20th July 2022. Bonnyrigg Rose 1 Falkirk 1 (Falkirk won bonus point after 4-2 win in penalty shootout)
Another trip out to Bonnyrigg tonight for the Premier Sports Cup match v Falkirk although I still call the tournament the League Cup. I was meant to be childminding and dogsitting today but that was cancelled so I had a day at home. I checked the bus timetable and decided to catch the 18.09 31 from Haymarket. After a mushroom and ham pasta I walked to Haymarket torcatch the bus. It arrived on time but drove past the stop before the driver realised he had overshot. He stopped slightly further along the road and everyone at the stop walked down to get on. Unfortunately a group of three got on, looked like grandad, son and grandson got on. They started sitting at the back of the bus upstairs but as the bus emptied in Princes Street moved up to take three empty seats at the front with the grandad shouting ‘ I want to be the driver’. All the way to Bonnyrigg they were almost shouting to each other, generally about football, with some choice language. Even when the bus got busier and people had to sit beside them on the three seats they did not shut up. As we approached Bonnyrigg we got stuck in a jam at some temporary light for roadworks and still they went on.When we arrived in Bonnyrigg I got off a stop early to get away from them at around 19.10 but saw them again as they got off the bus and entered the pub next to the ground. I arrived at the ground and showed my ticket for entry. Inside I bought a £2 programme. The Bonnyrigg programme always has an unusual cover and todays edition showed a cartoon version of Kevin Smiths goal against Hibs on Sunday. I walked round the the uncovered grassy terrace and took up a position against the perimeter fence given our view had been lightly blocked by other fans when we were further back on Sunday. I was joined by Alex and the couple from the 'Game of Throw-ins" website shortly afterwards and we chatted until kickoff.
Bonnyrigg made few changes from Sundays game with Neil Martyniuk, Scott Gray, Kevin Smith and George Hunter dropping to the bench. Lewis Turner, Ross Gray, Kieran McGachie and Keiran Hall came in as replacements. Falkirk now managed by former Hearts boss, John McGlynn, are looking for a better season than last year when they missed on on the League One playoffs on the last day of the season. They have brought in a number of new seasons, Coll Donaldson (previously with Ross County), Stephen McGinn (Kilmarnock), Kai Kennedy (on loan from rangers), and Gary Oliver (Morton). In addition former Hearts players Brad McKay and Callumn Morrison were retained from last season.
Falkirk had most of the early possession and Aidan Nesbitt had a shot from the left side of the penalty box is blocked after eight minutes. As the ball bounced out of the box Jonny Stewart fouled Finn Yeats about twenty yards from goal. The Bonnyrigg wall covered the right hand side of the goal with goalkeeper Mark Weir in the centre off the goal. However he left a gap on the left for Morrison to shoot in the far corner of the net via the inside of the post to give Falkirk the lead. Falkirk continued with most of the possession and Morrison forced a couple of saves from Mark Weir. Midway through the half Falkirk lost central defender Liam Henderson to injury with Blair Sneddon coming on as his replacement. Bonnyrigg came more into the game as the half progressed and forced an equaliser in forty-two minutes. Morrison handled the ball in his own penalty area, although it was one of these cases that could be argued as ball hit man rather than man handles ball deliberately, and referee Ross Hardie awarded a penalty. With regular penalty takers Lee Currie and Neil Martyniuk not in the side Lewis Turner took the kick and hit a right footed shot to the bottom left corner of the net giving PJ Morrison in the Falkirk goal no chance.
Bonnyrigg started the second half swell and turner had a shot as he broke into the box on the left blocked before Hall had an attempt from outside the box well saved by Morrison n the Falkirk goal. Falkirk main attacking weapon continued to be winger Morrison and he forced a save from Weir from a shot from about twelve yards before sending a free-kick from outside the box over the bar. Bonnyrigg came back into the game in the last ten minutes and a storming un from Dean Brett lead to his shot as he broke into the penalty box being blocked by the Falkirk defence. With minutes to go Stewart had a shot from outside the box blocked by a defender before Bonnyrigg had an excellent chance as the game moved into added time. Substitute Callum Connolly and defender Conor Doan broke from their own half against one defender after a Falkirk corner. The pair exchanged passes as they moved upfield with Connolly finally feeding Doan a pass as he moved into the penalty box on he left. The pass was maybe slightly overhit but Doan hit a first time shot which Morrison pushed away from the top left hand corner of his goal.
The game ended in a draw but in this competition teams can earn a bonus point if they win the penalty shootout after a drawn match. The teams tossed a coin to decide which end of the ground would be used for the kicks and also who would take he first kick. The kicks were to be taken into the goal where the Falkirk fans were congregating with Falkirk taking the first kick. Craig McGuffie took and scored the first penalty for Falkirk. Brett took the first kick for Bonnyrigg and scored into the left corner of the goal. Weir then saved Morrisons attempt to give Bonnyrigg an advantage. Martyniuk, who had come on as a substitute in injury as a regular penalty taker, scored for Bonnyrigg to put them 2-1 ahead. Yeats scored for Falkirk. before Hunter had his kick saved by Morrison while McGinn scored for Falkirk leaving Falkirk 3-2 ahead. Kevin Smith then hit his penalty over the bar before Oliver scored in the left hand corner to give Falkirk an unbeatable 4-2 lead, Bonnyrigg however showed that they could match a full-time side from a higher division in what was an entertaining game
After the game finished Alex and I walked down to the Waverley hotel to catch a 31 bus back too Edinburgh. The bus arrived after a short six minute wait and we discussed the game on the way back to town. Alex got off at the foot of the Mound and I continued on to Attholl Crescent before walking home from there arriving back around 22.15.
Teams
Bonnyrigg Rose: Weir, Brett, Barrett, Young, Grigor, Doan, Turner, Stewart, McGachie, Hall, R. Gray.
Subs: Connolly, S. Gray, Smith, Hunter
Subs: Sneddon, McGuffie,Welson
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