Derek Hall’s report from Bonnyrigg Rose v Montrose

Bonnyrigg Rose 2-1 Montrose

Grey, wet and miserable it might have been but nobody wearing red in the 2000 crowd at New Dundas Park cared as they witnessed another historic win for the home side with two first half goals being enough to sink Montrose and take the Rosey Posey into the fourth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup. A clipped pass almost found Hunter on the edge of the Montrose box in the first minute but keeper Fleming was quickly off his line to gather the ball. A few seconds later, Young of Bonnyrigg was cautioned after conceding a foul 30 yards out, presumably for passing a comment after the decision was given and from the free kick I. Campbell’s fierce low drive was well turned behind by the diving Weir. Campbell took the corner and the ball dropped in the six yard area before being scrambled clear by the hard pressed home defence. Montrose continued to dominate the early exchanges and Lyons got to the goal line before pulling the ball back to Steeves whose effort was again blocked for a corner. This time Campbell’s corner kick was cleared back to him and his second cross was safely gathered by home keeper Weir whilst under some pressure. On eleven minutes it was set piece duty again for Campbell and this time his cross saw Masson drive into the side net at the back post from a very tight angle. Two minutes later Bonnyrigg finally managed to make some progress and Brown got down the left only to have his cross blocked behind by R. Campbell. Currie’s corner came back to him and although keeper Fleming mishandled his cross, there was nobody around to take advantage and he grabbed the ball at the second attempt. On the quarter hour, Masson of Montrose was warned for a late contact with the home fans baying for a yellow card and Brown of Bonnyrigg was then spoken to for making the same point to the referee. However two minutes later Waddell of the visitors was cautioned for taking down Hunter wide on the edge of the penalty area and the home fans were ecstatic when Currie clipped the ball up to the back post where Moyes rose above his marker to power a header back across the goals and in at the corner to put the home side ahead. The goal might have been somewhat against the run of play but nobody in red cared about that and a potential cup upset was very much alive.

After 20 minutes a Masson cross found the head of Webster in a decent position but his header from ten yards drifted aimlessly wide of the home goal. Three minutes later the ball was in the Montrose net again after two efforts from Hunter were initially blocked but the final touch from Gray found him in an offside position. After 29 minutes, a left foot snap shot from Webster from 20 yards fizzed just past the post with home keeper Weir diving to make sure it was wide. After 35 minutes, Gray played in Brown but his cross was once again blocked by the alert Campbell and a minute later an off the ball foul by Webster on Brown resulted in a yellow card for the Montrose man as the game was beginning to heat up and referee McKendrick was having to work hard to keep a lid on things. Three minutes from half time Brett was taken down about 30 yards out by Watson but the home crowd were to be left disappointed as Currie didn’t get the ball on target from the set piece. Sixty seconds later the game was all square as Webster played in Lyons and his ball across the six yard line took out Weir and allowed R. Campbell to prod the ball into the empty net, tough on the home side but a fair return on the effort Montrose had put into the first period of play and just seconds later only a poor pass from Webster when he failed to find R. Campbell stopped the away side sneaking into the lead but the weak pass found the hands of keeper Weir. However right on half time the Rose showed great character in coming forward once more into the Montrose box and Horne slipped in Brown who, from an acute angle, smashed the ball along the ground past Fleming and into the far corner of the net to send the home crowd into raptures and looking forward eagerly to the second half.

An enterprising run from Brett early in the second period saw him almost work his way through before the same player combined with Currie in 51 minutes to set up a chance for the stretching Hunter who just couldn’t turn the ball on target at the back post. Three minutes later it was Brett again setting up Currie but his effort with the outside of the boot from about 20 yards wasn’t one of his best. On 56 minutes away keeper Fleming was again smartly off his line to smother a long ball at the feet of Gray on the edge of his penalty area and two minutes later Montrose replaced Callaghan with Niang. On the hour Currie of Bonnyrigg was cautioned for a late challenge on Ballantyne. After 63 minutes a cross into the Bonnyrigg box from I. Campbell was cleared to Hunter who took the ball on a lung bursting sixty yard run to the edge of the Montrose penalty area to relieve the growing pressure as the away side tried to work their way back onto level terms. Two minutes later Gray had the ball in the net again for Bonnyrigg but the pass from Hunter was slightly delayed and once more the offside flag was correctly raised. However on 66 minutes Bonnyrigg received a hammer blow when Young was sent off for a second yellow card after a cynical foul on Masson and Brett also received a yellow card for complaining about the decision. The free kick was clipped into the box and the home side were awarded a foul at which point R. Campbell threw his toys out the pram, finger pointing, arms flailing and shouting at the referee and after two earlier cautions for dissent, it seemed inconceivable the referee would not issue a caution but not even a word of warning was forthcoming and surprisingly the player escaped without a sanction. At this point Bonnyrigg replaced Ross Gray with Scott Gray and shortly afterwards the hard working Hunter was rested and McGachie took his place. This second substitution came right after some great action at either end when first Webster tested Weir with another good effort and then Bonnyrigg raced to the other end and Hunter’s final contribution was to sky the ball over first time from about ten yards.

On 75 minutes the substitutions continued as Montrose replaced Watson with Rennie and then in 82 minutes the away side claimed for a spot kick as Lyons worked his way into the box and went down under a challenge but the referee waved the claims away. Six minutes to go and Baur came on for Stewart for Bonnyrigg’s final change as manager Horne looked to shore things up at the back with some fresh legs. Four minutes from time a decent cross into the Rose penalty area was met by the head of Webster but he caught it all wrong and the ball went yards wide. McGachie was fouled by Webster with three minutes to go out wide and the referee went to his pocket but then did not produce the card but thirty seconds later it was McGachie himself who received a card after a confrontation with I. Campbell on the goal line with the ball already out. Two minutes into stoppage time the ball dropped for Lyons at the back post nine yards out and with a replay looking a certainty, Mark Weir in the Bonnyrigg goal pulled off a magnificent block to turn the ball behind for a corner and he was mobbed by his defenders for the stop. A minute later the ball was clipped back into the heart of the Bonnyrigg penalty area and Lyons had the chance to pick his spot but could only head straight into the hands of the rock solid Weir and the final chance for the visitors had come and gone. At full time, the scenes of celebration in front of the covered enclosure involving players, officials and fans will live long in the memory of those present, a historic victory in difficult circumstances for a team which just doesn’t quit and they now look forward to their name coming out of the hat against anyone in tonight’s televised fourth round draw.

Bonnyrigg Rose were drawn against Clyde in the next round of the Scottish Cup, another home tie at New Dundas Park

Good luck to Bonnyrigg Rose from the sports team here on 107.8 black Diamond FM