Match report by Jake Gray

New Dundas Park finally saw the return of competitive action as The Rose ran out 2-0 winners against a Caledonian Braves side playing their first game of the new season.

The first 15 minutes saw little in the way of chances for either team. The Rose were finding some joy down the right and getting balls into the box, but it came to nothing in the early stages. Caledonian Braves breached The Rose back line with a long ball over the top, but Mark Weir in the Bonnyrigg goal was able to gather fairly easily. Caley Braves found themselves with a half chance but Ross McNeil fired his effort over Mark Weir's crossbar.

The Rose seemed to adapt better to the horrendous conditions at New Dundas Park, as they started to find their feet in the game. A Lee Currie corner found the head of Bob Wilson who watched his header float just wide. Lee Currie was involved again, playing a lovely one-two with striker Kieran McGachie but he failed to trouble Braves keeper, Marshall, with the shot.

The deadlock was broken in the 26th minute, and it was the home side who took the lead. Defender Kerr Young was given plenty of space on the edge of the box and rattled home to make it 1-0 to The Rose.

From then on in The Rose cranked up the pressure. Another corner on the right was taken by Lee Currie and Marshall failed to gather at his first attempt but The Rose couldn't find a way to scramble the ball home from close range.

The home side doubled their advantage on the stroke of half time when when a sublime through ball from Scott Gray cut through Caley Braves back-line, finding the feet of George Hunter who cutely fired over the head of Marshall to send his side into the break with a two goal lead.

The second half saw Caley Braves find their feet in the match, seeing more of the ball in the opening stages. The Rose done well to hold their shape and stay in control of the game and they were almost rewarded for their patience with a third goal when Brown got on the end of a McGachie pass, but Marshall was there to make a good save.

There was another two chances in quick succession for The Rose as Kerr Young nodded the ball down into the six-yard-box, however Marshall reacted quickly and got there first. Shortly after, a flashing ball into the box by Scott Gray was met by Johnny Brown, but he couldn't get enough on the header to hit the target.

Robbie Horn will be delighted with the way Bonnyrigg defended in the later stages of the match, limiting Caledonian Braves to very few chances as they pushed forward to try and claw themselves back into the game. Braves couldn't find a way to exploit The Rose back-line as the home side managed to hold on for their second win and second clean sheet in as many games.

The Rose will be looking to continue their impressive early season form as Gretna 2008 are welcomed to New Dundas Park on Saturday.

Article Copyright © 2020. Permission to use quotations from this or any article on the website is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and for online use source credit and hyperlink to www.bonnyriggrosefc.co.uk