Bonnyrigg Rose face a top of the table clash, of sorts, this upcoming Saturday in the South Challenge Cup fourth round. Awaiting Robbie Horn and his men in Barrhead – a town of a very similar size and population to Bonnyrigg – is Arthurlie FC.

Just as the Rose currently top the Lowland League standings, the ‘Lie are comfortably sitting at the peak of the West of Scotland Football League Conference A, which is in the seventh tier of Scottish football.

Arthurlie are seeking promotion to the West of Scotland Premier Division – a division that currently includes junior heavyweights Auchinleck Talbot and Pollok, as well as this season’s beloved Scottish Cup underdogs Clydebank – in formidable fashion.

The two-time Junior Cup victors are still unbeaten after 21 league games (winning 20 and drawing just once) and this current crop of players are shattering club records that have stood since the early nineties, such as longest winning streak (20) and longest unbeaten run (27).

The last outing for Andy McFadyen and his men saw them put aside Irvine Victoria without reply. And their attacking prowess has unsurprisingly been on show often this season but none more so than when the ‘Lie thrashed Aberdeen-based side Whitehills 13-0 in the Scottish Junior Cup.
Sound familiar? 13-0? No? Okay, moving on…

Three players to keep an eye out for at Dunterlie Park are the three men who’ve been finding the net at an alarming rate. In all competitions, club captain Gary Carroll has hit the net 27 times in 26 appearances, striker Gary Smith nabbed his 31st goal of the season versus Irvine Victoria (in just his 18th start), and Dale Simeon has chipped in with 21 goals in 21 starts from midfield.

Now, while Arthurlie are undoubtedly in scintillating form – with last weekend’s outing being their 22nd win in a row and their 12th clean sheet – Rose are riding high from their midweek achievement.

Not only were five goals fired passed Cumbernauld Colts in a five-star performance, Horn’s side secured their Pyramid play-off place – with five league games still to go.

Kerr Young’s 11th minute header to get the groove going. All eyes were on Sean Brown, up against his former club where he was so prolific, and still trying to open his Rose account. 33 minutes in and that weight left his shoulders. A simple nod was required on the end of an eloquent header from Bradley Barrett – Brown won’t score many easier in a red and white.

Just like the buses, you wait patiently for one and two come along in quick succession. Straight after the interval and Brown lashed home his second, assisted by Callum Connolly. In quite the goalscoring form himself, Connolly netted the fourth of the night, his ninth of the season.

And to cap things off, who else than Keiran McGachie – freshly off the bench – to seal the fifth and run off in his trademark celebration. Quite the night under the lights in Bonnyrigg, but attention swiftly turned to the weekend clash.

Arniston Rangers and Coldstream have already been comfortably dispatched in the South Challenge Cup so far at NDP in 9-1 and 4-0 victories, respectively. It therefore goes without saying that Arthurlie will be keen to put up a more stubborn fight on their home turf this Saturday.

Kick-off is at the earlier time of 2pm at Dunterlie Park on Saturday afternoon. Price of admission is £6 for adults and £3 for concessions.

‘Mon the Rose!

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