Following Saturday's opening day victory over Celtic B at New Dundas Park, the Rose headed west in the hope of taking six points from six to kick off their Lowland League campaign.

The first chance of the game fell to the hosts with three minutes on the clock as a dangerous corner from Craig Murray reached unmarked forward Ewan MacPherson, though the 22-year-old failed to connect with the ball properly and his mishit side-volley never threatened the Rose goal.

After a slow start, Rose grew into the tie and started to look the more threatening side. A slack pass from Colts defender Dominic McLaren was picked up by Ross Gray and slipped into George Hunter. The centre-forward’s ambitious strike from outside the box was blocked before it could trouble Colts shot-stopper Alexander Marshall.

It only took moments for Rose to catch the complacent home side in possession in their own half again. Lee Currie spearheaded the attack and, after a neat one-two with Ross Gray, found himself one-on-one with Marshall. Stretching to make contact with the ball, Currie could only watch as his strained effort drifted wide of the target.

Rose continued to get the better of the chances as an unyielding Colts defence threw their bodies on the line to keep the game goalless. Ross Gray, again, intercepted possession in the final third, but both Hunter and Scott Gray had long shots blocked by defiant opposition defenders.

Neither a water break or the scorching sun in Cumbernauld could disrupt the Rose’s flow, however. Scott Gray soon received a delightful dinked ball into his feet from skipper Jonny Stewart, quickly turned his man and unleashed a dangerous driven cross across the Colts goalmouth. The cross whizzed past everyone in the box, including an outstretched Hunter who was just inches away from opening the scoring.

Both sides had chances to score spectacular openers in quick succession just past the half-hour mark. Lee Currie blasted an effort high and wide from outside the opposition box, before Colts quickly rushed up the other end of the pitch, only for Murray’s volley to keep rising and fly high over the crossbar.

Only two minutes later, Hunter worked hard to win a corner while heavily outnumbered in attack. The resulting set piece was swung in by Currie and met the head of a towering Kerr Young at the back post. The centre-back rose highest but enough pressure from his multiple markers forced his header to glance wide.

The final chance of the opening 45 fell to Cumbernauld. Stephen O’Neill jinked past multiple defenders before cutting the ball back inside to Cameron Dickson. Dickson proceeded to float a cross toward right-back James Grant, who’s header looped over Ally Adams and, thankfully for the Rose, brushed the crossbar and rolled over the top of the net.

Currie tried his luck from distance again as the second half got underway with few chances presenting themselves for either side. The next chance fell to Hunter - after some excellent ball-winning again from Ross Gray - but he too, blazed his shot over. Not too long after, Dean Brett’s bicycle kick effort excited the Rose faithful in attendance but bounced way wide.

Against the run of play, Colts mustered a chance just shy of the 70 minute mark. A well contested aerial duel in the middle of the park went the way of Colts’ veteran Sean Winter and a quick counter down the left followed as Murray whipped a dangerous low cross toward MacPherson in the box. The forward’s side-volley was superbly thwarted by a block from Rose wing-back Bradley Barrett who admirably raced across the box to cut out the danger.

An off-balance Hunter volley rolled into the arms of Marshall and the Colts ‘keeper would've been pleased to see Young snatch at a half-volley moments later. A free-kick scramble promisingly fell to the centre-back at close range but with bodies in the way, the 28-year-old was always likely to miss the target.

Frustrations continued to grow for Rose, with noticeably more arguments and feisty challenges flying in as the game petered out. Of the few clear cut chances to grace a sun-kissed Broadwood on Wednesday, the best came deep into stoppage time. A wide free-kick curled into the danger area from Currie was only parried out as far as Barrett on the edge of the area. The 20-year-old’s ensuing overhead kick reached Keiran McGachie, but the forward’s header was collected without too much exertion from Marshall.

The scoreless draw in Cumbernauld leaves the Rose as one of six teams still yet to be beaten after their opening two Lowland League fixtures. Robbie Horn’s men remain on the road as they head back east to Christie Gillies Park on Saturday afternoon to take on Civil Service Strollers.

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