Written by Seán McGill

Wednesday night brought around yet another big game for Bonnyrigg Rose as they adapt to life as an SPFL club, with many people’s League One favourites Falkirk heading to town in the penultimate game of the Premier Sports Cup group stage.

It was largely a return to the same side that beat Clyde on Matchday One, with the only difference being Conor Doan making his first start in the back three, replacing Neil Martyniuk.

After conceding an early goal last time out against Hibs, the Rose would have been keen to have the early stages saunter by without too much action. Not to be the case.

The Bairns were awarded a free-kick after Gary Oliver was brought down right on the edge of the box. Standing over it ominously was Callumn Morrison, whose effort was inch-perfect as it clipped off the inside of the far post and nestled in the back of the net.

It was a strong start for John McGlynn’s side, though Rose looked to have turned the tide with the ball in the back of the Falkirk net. The referee’s whistle denied a leveller though, ruling that Keiran McGachie had been too aggressive in his pursuit of goal.

Mikey Andrews wasn’t troubled too much despite Falkirk’s territory, but did come up with a smart stop to parry away hastily following a dangerous strike from Oliver.

Rose began to turn the tide as the clock ticked towards the interval, and were eventually rewarded for their pressure when the referee pointed to the spot after a Bairns handball in the box.

With Neily on the bench, it was Lewis Turner – donning the number 10 usually worn by a certain dead-ball specialist – who stepped up to cooly send PJ Morrison the wrong way and put Bonnyrigg right back into the fight heading into the second period.

Doan’s delightful set pieces caused many a problem in the Falkirk box throughout the game, while the League One side’s full-time quality was displayed on the deck.

With the group tightly-packed, the final 15 minutes proved both team’s desire to snatch all three points, exemplified by a stinging strike from Calumn Morrison, but Andrews was equal to it with a sprawling save.

From that point on, it felt as though as the game was there for the Rosey Posey’s taking. First, Doan astutely picked up a free Ross Gray just inside the box from a corner. The midfielder looked to the sky in frustration after seeing his shot sail into the sunshine.

Next, substitutes Kevin Smith and Callum Connolly combined as the former slid in the latter after a surging Rose move. A magnificent sliding challenge from Sean Mackie prompted sighs of frustration from the shed.

After a man of the match performance in his first full 90 minutes in red and white, there would have been no more fitting tale than a Doan decider at the death. A Rose breakaway almost penned the story, with neat interplay from the former Stirling Uni man and George Hunter, but PJ Morrison made himself big to prevent a famous fable.

With the score level at the 90, a bonus point became up for grabs in a penalty shootout.

The first two spotkicks were confidently dispatched from Craig McGuffie and Dean Brett.

Having not put a foot wrong all night, Andrews deserved a passing moment of glory against the side he spent several years at as a youth. He got it, by way of denying Callumn Morrison with a resounding save.

Up next, promotion penalty clincher Martyniuk. Naturally, Neily slotted home to give Rose the advantage.

A cheeky chip from Finn Yeats followed, proceeding Hunter seeing his effort saved as the score returned level.

No mistake was made by Championship Champion Stephen McGinn, though Smith was unable to recreate his Hibernian heroics as he blazed over.

That left the experienced Oliver with the chance to seal the extra point, which he did in calm fashion, in order to put Falkirk firmly in the driving seat for top spot in Group D.

Disappointment may have been rife as the Rose faithful departed New Dundas Park, but there was a tangible sense of pride in the performance. Another full-time team taken to the limit, the game can serve as a confidence booster heading into the league kick-off next week.

Before then, Rose wrap up the group stage with an outside chance of making the last-16, facing the task of Championship side Greenock Morton on Saturday, who prevailed in their penalty shootout over Hibernian to set up a tasty conclusion to the cup campaign.

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