A second-half strike from substitute Josh Laing ensured a huge three points for Bonnyrigg Rose against a compact University of Stirling side in Saturday afternoon’s Lowland League action.

The best chance of the opening stages came the way of Rose. After Martyniuk drove down the left, Ross and King exchanged quick passes before laying it off to Kallum Higginbotham, yet he couldn’t work an angle to beat the leg of Euan Walker.

A second chance for Rose came the way of Lee Currie’s free kick on the edge of the box, but despite beating the wall, it sailed just wide.

Despite a good chance for Blaine in the first half, Stirling were relatively quiet offensively during the first half. Almost immediately in the second, Finley Moffat fired a warning to Rose after working an angle and firing over.

McGarva came off with a back injury 56 minutes in, leading Jonny Stewart to bring in what would be super-sub Josh Laing.

Six minutes after coming on, Laing would score the first and only goal of the game. Lee Currie swung in a trademark free-kick along the left where Laing’s outstretched leg connected- firing past Alex Sutherland and in for 0-1 with 62 minutes gone.

Cammie Ross had two great chances to add a second for Bonnyrigg, with crosses in from Kieran Somerville and Kallum Higginbotham, yet the Rose top-goalscorer couldn’t add to his tally from either.

Jonny Stewart opted to change the game with two subs throughout the second half. Max Dowling replaced Alassan Jones, and Mackenzie Scott replaced Kallum Higginbotham.

The game ebbed on, and Ross Donaldson blew for full-time in what is only a vital bounce-back for Bonnyrigg as they re-establish a gap at the top of the table. Rose now host Gala Fairydean Rovers at New Dundas Park on Saturday afternoon.