Robbie Horn made two changes to the side that were narrowly defeated by league leaders Dumbarton last weekend. Conor Doan and Kevin Smith dropped to the bench, while Callum Connolly and debutant Zander Murray took their spots in the starting XI.

It was nothing short of a disastrous opening minute for Rose, as Chris Kane bundled over Tommy Goss inside the penalty area. The lofty, felled forward made no mistake in slotting home his penalty into the bottom-left corner of the goal.

Rose didn’t cower, however, and soon the game was level. Neil Martyniuk’s inswinging corner evaded a sea of bodies in the box until it reached the returning Connolly, who was at hand at the back stick to stab the ball into the top corner.

Fifteen minutes of dominance for the hosts followed, with Rose able to pin the Galabankies back in their own defensive third. Volleys from Jonny Stewart and Dean Brett were blocked, before a looping header from Connolly was comfortably held by Annan ‘keeper Greg Fleming.

Despite the dominance, Annan re-took their lead after 22 minutes. Chris Johnston snuck in behind the Rose backline and cut the ball across the box towards Goss. The towering striker reached the ball before any defender could, and coolly dragged the ball into the far bottom corner of the net beyond Paddy Martin.

As the worsening rain beat down on New Dundas Park, concurrent with a compounding blustering wind, tempers began to flare. Tensions boiled over, and began a 20-man shoving match, when a late Kerr Young challenge during added-on time angered the visitors, thus, setting the tone for the scrappy second 45 ahead.

Three minutes after the interval, Brett picked out Alieu Faye with a channel ball and the big man took the ball inside his marker before nearly catching out Fleming with a near-post cross-cum-shot. Quick reactions from the Annan shot-stopper kept the scoreline level.

The young Rose support behind the Calderwood End goals fantastically kept the atmosphere going – despite the conditions and being behind – and were nearly rewarded with a fine strike when Murray went for goal. A lovely turn inside his marker allowed the debutant to let fly from the edge of the box, with his slightly deflected effort forcing a strong parry round the post.

A couple of chances soon came for the visitors. Aidan Smith jinked his way into the Rose penalty box from the left flank before letting himself down with a weak effort that easily collected by Martin, before Goss nearly grabbed his hat-trick when he met an inch-perfect Johnston cross with a glancing header, but the ball whizzed wide off the far post.

A final chance to equalise came late on, when the ball fell kindly to Faye in the box. Unfortunately for Rose, a well-timed block pushed the forward’s strike wide of Fleming’s goal and would, eventually, help seal all three points for the visitors.

Rose are back on the road next weekend as a trip to Stair Park to take on Stranraer awaits.

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