Derek Hall’s report on the Bonnyrigg Rose v Edinburgh University game on Tuesday 15th December

Bonnyrigg Rose 3-0 Edinburgh University
It’s as you were at the top of the Lowland League tonight, with leaders Kelty winning convincingly at Ainslie Park whilst Bonnyrigg kept up the chase with a comfortable win against a spirited Edinburgh University side at New Dundas Park. With a minute gone, Young played the ball down the wing to Brett who cut in and sent an angled 20 yard left foot drive over Uni bar. The visitors responded with Maskrey and Baird working an opening down the right flank and it eventually took a block from Hoskins from a Maurice cross for the concession of a corner. After four minutes Young then played in McGachie who fired a cross over from a tight angle and Uni keeper Buxton took no chances as he tipped the ball over. Currie’s corner went back to Hoskins whose driven cross couldn’t be controlled by McGachie just inside the box and the ball spun through to keeper Buxton. Maskrey then nicely played in Maurice for Uni and his cross was knocked behind for another Uni corner which Maskrey delivered to the back post but the ball drifted past Watson and ran all the way out for a throw in. After nine minutes, lovely play between Stewart, McGachie and Hunter set up a chance for Gray on the edge of the Uni box but a heavy first touch saw keeper Buxton out to make the block from Gray’s shot. After Currie and Hoskins played a nice one two down the left wing, it took a good tackle from Bonisteel to prevent Hoskins getting his cross over as Rose were now exerting some early pressure and Currie’s corner found the head of Young but the Uni defence stood firm. However on twelve minutes, the students resistance was finally broken from yet another Currie corner as Hoskins goal bound header was actually deflected up onto the crossbar by the head of Rose striker Hunter and first to react to the rebound was McGachie who nodded the home side in front from close range. Two minutes later Hunter then smacked a drive off the crossbar but he had already been flagged offside before McGachie and Hunter then worked a lovely one two and it took an excellent block at his near post by Buxton from McGachie’s fierce angled drive to stop the home sides’ lead being doubled. Once again, Currie’s inswinging delivery from the corner had Uni in all sorts of trouble as Hoskins rose to power his header off the bar from around seven yards but somehow the visitors goal remained intact. On 21 minutes, Edinburgh moved forward and Maskrey fed Watson who turned the ball inside to Kemp and from around 30 yards, he fired in a skidding drive which bounced in front of Weir with the Rose keeper diving full length low to his right to fist the ball behind. A minute or so later, Kemp then tried another long range left foot effort which hit Horne and looped behind for another Uni corner as the visitors tried hard to get back on level terms. Horne then took a knock as he won a challenge with Baird, the Uni player seeming to fall on the Rose defender as both players went to ground, but after a short stoppage, the Rose defender was able to continue.
On 26 minutes, Hunter found McGachie down the right flank and Buxton got both hands to the driven cross but then stepped beyond his goal line to concede another Currie corner which this time saw the Uni defence clear their lines. A one two between Currie and Hoskins saw the former cross almost from the goal line and Brett sent a header wide but a minute later with Bonnyrigg claiming for offside, Maskrey scampered through down the inside left channel and his stinging low drive from 20 yards had to be turned behind once again by keeper Weir. On 29 minutes, a foul on Gray allowed Currie to clip the free kick into the Uni penalty area and onto the head of Young whose 10 yard header was confidently held by keeper Buxton. However right on the half hour, the home side doubled their lead and it was a combination move involving Gray, McGachie and Currie who set up Brett to fire a cross to the back post where the unfortunate Bonisteel was facing his own goal and could only turn the ball into the roof of the net whilst attempting the clearance and at this stage, the two goal advantage for the home side was probably merited. On 35 minutes, Hunter worked his way to the goal line and his cross found McGachie at the near post but a great challenge from McDonald deflected the ball behind. Currie’s corner found Young whose shot was deflected behind and when Currie’s next inswinging corner arrived at the near post, Hoskins got across his man to glance a header just over the Uni bar. A minute later, Currie then swung a free kick to the back post where a flick on saw Hoskins free to head home, only to see the offside flag quickly cut short the celebrations. After 38 minutes, Hoskins who seemed involved in everything, got the ball across the face of the Uni penalty area to Gray but his right foot drive was well off target. Uni got themselves upfield and Sinclair slipped a pass to Kemp who showed good strength to hold off his man before getting the ball to Maskrey whose shot was sliced disappointingly wide of target. Bonnyrigg responded with Hunter and Currie playing a one two on the edge of the Uni box which saw Currie’s final effort being blocked just before another cross into the Uni box saw Hunter head straight into the arms of keeper Buxton, although the offside flag up was again but referee Calder allowed play to continue as Uni had possession. After 42 minutes, a lovely piece of skill saw Maskrey send Bonisteel away down the right wing with a beautiful deft flick taking his marker out, but the resultant cross by the Uni right back drifted disappointingly straight out. At half time, it was the home side who held the upper hand with a deserved two goal advantage against a Uni side who looked dangerous on the counter attack but who just hadn’t yet found the required cutting edge.
