13th July 2019 Bonnyrigg Rose v Clyde 1-2

With Hearts having played yesterday there were no Betfred Cup matches in Edinburgh today with Hibs in Stirling and Edinburgh City being the 'free' team in their five man group today. There were however a number of friendly matches in the non-league sector and I decided to head to Bonnyrigg to watch the Rose playing against Clyde, a League One side who are also not playing  Betfred Cup today. Left the house at 12.30 and caught a 31 bus at Haymarket arriving in Bonnyrigg just after 13.30 for the 14.00 kick-off. Walked to the ground where the normal entrance gate was closed due to 'ongoing floodlight installation work'. I knew that Dean Brett would not be playing for Bonnyrigg today as I saw him in the car park as I walked to the other entrance gate. £5 admission but no programme or team-sheets available.

Bonnyrigg won the East of Scotland League last season but were initially denied promotion to the Lowland League as they could not obtain an SFA licence due to the lack of floodlights at New Dundas Park at the time of the SFA inspection. This was despite work going ahead to install floodlights in the close season and three clubs currently in the Lowland League having obtained licences prior to floodlights becoming a condition of a licence being granted. After a battle with the SFA Bonnyrigg were granted a licence and as can be seen the lights have now been installed. Some tidying up still required to be done alongside the pylons hence the reason for the closure of the normal gate. There having been a few changes in the Bonnyrigg side with last seasons top scorer Keith Lough moving to Whitehall Welfare, Aaron Murrell and Dean Hoskins returning to their former club, Spartans, and goalkeeper Brian Young giving up football to undertake a world tour. Bonnyrigg have recruited goalkeeper Mark Weir who has returned to the club after a spell in the USA, striker George Hunter from Newtongrange and midfielder Jamie Docherty from Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale. Clyde who won the play-offs to gain promotion to League One had a number of last seasons side in the squad although ex-Scotland striker David Goodwillie was on the bench. New signings Craig Howie (previously with East Kilbride), Tony Wallace (Annan Athletic), Chris Johnston (Annan Athletic), David Mitchell (Stranraer) and Darren Smith (Stirling Albion) all started for the visitors.

Bonnyrigg started well and could have scored in the first couple of minutes. Hunter chased a through ball with a Clyde defender chasing alongside him. Keeper Mitchell raced from his goal and kicked the ball clear from just outside his penalty box. The clearance fell to McGachie in the centre of the field around thirty-five yards from goal. His attempted chip shot landed on the top of rather than in the net. Strangely Clyde replaced Mark Lamont with substitute Ray Grant after fifteen minutes. Lamont did not appear to be injured as he went off and I can only assume the change was for tactical reasons. Rose were on top at this stage and took the lead after twenty-seven minutes after a good run from Lee Currie down the left of the pitch. He hit a good cross towards towards the far post where Hunter slid in to net from around six yards out. Clyde almost equalised through substitute Grant two minutes later when a loose ball fell to him in the penalty box and he shot home from around fifteen yards. The referee however ruled of the goal for an offside before the ball reached the scorer. Bonnyrigg were causing Clyde problems in the first half with McGachie in particular looking good. He was using his strength winning and  shielding the ball from defenders and trying to bring others into play.

The second half was a different story as Clyde came more into the game after a quiet opening to the half. Around the hour mark Alan Horne made a great tackle on Clyde centre forward Kristoffer Syvertsen in the penalty box as he was preparing to shoot. Ross Gray headed a Johnathan Brown back across goal for Bonnyrigg but neither McGachie or Hunter were able to get into the six yard box to finish. Johnston hit a shot against the cross-bar from close range before Clyde equalised in seventy-four minutes. A corner from Wallace was headed home by Martin McNiff at the far post with Weir unable to gather the cross. Substitute Declan Fitzpatrick had a shot deflected off the post by a defender. Clyde took the lead after eighty-nine minutes when Goodwillie, on a substitute, found Fitzpatrick with a  pass on the edge of the box. He stepped in the penalty area and shot past Weir. Fitzpatrick had another attempt form the edge of the box in injury time tipped over the bar by keeper Weir. The game ended with Bonnyrigg giving a good account of themselves against opponents from two leagues above them in the SFA pyramid. I think Bonnyrigg will do well in the Lowland League next season but will need to strengthen their squad as the side fell out of the game as they brought on substitutes in the second half. A fit Brett and Louis Swanson will add to the squad but I think they need another defender and a third striker to provide competition and cover for McGachie and Hunter.

After the game I walked to the High Street to see a 31 bus drawing away from the stop. As the next one was not due for another eight minutes I decided to walk rather than hang about waiting and caught the next bus at the Laird and Dog at the edge of Lasswade. Got off at South Clerk Street and walked home along the Meadows after a good day out.

Teams
Bonnyrigg Rose: Weir, Brown, Martynuik, Young, Moyes, Horne, Gray, Stewart, McGachie, Hunter, Currie.
Subs: Doherty, Turner, Trailist, Trailist, Trailist.
Clyde: Mitchell, Duffie, Rumsby, Howie, McNiff, McStay, Lamont, Wallace, Syvertsen, Johnston, Smith. 
Subs: McGee, Grant, Trialist, Goodwillie, Cuddihy, Fitzpatrick