Two first half penalties from Lee Currie and Alan Horne’s high-rising header were enough to hand Bonnyrigg a big away win over Dalbeattie, who reduced the deficit through Steven Degnan.

It was the dream start for the Rose as a last ditch challenge brought down George Hunter in the box. The referee and his linesman took a moment to decide whether there was an offside in the build up, but the original decision stood as the official again pointed to the spot.

Fresh off scoring two penalties, including a last minute winner, against East Kilbride last week, Lee Currie stepped up to the spot once again. Dalbeattie keeper Darren Martin got a hand to the midfielder’s strike, but it was too powerful as Rose took the lead within three minutes.

As would prove a feature of the game, Star attacked impressively down their right hand side. Liam Park powered up the wing before cutting it back to Lewis Sloan, but the latter couldn’t keep his shot down as the ball flew high over the bar.

On the same flank, Neil Martyniuk found himself high up park, sending a lovely deep cross to the back post. Dean Brett was there to cushion a header down into the path of Keiran McGachie, but Martin smothered the ball quickly.

Rose’s best passage of play to that point came as Scott Gray found himself on the edge of the box before poking the ball to his right for McGachie. The big man fired a shot across goal, but the ball went agonisingly wide.

Another penalty was awarded to the Rose, this one a bit more contentious in nature. A perfectly timed tackke seemed to deny Hunter, but the referee ruled a seperate push on the back had impeded the striker.

The resulting penalty was sublime from Currie, his panenka placed millimetres under the crossbar with perfect percision to double the Rose advantage.

It was the hosts who had the first big chance of the second half. Midfielder Owen Bell showed some clever footwork before unleashing a fierce strike at goal, with Mark Weir tipping over well in his first real action of the game.

It felt as though the next goal would be crucial, and it was the Rose who claimed it with just under an hour gone. Scott Gray picked up a loose ball from a corner before playing a one-two with Currie on the right hand side, with Gray then sending a delicious cross high to the back post.

In just his second appearance since retuning from his lengthy layoff, Alan Horne leaped to meet the cross and head home for Bonnyrigg’s third.

Dalbeattie ensured that it wouldn’t be a comfortable final thirty for the Rose however, as they got themselves back into the game. A blistering run from Daniel Orsi down the right saw the winger send a low driven cross across the face of goal, with Degnan the man there to tap home.

As well as getting on the scoresheet, Horne also played a crucial role at the back in place of Bob Wilson. Barely putting a foot wrong all afternoon, the defender showed how important he is to the side with a massive block to Aiden Kerr’s powerful shot - the block sounding particularly sore on a bitter day in Dumfries.

Rose had two big chances to kill the game in quick succession. Ross Gray charged high on the right and cut the ball back to Bradley Barrett, the striker taking a good first touch to create a yard of space, but was unable to generate enough power on his shot to trouble Martin.

Moments later, in an almost indentical move, Ross Gray received the ball this time from brother Scott, but a block denied the substitute in what proved to be the final big moment of a hard earned win for Robbie Horn’s side.

The Rose have a rest week as the majority of the league take part in the second preliminary round of the Scottish Cup, with their next outing scheduled for the 15th December as Edinburgh University travel to New Dundas Park.

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