

Bonnyrigg Rose returned home to New Dundas Park after two games on the road. There was only one changes to the side that lost away to Stirling Albion, with the suspended Callum Connolly dropping out and Kerr Young returning to the side from injury. New signing Chris Kane made the bench as well as a first time in the squad for loanee Corey O'Donnell.
Bonnyrigg Rose got us underway, but the first chance fell the way of Elgin City, Ross Draper heading over from a set-piece, a recurring theme in the first half. Elgin would get their first goal on 7 minutes from the spot, Russel Dingwall converting from the spot after Mark Weir collided with Kane Hester. After another few dangerous moments from set-pieces, Russell Dingwall would go on to get his second of the game after a miscommunication at the back from Rose. It took until after the half hour mark for Rose to get their first chance of the game with Kieran Mitchell showing a great bit of tenacity to nick the ball in the opposition box but he was denied by the feet of Daniel Hoban, who was on top form today. Elgin got another penalty just before half time after Hester was clipped in the box. Dingwall didn't pass up the chance to complete his hat-trick and converted from the spot once again to compile Rose's misery in the first-half.
They say football is a game of two halves, and today's game was a prime example of that. Rose started the second half with intent and the players looked up for the task at hand. Conor Doan open his scoring account for Bonnyrigg Rose on 47 minutes after Mitchell saw a shot blocked, but Kevin Smith was at hand to play the ball to Doan who lashed home Rose's first. This lit a fire in the home side's belly as they went on looking for more, Bradley Barrett going past two players before seeing his deflected effort fall into the hands of the keeper. Goalscorer Doan was replaced by Ross Gray soon before Neil Martyniuk tested Hoban with a powerful free kick which looked set for the bottom left corner if not for a fantastic save. Mitchell was next to go close, seeing his low drive saved by the keeper. Mitchell and Smith would soon make way for George Hunter and debutant O'Donnell. Hunter would go on to make an immediate impact as he hammered Rose within one following a great turn in the area. It was a heartbreaking debut for O'Donnell as he would soon go off with a knock, replaced by another debutant in new signing Kane.
That would be the last action of a jam-packed game at NDP. Despite an inspired second-half display, Rose would fall to a 3-2 defeat. Rose will look to build upon an encouraging second-half performance when they face Forfar next weekend.