15th November 2019 The Spartans v Bonnyrigg Rose 2-3
I had been out for the RBSGPA annual lunch today and did not get home until 16.30. However after changing out of my suit and having a sit down to let lunch settle I headed off for Ainslie Park at 18.15. To try and lose some of the lunchtime calories I walked to the ground and arrived at around 19.10. Showed my season ticket and walked into the ground where I bought two programmes. The second one was for Jim who had decided to go and watch Raith Rovers v Elgin tonight. After my walk in the chilly night air I headed for the cafe and bought a coffee to warm up. I read my programme sitting at a table and then headed down to the fence near the turnstiles with the remainder of my drink. Malcolm arrived around 19.30, having had to wait in a queue at the turnstiles due to the numbers waiting for entry. Alex came through the turnstiles minutes later and we headed to look for seats in the stand before the crowds came out from the cafe. We grabbed three good seats on the halfway line and settled down just as the teams came out of the kick-off. The kick-off was delayed for around five minutes to allow those still waiting to get into the ground entry.
On the team front Spartans were missing Jonathan Caddow who was unavailable due to work commitments. His place in central defence was filled by Michael Bolochoweckyj(Bolo) who was returning from injury. Longer term injury absentee Jack Smith was now considered fit enough for a place on the bench. Bonnyrigg had rested a number of their first choice side for the South Challenge Cup tie at Dunipace last week. The decision probably reflected the management desire for progress in the Lowland League and the Scottish Cup rather than the 'minor' cup competitions. The decision backfired as Dunipace won 1-0 and all the top team, with the exception of the injured Lewis Turner and Kieran McGachie returned to the starting line-up tonight. A win would return Bonnyrigg to the top of the Lowland League ahead of Kelly Hearts who do not play until tomorrow.
Spartans started well and went ahead after eight minutes. Alan Brown was fouled around twenty-five yards from goal on the right outside the penalty box. Dean Hoskins stepped up to take the free-kick and fired a left foot shot over the wall and into the top of the net giving Mark Weir in the Bonnyrigg goal no chance. Despite the goal Spartans were being pushed back by Bonnyrigg who equalised in thirteen minutes. Full-back Jonathan Brown cut in from the left and stepped inside a poor challenge from Jake Davidson. From the left hand corner of the penalty box Brown then shot low across goal into the far corner of the net. Bonnyrigg continued to press forward but were unable to create any clear cut chances before Spartans scored again in thirty minutes. A through ball from Scott Maxwell sent Blair Atkinson free inside the penalty box on the left. Instead of shooting he squared the ball across goal to the unmarked Aaron Murrell who shot across the keeper into the net from around twelve yards. Both Spartans goals had been scored by players who were at Bonnyrigg last season! Things began to get a bit heated after that goal and after Ian McFarland fouled Neil Martynuik around thirty yards from the goal the Bonnyrigg midfielder complained loudly and long to referee David Dickinson as the midfielder pointed to his leg indicating he felt the tackle had been dangerous. Blair Atkinson then attempted a run from the half-way line and to me appeared to have been caught by a defender around twenty yards from goal. The referee thought otherwise and booked Atkinson for diving.
Spartans started the second half well and Atkinson robbed Euan Moyes just outside the Bonnyrigg box. He was however unable to get his shot on target under pressure from the defender. After a run by Adam Corbett, Murrell had a chance but shot wide as he was clipped from behind by Martynuik who was booked for the challenge. The resultant free-kick was fired over the cross-bar by Hoskins. As Spartans were again pushed back by Bonnyrigg Bolo was forced to leave the field to change his shirt after a bloody nose had stained the top. He returned in a number twenty shirt and almost immediately took his place in the defensive wall to face a free-kick from Bonnyrigg's Lee Currie. The ball cannoned into Bolo's face and restarted the nose bleed which forced him off the field again from another fresh shirt. With ten minutes to go Bonnyrigg were throwing everyone forward to salvage something from the game but Spartans defended resolutely. Then in the eighty-ninth minute Bonnyrigg forced a corner on the right. Currie sent a high ball into the penalty area and Moyes jumped the highest to head past Blair Carswell for what was a deserved equaliser. However the game was not yet over and in the fourth minute of injury time a pass from Currie fell to Bonnyrigg's Brown just outside the penalty box on the left hand side. From slighly further out than his first goal he hit the ball first time and high into the net off the far post to give his side the lead. The final whistle went almost as soon as the game restarted and the Bonnyrigg players celebrated as they left the field as league leaders. I did feel that Spartans had deserved a draw but full credit to Bonnyrigg's never say die spirit.
