
The sound of last week’s Station Park scenes was still reverberating around the Rosey Posey faithful in attendance at Ochilview to witness Bonnyrigg Rose’s first away meeting with Stenhousemuir.
Robbie Horn’s men headed to FK5 with an unchanged line-up from the side that secured a dramatic point in Forfar seven days prior, primed and ready to head into battle with The Warriors.
Neither side rushed for the jugular however, using the opening stages to feel each other out. Last week’s hero George Hunter arrowed an effort down Jay Cantley’s throat, while Mikey Andrews had to be quick off his line to distract an onrushing Matty Yates.
Rose grew into the game and started piling the pressure on the Stenny goal. Hunter’s looped cross had to be tipped behind by Cantley, before another slick move found the ball cut back to Jonny Stewart on the edge of the box, whose zipped effort forced the home ‘keeper down into the save.
Just as it looked like the visitors were about to land the first blow, they were dealt a cruel counterpunch. After bursting forward from a Rose corner, Adam Brown was upended in the box by Ross Gray, and subsequently stepped up to stroke home the resulting penalty and place Bonnyrigg on the back foot.
Life in League Two so far has caused Rose to become more accustomed to being behind, but on this crisp November Saturday, they didn’t intend on trailing the game for very long.
Just two minutes later, from 30-yards out, with an almost obnoxious degree of nonchalance, Bradley Barrett unleashed a ferocious strike that bulleted towards the back of the net - its sheer power only dissipating for a second so it could graciously kiss the underside of the crossbar.
With arms open wide, the wing-back welcomed the awe-struck adulation of the Rose fans who had just left their red and white chequered flags at their backsides after being sparked into sensational scenes.
The closest anyone got to recreating Barrett’s magic came in the opening moments of the second period, through the boot of Euan O’Reilly. The influential Stenny forward curled an effort towards a helpless Andrews, who could only watch as it cracked off the stanchion to much Rose relief.
The goalkeeper was called into action again as he flew across goal to turn behind a searing Yates effort, but in truth, he spent much of the rest of the game watching his teammates swarm his opposite number.
Kevin Smith’s turn and volley flashed wide. Ross Gray’s diving header was caught. Hunter’s slide after being set up precisely by substitute Kieran Mitchell nestled into the side-netting. There wasn’t quite a white flag of surrender, but The Warriors were certainly in retreat.
So many inside Ochilview expected them to be definitively put to the sword when a defensive mishap saw Mitchell through one-on-one, but the lively winger dragged his effort agonisingly wide to mean Rose would have to be content with another point on the road.
After running themselves ragged and showing signs of real quality, the Rosey Posey will have to wait a fortnight to build on a strong showing against Stenny, when they welcome Dumbarton to New Dundas Park.