Within the first minute of the second period, the visitors started with real intent as Baird fed the ball out to McDonald and his pass saw Maurice step inside his man before firing in a cracking 20 yard left foot drive which Weir dived low to turn behind. With 49 minutes on the clock, Rose moved upfield and McGachie flicked on to Hunter who got to the goal line and Maurice was now back defending to turn the ball behind leading to the almost inevitable inswinging Currie corner which this time went to the back post and Hoskins was waiting to bullet home an unchallenged header from around seven yards just inside the Uni right hand post for a goal his performance on the night richly deserved. Two minutes later Gray found Brett and his cross to the near post picked out Hunter but he caught his header all wrong and it went well wide. As Rose continued coming forward, Young needlessly lost possession and Uni’s McDonald played a quick ball forward which found Baird and he tried a curling right foot drive from 25 yards which just didn’t bend back far enough to trouble home keeper Weir. Watson and Kemp then combined well down the left wing and when the cross almost dropped for Maskrey, Young took no chances at all and hammered the ball clear. After 56 minutes, the home side missed a couple of excellent chances to extend their lead as firstly a lovely chipped pass from Currie picked out Hunter all alone almost on the penalty spot but keeper Buxton sprinted from his line and as the striker smashed in the half volley, the keeper was almost right on top of him bravely making the block. Just seconds later, Gray wriggled his way into the Uni penalty area and on the angle from around 12 yards, he fired into the side netting when a driven effort across the keeper towards the far post would surely have paid dividends. After 57 minutes, a great driving run by Kemp saw him get right into the Bonnyrigg box before he laid the ball wide to Baird and his cross was hooked away by Martynuik. A minute later saw the first change of the match as the games’ opening scorer McGachie was replaced by Barrett and he was involved straight away when a Currie corner almost dropped to the feet of Barrett and when the ball was smuggled clear, Young fired in a drive which was also blocked. Edinburgh moved straight to the other end and Maskrey once again fed Baird whose driven cross saw Weir off his line and diving to take the ball in front of Maurice. After Hoskins had pulled another drive across the face of the visitors goals, Bonnyrigg made a further double substitution on 62 minutes as Stewart and Martynuik were replaced by Balde and Wilson. Almost immediately Edinburgh carved out a really decent chance when Sinclair and Baird played a lovely one two resulting in Sinclair firing in a drive from around 24 yards which certainly had keeper Weir’s interest as it flashed over the crossbar. On 64 minutes, the students made their first change as Matthews came on for Bonisteel.
After 67 minutes, Gray needlessly lost possession in midfield and Rose could consider themselves quite fortunate as Baird was penalised for a foul on Wilson to end the danger. Balde then found himself warned for a foul on Kemp almost on the halfway line before Uni came forward again and the busy Maskrey fed Sinclair before Baird tried to play in substitute Matthews but the pass was slightly over hit and ran out. On 71 minutes, the visitors made their second change with Lawton coming on for Maurice just before referee Calder had another quiet word, this time with the home sides’ Gray. Sixteen minutes from time, Bonnyrigg made their final double change and Rose would be delighted to see the return of Turner, along with Jones, coming on for man of the match Hoskins and Gray. After 77 minutes Young fed Brett and when the ball came over, Turner had a bit of a lash at the ball and drove well over from around 16 yards but would be grateful to get an opportunity so soon after coming on. With ten minutes remaining, a Barrett shot was blocked and when Edinburgh counter attacked, Maskrey had strayed offside just inside the Rose half. Eight minutes from time, referee Calder finally went to his pocket when the dangerous Maskrey was breaking through midfield and Jones caught him with an untidy, clumsy challenge bringing what would turn out to be the games’ only card. After a foul on Brett, a Currie inswinging free kick was well defended by Uni and in the last minute a slightly short passback from Watson saw Turner right in on keeper Buxton and he only just managed to get the ball past the Rose substitute and out of play. At the final whistle, the 3-0 scoreline was a fair reflection of play, with the home side dominating play and possession on a difficult surface with Currie prompting from the middle of the park and Hoskins proving to be a real thorn in the side of the visitors all night, particularly with his timing and movement in the box for cross balls. The visitors stuck to their task and have pace and trickery on the counter attack with Maskrey once again leading the line well, backed up by another solid performance from keeper Buxton, but when up against a quality side, any chances made have got to be taken and tonight, they just weren’t able to do that.