23rd November 2019 Bonnyrigg Rose v Montrose 2-1
Scottish Cup weekend today. After missing out on a ticket for last nights match at Linlithgow v Falkirk I managed to get a ticket for Bonnyrigg today. This set up Bonnyrigg, currently second in the Lowland League, against the in-form Montrose of League One. As I had not had much exercise in the morning I decided to walk part of the way. I left home about 12.30 and walked as far as Cameron Toll. I decided enough was enough and after a short wait I caught a 31 bus for the remainder of the journey. It had been drizzling while I was walking but got heavier as I was on the bus. Arrived at the ground around 14.10. The club website had said that searches would be carried out by police and stewards on entry but I was merely asked if I had any cans or bottles in my pockets before showing my ticket and walking in. I bought a £2 programme and then took a stance in the covered area to avoid the rain. Jim arrived about five minutes later and we moved to the back of the covered area rather than as we normally do moving round to the open grassy banking. Jim had been at Linlithgow last night and we had a chat about that and other generally football related matters before the game kicked off.
Bonnyrigg has switched to a 5-3-2 formation with Neil Martynuk moving back into central defence alongside Kerr Young and Euan Moyes. Ross Gray was playing upfront alongside George Hunter. Ross’ brother Scott was on the bench alongside striker Keiran McGachie who has been injured recently along with Hearts loanee Daniel Baur, with permission having been received to allow him to play and therefore become cup-tied and unable to play for Hearts in this years tournament. Montrose’s most experienced player, former Dundee Utd defender, Sean Dillon was on the bench. Other names I recognised were ex-Dundee defender Kerr Weddell who scored twice against Hearts a few years ago and Blair Lyons who was previously with Stirling University in the Lowland League. Kick-off was slightly delayed as some idiot in the covered area threw a flare onto the pitch which emitted a cloud of red smoke. The tannoy operator had already made several references to the throwing of flares in the Buckie Thistle match. As the announcer expressed his displeasure at the latest incident Martynuk went to pick up the now dead object. The announcer then shouted ‘No Neil leave it’ as someone came on with a bucket and tongs to take the flare away. Surprisingly the two police officers on duty had taken position on the far side of the pitch rather than in front of the covered area.
The game started with Montrose on the ascendancy and after four minutes they were awarded a free-kick just outside the box. Kerr Young and Alan Lyons appeared to have come together rather than there being any suggestion of a foul but referee John McKendrick awarded a free-kick and booked Young. Iain Campbell took the free-kick and shot low past the defensive wall. However Michael Weir in the Bonnyrigg goal dived to push the ball away for a corner. Shortly afterwards Weir did well to dive on the ball in the six yard area after a scramble when it looked as if a Montrose player would be first to the ball. Bonnyrigg came back into the game and went ahead after seventeen minutes. Gray was fouled on the left and Lee Currie floated the ball into the box towards Moyes just beyond the far post.. The centre-half jumped above his marker and headed the ball back across goal and into the net. It was a good way to celebrate his one hundred and fiftieth appearance for the club. Given we had a blindspot on the left hand side of the goal Bonnyrigg were attacking due to fans blocking the view from were we were standing I had to check these details from a video of the game. The quality of the cross however gave me no doubt as to who had taken the free-kick, Currie being a dead-ball specialist. Bonnyrigg thought they had scored again minutes later after George Hunter broke into the penalty area from the left. His shot rebounded of keeper Lennox for Gray to fire home the rebound. The goal was ruled off, apparently for offside, after a flag from the far-side linesman. If anything the rain was now getting worse and players were almost forced to splash their way across the field. Montrose forward Graham Webster was then lucky to escape with just a yellow card when he appeared to elbow Jonathan Brown off the ball.Two minutes from half-time Montrose equalised after a run from Lyons down the left. He fired the ball across the six yard box where Ross Campbell was unmarked at the far post to shoot into the net. The folically challenged Campbell celebrated by running past the Bonnyrigg fans in the covered area to shouts of “Baldy”. As the match moved into injury time Rose went ahead again. Alan Horne broke Into the penalty area and from his pass full-back Brown shot home from a tight angle. There was not even time for the game to kick-off again after this goal.
Montrose brought on Dillon for Weddell at halftime in an attempt to play more from the back. If anything the conditions were getting worse as the rain continued and they were forced into a serious of long balls which the Bonnyrigg defence were able to clear. Dillon is also folically challenged and had to put up with chants of "Baldy" as it seemed the Bonnyrigg fans had mistaken him for goalscorer Campbell. Hunter had a good break from the halfway line but with Gray clear on his left he tried a shot from just outside the penalty box which went wide of the goal. The ball was still mainly in the Bonnyrigg half and after sixty-four minutes Young fouled Lyons on the left as he attempted a run to the byeline. Young knew what was going to happen and was almost walking off the park before the referee produced a second yellow card and a subsequent red. Webster made a good break on the left but Weir got down well at his near post to block his shot. Montrose continued to press for an equaliser but the Bonnyrigg defence reinforced by substitute Baur were holding out well. The final chance game in injury time when Lyons tried a shot from just outside the six yard box. The shot was deflected away for a fruitless corner by the outstretched leg of a defender. The referee blew the final whistle to scenes of great joy amongst the Bonnyrigg players who celebrated in front of their fans.
