Bonnyrigg kept the pressure up at the top of the Lowland League table with another assured performance against the students of Edinburgh University. However the only real winner today was the havoc that storm Dennis wreaked before and during the game, with the New Dundas Park surface almost unrecognisable once the game was complete.
There were concerns given the damage caused the preceding week by storm Ciara was sufficient to postpone the game, but the time spent away from home has been put to good use with the help of third parties in addition to several committee members for pitch remediation, which helped combat the incessant rainfall this week. There was an inspection at 9:00 this morning which allowed the game to proceed but the combination of wind and rain intensified in the hour up to the game which meant it was a judgement call for the referee and his assistants if the game could go ahead and with ten minutes to the 3:00 kick off time the green light was given.
It was the visitors who started brightest with Watters with two good chances to open the scoring in the opening five minutes in between a good chance for Hunter to do likewise. There were shouts for a penalty by the home side when McGachie looked to have been nudged in the back by a Uni defender when about to meet a Hunter cross with his head but his and the Rose support's protests were waved away on sixteen minutes. Rose were coming more into the game as the half progressed with Barnes in the Uni goals making a couple of decent stops. On twenty seven minutes Bonnyrigg thought they had opened the scoring via the head of Moyes from a Currie corner, but the referee deemed the goal-line clearance ahead of, rather than behind, the Uni goals. The home side weren't having it all their own way however and just past the half hour mark it was Watters again from just outside the Rose box who tried his luck with a strike that just went past Weir's left post. The deadlock was finally broken before half time by BROWN for his first goal of 2020 and his ninth of the season in all; an excellent total to date for the left back.
Rose started the second half much better and the lead was doubled on fifty four minutes when the wind took Currie's corner and it rebounded off a Uni defender into the net, leaving Barnes helpless. Five minutes later Bonnyrigg added a third. A left footed strike from Brown had Barnes beaten but not his right post, with the ball crashing off his right post to the surprised but grateful MCGACHIE who put the necessary touch to it to score.
On sixty two minutes any chance that the students had for a comeback were all but ended when a challenge by McGuire on Martyniuk was deemed dangerous enough to be shown a straight red by the referee upon consultation with one of his assistants. Bonnyrigg made use of their bench with Brett, R Gray and Docherty coming on for Hunter, McGachie and Martyniuk as the management team continue to make the best use of their small squad.
The only danger facing Rose in the last thirteen minutes or so was from the weather, as New Dundas Park was hit with blizzard-like conditions for a period of five minutes. The final real action of the game saw Bonnyrigg had a fourth on eighty four minutes from the penalty spot. Ross Gray was deemed to have been fouled in the box by McBeth and it was CURRIE who converted the spot kick with a Panenka style effort.
Congratulations should go to both sides for trying to play any sort of football in the conditions they faced today. Best for the students were right through the spine of their team; Barnes, McBeth, Waters & Watters and on another day they could have found themselves 2-1 ahead after five minutes, but it was Bonnyrigg who ensured that all three points stayed at New Dundas Park.

Bonnyrigg Rose: Weir, Brown, Martyniuk (Brett), Baur, Young, Moyes, Horne, S Gray, Currie, Hunter (R Gray), McGachie (Docherty). Subs not used: Andrews, Stewart, Turner

Edinburgh University: Barnes, McGuire, Hamilton, McBeth, McDonald, Dick, Purves, Waters, Sinclair, Baird, Watters. Subs not used: Winter, McDougall, Trialist

Yellow Cards: Moyes (BR), McBeth (EU). Red Cards: McGuire (EU)

Referee: Andrew Craven, AR1: Michael Banks, AR2: Warren Chadwick

Att: 266