In the shadow of the Wallace Monument, the Rose faithful marched to Stirling for battle to commence with Chris Geddes’ army of talented students.

As if intentionally looking to get the fans warmed up before freezing at Forthbank, both sides started quick out the gates. Excellent pressure from Jonny Stewart almost enabled Keiran McGachie a chance at goal, while moments later, Callum Downie’s fizzing effort curled just wide of the Bonnyrigg goal.

In the opening stages, Rose knocked the ball about with ease, displaying some of their best passing football of the season so far. It looked as though their silky play had paid dividends when Kieran Hall rounded off an unbelievable passing move against his former side, but the skipper was ruled to be offside during his integral role in the build up.

The territorial dominance continued, with Rose probing for the opening goal of the game. Another performance of liquid football saw McGachie turn his man and drive along the byline, his cutback astutely leaped over by Ross Gray for the charging Lee Currie. The midfielder struck the ball without breaking stride, failing though to put it either side of Ben Fry in the Uni goal.

The students soaked up the pressure well and limited Rose to very few clear cut chances. When presented with their own opportunity, Uni broke with intent down the left through Louis Kennedy. The ball was worked across goal into the feet of Robbie McGale, who will be left disappointed with the ease at which Mikey Andrews held his shot on the turn.

A slightly delayed kick off time, due to the officials’ sudden realisation that their strips were the exact same colour as those of the hosts, meant the first period was brought to a close at a far later hour than some may have expected, with Rose ruing their lack of cutting edge.

How to get over those regrets? Taking the lead in the opening minutes of the second half surely can’t hurt.

Just as one attack looked to have broken down, fierce pressing from Dean Brett saw the ball ricochet into the feet of Hall high on the right, quickly sending it back to the man who’d won it. Wing-back supplied wing-back as Brett cut back to Bradley Barrett on the edge of the box, who then stroked the ball with picturesque precision into the bottom corner to send everyone in red and white wild.

Moments later, a sense of deja-vu engulfed Forthbank as Barrett again drifted inside off the left wing to meet a cutback from the right. This time though, the same sweet connection escaped the youngster, watching his effort scuff just wide of Fry’s post.

Just as Rose were looking comfortable, the hosts so nearly got themselves level. To the rescue was Mikey Andrews, whose sprawling save down to his left received rapturous Rose applause.

Up the other end, McGachie’s hold up play had been key to Bonnyrigg’s strong grip of the game. He almost got himself on the scoresheet, rising high at the back in signature fashion, but the base of the far post denied the big man a big goal.

The game ended with Rose seeing it out in a way fans have become accustomed to this season, with a special mention for substitute Nathan Evans’ desire to keep the ball in the corner. The ref brought proceedings to a close and confirmed Bonnyrigg extending their lead at the top of the table to 10 points with another fantastic win.

A different 10 is in sight for Robbie Horn’s side next week, as they look to tip their winning streak in the league into double figures during their trip down to Gretna 2008.

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