Thankfully the rain had died off by the end of the game. Jim offered me a lift back into town and we walked back to his car. On the way back we listened to Sportsound which was disappointing as Hearts had lost 3-0 at Kilmarnock. The Scottish Cup was relegated to the end of the programme with a summary of the results but no reports on the matches. Jim dropped me off in Lothian Road and I walked home along Fountainbridge arriving back at 17.30 after a good day at the game. Bonnyrigg will be hoping for a draw against either Hearts or Hibs in the next round but with the current situation at Tynecastle I would not be confident of a Hearts victory. We shall see when the draw is made tomorrow night.
The game started with Montrose on the ascendancy and after four minutes they were awarded a free-kick just outside the box. Kerr Young and Alan Lyons appeared to have come together rather than there being any suggestion of a foul but referee John McKendrick awarded a free-kick and booked Young. Iain Campbell took the free-kick and shot low past the defensive wall. However Michael Weir in the Bonnyrigg goal dived to push the ball away for a corner. Shortly afterwards Weir did well to dive on the ball in the six yard area after a scramble when it looked as if a Montrose player would be first to the ball. Bonnyrigg came back into the game and went ahead after seventeen minutes. Gray was fouled on the left and Lee Currie floated the ball into the box towards Moyes just beyond the far post.. The centre-half jumped above his marker and headed the ball back across goal and into the net. It was a good way to celebrate his one hundred and fiftieth appearance for the club. Given we had a blindspot on the left hand side of the goal Bonnyrigg were attacking due to fans blocking the view from were we were standing I had to check these details from a video of the game. The quality of the cross however gave me no doubt as to who had taken the free-kick, Currie being a dead-ball specialist. Bonnyrigg thought they had scored again minutes later after George Hunter broke into the penalty area from the left. His shot rebounded of keeper Lennox for Gray to fire home the rebound. The goal was ruled off, apparently for offside, after a flag from the far-side linesman. If anything the rain was now getting worse and players were almost forced to splash their way across the field. Montrose forward Graham Webster was then lucky to escape with just a yellow card when he appeared to elbow Jonathan Brown off the ball.Two minutes from half-time Montrose equalised after a run from Lyons down the left. He fired the ball across the six yard box where Ross Campbell was unmarked at the far post to shoot into the net. The folically challenged Campbell celebrated by running past the Bonnyrigg fans in the covered area to shouts of “Baldy”. As the match moved into injury time Rose went ahead again. Alan Horne broke Into the penalty area and from his pass full-back Brown shot home from a tight angle. There was not even time for the game to kick-off again after this goal.
Montrose brought on Dillon for Weddell at halftime in an attempt to play more from the back. If anything the conditions were getting worse as the rain continued and they were forced into a serious of long balls which the Bonnyrigg defence were able to clear. Dillon is also folically challenged and had to put up with chants of "Baldy" as it seemed the Bonnyrigg fans had mistaken him for goalscorer Campbell. Hunter had a good break from the halfway line but with Gray clear on his left he tried a shot from just outside the penalty box which went wide of the goal. The ball was still mainly in the Bonnyrigg half and after sixty-four minutes Young fouled Lyons on the left as he attempted a run to the byeline. Young knew what was going to happen and was almost walking off the park before the referee produced a second yellow card and a subsequent red. Webster made a good break on the left but Weir got down well at his near post to block his shot. Montrose continued to press for an equaliser but the Bonnyrigg defence reinforced by substitute Baur were holding out well. The final chance game in injury time when Lyons tried a shot from just outside the six yard box. The shot was deflected away for a fruitless corner by the outstretched leg of a defender. The referee blew the final whistle to scenes of great joy amongst the Bonnyrigg players who celebrated in front of their fans.
Thankfully the rain had died off by the end of the game. Jim offered me a lift back into town and we walked back to his car. On the way back we listened to Sportsound which was disappointing as Hearts had lost 3-0 at Kilmarnock. The Scottish Cup was relegated to the end of the programme with a summary of the results but no reports on the matches. Jim dropped me off in Lothian Road and I walked home along Fountainbridge arriving back at 17.30 after a good day at the game. Bonnyrigg will be hoping for a draw against either Hearts or Hibs in the next round but with the current situation at Tynecastle I would not be confident of a Hearts victory. We shall see when the draw is made tomorrow night.
Teams
Bonnyrigg: Weir, Brett, Young, Moyes, Martynuk, Brown, Horne, Stewart, Currie, Hunter, R. Gray.
Subs: S. Gray, McGachie, Baur.
Montrose: Lennox, Ballantyne, Weddell, I. Campbell, Sheeves, Messon, Watson, Callaghan, Webster, R. Campbell, Lyons.
Subs: Dillon, Niamh, Rennie.
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