After two trips on the road, Bonnyrigg Rose were back in the Boomtown sunshine as they took on the side occupying bottom spot in cinch League Two ahead of kick-off, Albion Rovers, for the first time ever.

The opening stages were nippy and lacked any real fluidity, with neither midfield managing to put the game under their own spell to pressure the opposition.

In the club’s only previous home league fixture as an SPFL club - a 2-0 win over Forfar on the opening day – it was Ross Gray who was showered with plaudits for his man of the match performance.

The diminutive midfielder looked to spark some magic again as he beautifully released Kevin Smith with an astute pass, but the in-form striker’s firm effort was met by the sprawling leg of Jack Leighfield.

Mark Weir, who barely had a save to make in the aforementioned curtain raiser, was soon called into action for the first time as he batted away a stinging shot from Rovers midfielder Jamie Leslie.

However, it wouldn’t be too long until the keeper was forced to pick the ball out of his own net. A Rovers move was worked out to the left, allowing a wicked ball to come in. Proactive as always was Jonny Stewart as he attempted to clean up for his side, which made it all the more disappointing when he invertedly stabbed the ball beyond Weir to give the visitors the lead.

Ross Gray attempted to spark Rose back into life with some impressive hold up play, as his chested control gave Callum Connolly sight of goal. A lover of an emphatic half-volley, the midfielder unleashed a sizzling strike from the end of the box, though it was eventually collected after stinging the palms of the Rovers number one.

It proved the last real action of a first half that Bonnyrigg had undeniably underperformed in. Unfortunately, from a home perspective, there wasn’t much of an improvement in the second period.

The game could have been killed off just minutes after the restart as Albion lunged on slack play at the back to spring forward. Michael Paton was slipped in and kept his composure to round Weir, before Kerr Young retreated in heroic fashion to deliver a resounding goal-line clearance that many of the 1057 inside New Dundas Park hoped would give the home side the boost they sorely needed.

Scott Gray almost provided the desired response as he silkily weaved his way past two Rovers defenders while controlled the ball out of the air. With a bounce still to be accounted for, a lob was certainly on the cards, but the roof of the net proved the eventual destination of a good chance.

The rest of the game was devoid of many real high-quality chances, with opportunities from set pieces from Albion’s Kyle Fleming and Rose’s Lee Currie the most noteworthy moments.

Robbie Horn’s men were uncharacteristically slack in their play throughout the afternoon, so perhaps it was little surprise that one of these lapses would be seized upon towards the end.

It was Scott Gray who would end up the unfortunate culprit after his mistake was pounced upon high up the park, with minimal cover behind as Rose searched for a second spectacular equaliser at the death in a week.

Charlie Reilly may have been fortuitous in his acquisition of the ball, but there was nothing lucky about the finish. A perfectly placed strike far into the bottom corner in the 85th minute secured Rovers’ first points of the season, simultaneously condemning Rose to their first league defeat as an SPFL club.

After being bested, the Rose faithful will be hoping for a noticeable reaction at home next week, as Stirling Albion head to Midlothian in what is sure to be another stern test for the League Two new boys.

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