a deft flick, guiding the ball beyond Allan Fleming and into the far corner.

Curtis Main nets the opener

The hosts almost responded immediately. A low cross into the City box caused problems but Gourlay reacted quickly to smother the ball on the goal line and preserve City's early advantage.

Corey Kirk fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box in the seventh minute, before Fraser Macleod was presented with another opening three minutes later when the ball dropped kindly inside the penalty area however he failed to make clean contact with his attempted volley and the effort bobbled harmlessly wide. Main then attempted a volley from distance in the 18th minute, although his effort was sliced high and wide.

Bo'ness came within a whisker of levelling in the 24th minute. A dangerous cross drilled in from the right took a deflection off Brad McKay and almost resulted in an unfortunate own goal but City were spared as the ball cannoned back off the post before being cleared for a corner.

Back at the other end, Ross Milne whipped a cross into the area which found Rodden and the winger connected cleanly with a full volley but Fleming was equal to it.

Dale Hilson tussles for possession

City went into the interval ahead but despite creating opportunities, there was a sense that the hosts remained very much in the contest and that proved to be the case after the restart.

Bo'ness began the second half with greater urgency and Gourlay was forced into action when he could only punch a delivery as far as Jack Hodge on the edge of the area but he sent his resulting volley over the crossbar.

Just a minute later however, JACK HODGE would make no mistake. The ball fell to the Bo'ness man once again on the edge of the box and this time he produced a superb curling strike which flew into the top corner despite Gourlay getting a fingertip to it.

City looked to regain control and introduced Euan Spark and Darren Watson just after the hour, with the latter almost restoring the lead in the 67th minute. Macleod picked out Watson inside the box and he managed to get a volley away which struck the top of the crossbar before going over.

Captain Euan Spark made his return from injury as a substitute

A minute later, Ryan Blair came close when he rose to meet Corey Kirk's corner but his header drifted narrowly wide and shortly after, Watson headed straight at Fleming from Rodden's delivery.

Despite those chances, City were unable to find a second goal and Bo'ness would make them pay. With quarter of an hour remaining, ROAN FITZPATRICK advanced into the penalty area before unleashing an angled strike which flew beyond Gourlay and into the far corner.

City were now chasing the game and just four minutes later, the hosts struck again. JAMIE ALLAN cut inside from the right-hand side of the penalty area before firing a low effort beyond Gourlay at his near post to put Bo'ness 3-1 ahead.

The final stages saw City attempt to find a route back into the contest, but the hosts stood firm. Main came close to reducing the deficit two minutes from time when he attempted an overhead kick, but the effort flew wide of the near post.

The final whistle confirmed a disappointing afternoon for City who left Newtown Park empty-handed. Ultimately, Andy Kirk's side did not do enough to take anything from the game with Bo'ness deserving credit for the way they responded after falling behind and for their impressive second-half turnaround.

Attention now turns to the Scottish Cup, with City given the opportunity to put yesterdays' disappointment behind them when they welcome Strathspey Thistle next weekend.