2nd July 2022 Civil Service Strollers 1 Bonnyrigg Rose 2

 

Now we are into July pre-season friendlies are coming thick and fast. I did think about going to watch Spartans v Threave Rovers but that will probably be shooting practice for Spartans. Instead I headed to Christie Gillies Park for Civil Service Strollers (CSS) v Bonnyrigg Rose. Last season this would have been a Lowland League clash but today will be Bonnyriggs first match as an SPL side following their victory over Cowdenbeath in the end of season playoff. With the kickoff at 14.00 I left home at 12.30 to walk to the match. After walking down the old railway path I cut along past the old Doocot pub in Muirhouse and then down by Pennywell to Silverknowes. I then walked down Marine Drive to the ground arriving at around 13.45. I had bought an electronic ticket through Fanbase but due to the bright sunlight the gateman could not read the bar code on my phone. However he had my details and checked them out allowing me into the ground. I met Jim there who had just returned from a holiday in Turkey. Given he had not landed until 5.30 this morning I thought he did well to get to the ground.

One thing that really bugs me about going to CSS is the lack of information for spectators. They used to do a good programme but that stopped due to the Covid crisis and there is no tannoy announcement about the team lineups or even a board showing the teams. Competitive games generallyy have line-ups on social media but I could not find any detail for todays match, the only players I recognised were Ross Guthrie and Alieau Faye with, I think, Craig Murdoch starting in goals. While the same lack of communication applied to Bonnyrigg I recognised most of the players having seen them play several times. New signings Kevin Smith, formerly at East Fife,  and Conor Doan, University of Stirling, both started with four trialists on the bench. Surprisingly both Kieran McGachie and Calum Connolly were on the bench with George Hunter absent from the squad. 

I had expected Bonnyrigg to win the match comfortably but CSS fought hard and had a couple of early chances forcing saves from Mark Weir in the Rose goal. CSS went ahead in thirty-three minutes when Guthrie gathered the ball just outside the penalty box in the centre of the field. He took a couple of stops to the right then shot low across Weir into the far corner of the net for an excellent goal. Unfortunately the lead only lasted two minutes as a pass from Currie sent Scott Gary free on the right. He fired a low cross across goal for Smith to knock the ball into the net from close range for the equaliser. If the first Bonnyrigg gaol was an easy finish the second was a fine goal. A corner was partially cleared by the CSS defence to Lewis Tuner twenty-five yards from goal in the centre of the field. He hit an unstoppable volley into the net giving Murdoch in goal no chance of making a save.

To be honest the second half was a bit of a disappointment with Weir again being the busier keeper. Rose brought on McGachie and Kieran Hall at halftime and the only major incident in the second half involved McGachie. Hall made a break from midfield about twenty minutes into the second half and was taken out by a foul and possibly dangerous tackle from behind about thirty yards from goal. As he lay on the ground McGachie came across to remonstrate with the CSS player who was also grounded. As McGachie grabbed the grounded player his teammates came across to assist him while Bonnnrigg players also came over to protect Hall and also get McGachiie away from trouble. After the players had climbed down the referee booked both McGachie and the CSS player. The action did not end there though as a Bonnyrigg fan got into a verbal altercation with CSS assistant manager Joe Mbu. If you have seen the size of Mbu you will know this ws not wise move and thankfully the verbals died down without the protagonists getting any closer to each other. Wth both sides making six substitutions the second half did not have the flow of the first and Bonnyrigg seemed happy to hold onto their lead.

After the game Jim gave me a lift up to Crewe Toll. After a five minute wait I caught a 24 bus to Lothian Road and was home around 17.00. 

Civil Service Strollers: Murdoch,,,,,,,,Faye, Guthrie, Kennedy.

Subs: N/A

Bonnyrigg Rose: Weir, Young, Horne, Turner, Stewart, Currie, R Gray, Doan, S Gray, Barrett, Smith

Subs: Hall, Connolly, McGachie, Wilson, 4 x Trialist.