Bonnyrigg returned to a familiar line up after last week's narrow victory vs Bathgate in the F&L cup, starting with the same XI that played Musselburgh at Olivebank with the exception of an enforced change at centre half. Kerr Young came in to make his league debut due to the injury of Ewen Moyes.
On a day with conditions perfect for football and a surface at Kier's Park that had up very well given the rain of the previous week, Bonnyrigg went straight on the offensive.
The game wasn't to last too long before controversy sparked when on ten minutes, Kieran McGachie rounded keeper Hall in the Haws goal only to see his goal bound effort deviate from its course by a sliding HoB defender's hand. Despite protests from a large Bonnyrigg support and players alike referee Curran pointed to the corner flag rather than the penalty spot.
Rose continued to have large spells of possession and territorial dominance, however due to the discipline of the Haws defence who were getting behind the ball in numbers this didn't translate into any concrete chances of note.
The supporters frustrations were then turned into dismay on sixteen minutes when a corner from Hill of Beath left the Bonnyrigg defence flatfooted and was headed into the net unopposed, and the home side took the lead with their first real foray into the Rose half.
Bonnyrigg continued to maintain possession and territory; their efforts rewarded on thirty three minutes when McGachie was taken down in the box and this time ref Curran had no hesitation to point to the spot. All the signs were showing that it was going to be 'one of those days when Dean Hoskins missed his first penalty of the season, dragging his spot kick wide. Dean is second top league goalscorer with 11 which is a remarkable return for a centre half and most would have put their mortgage on him drawing the sides level. Half time came and went and most people there from Midlothian were left wondering how Bonnyrigg were behind, but behind they were.
The pattern of the second half started in the same way as much of the first. Bonnyrigg's first decent effort on goal was from the Hoskins free kick, which was pushed over the bar by a string right hand of Hall. Bonnyrigg's pressure finally told when from within a congested Haws penalty box the ball squirmed out to Lewis Turner, whose low drilled drive evaded all the bodies and more importantly Hall's right hand to bring Bonnyrigg level on fifty eight minutes. Seven minutes later from a very similar position Bonnyrigg were ahead when the ball fell to Adam Nelson and his sweetly timed left footed volley put the away side into what seemed a deserved lead.
The drama however was not to end there and to their credit Hill of Beath drew level after springing the offside trap of high Rose defensive line and the sides were all square just two minutes later.
Then with ten minutes remaining Kerr Young was shown a second yellow card and dismissed to the dressing room for dragging back a HoB attacker while in full flight. Rather than go on the offensive however Bonnyrigg maintained their offensive stance and could have gone ahead but for a superb save from Hall from a point blank Wayne McIntosh header. Bonnyrigg's top scorer was not to be denied though and he headed what turned out to be Bonnyrigg's winner from a Nelson free kick with eighty eight minutes on the clock. Just a minute later there were worrying scenes for the away side when Jonathan Brown lay crumpled on the pitch after an awkward fall and was helped off the pitch holding his elbow and had to be replaced by Alan Horne. Thankfully subsequent scans reveal that nothing was broken but badly sprained.
The referee blew the final whistle much to the delight of the away support and dugout. Bonnyrigg showed great belief to both come from behind and to get the winner with ten men on the park. The manager will be concerned at the nature of the goals conceded.
Next week we host St Andrews Utd in the reverse of the opening league fixture of the season where the home team gained all three points with a 2-0 victory. Both management and much of the playing personnel have changed since then and the Rose management team will no doubt look to avenge that defeat at New Dundas Park on the 12th.