As the sun was setting in the capital, Bonnyrigg Rose were ready for their second taste of cup action in just a few days, with a trip to Meggetland to take on Tynecastle FC in the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup.

Scarcely used during Robbie Horn’s second tenure at the club, the Rose would line up with a back four as the gaffer made seven changes from the side that progressed to the second round of the Scottish Cup, courtesy of a 2-0 victory away to Forres Mechanics on Saturday.

It was in that famous competition that Mark Weir made his last appearance between the sticks, putting in a man of the match display as now-Premiership Dundee prevailed at Dens Park by the narrowest of margins. 255 days later, the Rose number one was back.

He spent much of the evening directing traffic, as the visitors dominated possession while Tynecastle looked to nullify the Lowland League leaders. George Hunter saw two half chances blocked, signalling it could be a tough task infiltrating the Tynecastle walls.

The breakthrough did come just after the half hour mark, though it would require the referee pointing to the spot. A long ball launched into the box came off the arm of a Tynie defender and, given the opportunity, Lee Currie confidently dispatched the resulting penalty to give Bonnyrigg the lead.

The Rose fans in attendance were left baffled as to how that lead wasn’t doubled on 43 minutes. Bradley Barrett saw his shot well saved the by the opposition ‘keeper, but as Nathan Evans slid in at the back-post to send the ball goalward, it seemed inevitable the advantage would increase. Somehow, his effort would instead clip the inside of the post and still manage to spin away from goal.

Evans was intent on having his first half goal though, and in injury time, he bagged it in style. Perhaps channelling the anger felt from his miss moments prior, the striker collected the ball from Barrett and thundered it into the back of the net from 20-yards out with sheer ferocity to give Rose a two-goal cushion heading into the second period.

After the restart, it wouldn’t be long until Evans had added another. A Currie corner looked as though it may have been heading straight in, but a flick from the head of Evans dumfounded the goalie, who appeared to push the ball into his own net and give Rose added confidence for the remainder of the tie.

Evans could have had countless goals on the night, and it would have been a tragedy had he not walked away with the match ball. In the 67th minute, he ensured that wouldn’t be the case. Barrett was again central to his teammate’s goal, the winger’s shot from the edge of the box looped perfectly into the path of Evans following a deflection, with nothing left to do but tap home for the hattrick.

Barrett’s endeavour paid off just three minutes later as he got himself amongst the goals. Another Currie corner looped into the box, with a flying header from Barrett sending the ball searing past the array of bodies and into the back of the net to give the Rose their fifth, and ultimately, final goal of the evening.

Besides progression to the next round, Rose fans would have been happy to see competitive debuts for Sean Hancock and Zac Khan, as both youngsters gave strong accounts of themselves in their maiden appearances off the bench.

On the other end of the spectrum, Dean Brett celebrated his 150th Rose appearance on Tuesday evening, marking the occasion by picking up a booking in one of the last real significant moments of a successful cup tie for Bonnyrigg.

The Rose now prepare for a return to league action on Saturday as they welcome East Kilbride to New Dundas Park in what is sure to be a fiercely contested battle.

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