After the game Malcolm and I said our farewell's to Alex as we headed along the cycle path to catch a bus just before Crewe Toll. A 47 arrived shortly afterwards and we caught this. Malcolm got off at the West End for connection home and I headed on to Lothian Road. I then walked home along Fountainbridge arriving at 22.20 in time to take the dog for his last walk of the day.
On the team front Spartans were missing Jonathan Caddow who was unavailable due to work commitments. His place in central defence was filled by Michael Bolochoweckyj(Bolo) who was returning from injury. Longer term injury absentee Jack Smith was now considered fit enough for a place on the bench. Bonnyrigg had rested a number of their first choice side for the South Challenge Cup tie at Dunipace last week. The decision probably reflected the management desire for progress in the Lowland League and the Scottish Cup rather than the 'minor' cup competitions. The decision backfired as Dunipace won 1-0 and all the top team, with the exception of the injured Lewis Turner and Kieran McGachie returned to the starting line-up tonight. A win would return Bonnyrigg to the top of the Lowland League ahead of Kelly Hearts who do not play until tomorrow.
Spartans started well and went ahead after eight minutes. Alan Brown was fouled around twenty-five yards from goal on the right outside the penalty box. Dean Hoskins stepped up to take the free-kick and fired a left foot shot over the wall and into the top of the net giving Mark Weir in the Bonnyrigg goal no chance. Despite the goal Spartans were being pushed back by Bonnyrigg who equalised in thirteen minutes. Full-back Jonathan Brown cut in from the left and stepped inside a poor challenge from Jake Davidson. From the left hand corner of the penalty box Brown then shot low across goal into the far corner of the net. Bonnyrigg continued to press forward but were unable to create any clear cut chances before Spartans scored again in thirty minutes. A through ball from Scott Maxwell sent Blair Atkinson free inside the penalty box on the left. Instead of shooting he squared the ball across goal to the unmarked Aaron Murrell who shot across the keeper into the net from around twelve yards. Both Spartans goals had been scored by players who were at Bonnyrigg last season! Things began to get a bit heated after that goal and after Ian McFarland fouled Neil Martynuik around thirty yards from the goal the Bonnyrigg midfielder complained loudly and long to referee David Dickinson as the midfielder pointed to his leg indicating he felt the tackle had been dangerous. Blair Atkinson then attempted a run from the half-way line and to me appeared to have been caught by a defender around twenty yards from goal. The referee thought otherwise and booked Atkinson for diving.
Spartans started the second half well and Atkinson robbed Euan Moyes just outside the Bonnyrigg box. He was however unable to get his shot on target under pressure from the defender. After a run by Adam Corbett, Murrell had a chance but shot wide as he was clipped from behind by Martynuik who was booked for the challenge. The resultant free-kick was fired over the cross-bar by Hoskins. As Spartans were again pushed back by Bonnyrigg Bolo was forced to leave the field to change his shirt after a bloody nose had stained the top. He returned in a number twenty shirt and almost immediately took his place in the defensive wall to face a free-kick from Bonnyrigg's Lee Currie. The ball cannoned into Bolo's face and restarted the nose bleed which forced him off the field again from another fresh shirt. With ten minutes to go Bonnyrigg were throwing everyone forward to salvage something from the game but Spartans defended resolutely. Then in the eighty-ninth minute Bonnyrigg forced a corner on the right. Currie sent a high ball into the penalty area and Moyes jumped the highest to head past Blair Carswell for what was a deserved equaliser. However the game was not yet over and in the fourth minute of injury time a pass from Currie fell to Bonnyrigg's Brown just outside the penalty box on the left hand side. From slighly further out than his first goal he hit the ball first time and high into the net off the far post to give his side the lead. The final whistle went almost as soon as the game restarted and the Bonnyrigg players celebrated as they left the field as league leaders. I did feel that Spartans had deserved a draw but full credit to Bonnyrigg's never say die spirit.
After the game Malcolm and I said our farewell's to Alex as we headed along the cycle path to catch a bus just before Crewe Toll. A 47 arrived shortly afterwards and we caught this. Malcolm got off at the West End for connection home and I headed on to Lothian Road. I then walked home along Fountainbridge arriving at 22.20 in time to take the dog for his last walk of the day.
Teams
Spartans: Carswell, Davidson, Hoskins, Bolochoweckyj, Corbett, Scott, Brown, McFarland, Murrell, Maxwell, Atkinson.
Subs: Reid, Makovora
Bonnyrigg Rose: Weir, Brett, Brown, Horne, Moyes, Martynuik, S. Gray, Stewart, Hunter, Currie, R.Gray.
Subs: Doherty, Devlin, Young.
Comments
Post a Comment