The Rose dominated the game and had plenty of chances to grab a winner, but had to settle for a point thanks to George Hunter’s first half finish.

The game started as it meant to go on, with Rose spurning two decent chances within the opening five minutes. First, Dean Brett delivered a wicked low cross from the right-hand side that was met by Hunter, but his shot flew over the bar. Moments later, a lofted ball over the top had Keiran McGachie through on goal, but the big man’s lobbed effort bounced wide of the Uni goal.

Despite the promising start, it was the visitors who scored the first goal of the game. A young team intent on knocking the ball around, a Uni move started off by Craig Brown eventually worked its way to Callum Downie. The number 6 then fired his shot at goal from the edge of the box, which may have taken a deflection off a Rose player, but nonetheless saw Bonnyrigg concede their first goal of the season.

The goal seemed to wake Rose up as they looked to seize greater control of the game. Neil Martyniuk played a quick ball into the feet of McGachie, with the centre half following his pass in order to be teed up but his shot was well over.

An even better chance followed minutes later as Lee Currie slipped a sublime through ball into the path of Hunter to leave the striker one-on-one with Ben Fry in the Uni goal, but his curling effort flew wide of the goal.

Geo proved he’s not a man to be given too many chances however, as he brought the Rose level thanks to his quick instincts and collected nature. A slack Uni back pass was quickly latched onto by Hunter, before last season’s top scorer showed great composure in rounding Fry and coolly slotting the ball into the back of the net.

The second half started just as the first had finished, with Rose in the ascendancy and looking capable of going in front. Brett came agonisingly close to achieving this as his sweetly struck free kick from 20 yards out cannoned off the crossbar, with Hunter unable to generate enough power to trouble the ‘keeper with his header on the follow up.

The striker would again be at the heart of the Rose chances. Martyniuk sent a beautiful low driven pass across the pitch to send Hunter through, but he was denied first by Conor Doan and then again by Fry in the goal.

One of the visitors’ best moves of the game very nearly put them in front. Familiarly, Kerr Young came striding out of defence before finding Brett on the right flank, who subsequently knocked the ball on to Scott Gray.

The midfielder then amazingly squirmed his way past a Uni defender as he drove on to the byline and cut the ball back perfectly to Hunter, with Fry denying the striker this time with his face - a moment that epitomised Bonnyrigg’s night in many ways.

Ross Gray was the next Rose player to find himself through on goal, but Fry, undoubtedly Uni’s man of the match, stayed strong to deny him. This was quickly followed by Currie failing to keep his shot down after receiving a cut back from Andy Mair, who had another impressive showing on the left side.

As has been the story of the season so far, it was again a relatively quiet night for Mark Weir in the Rose goal. His first big save proved to be the final big chance of the game, as Jason Jarvis unleashed a fierce shot that was met strongly by Bonnyrigg’s number one.

The second goal remained elusive for Bonnyrigg as the referee blew the final whistle and confirmed Rose’s first dropped points of the season.

Manager Robbie Horn and his side will be hoping to get back to winning ways on Saturday as they welcome Cumbernauld Colts to New Dundas Park.

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