Dalbeattie Star 0 Bonnyrigg Rose 1

Report by John Gilmour

Bonnyrigg bounced back to winning ways with a hard fought win in poor conditions against a side defending in depth. It took a very late winner from Kerr Young to seal the points and keep the momentum going at the top of the table. Boss Robbie Horn was delighted to go back up the road with 3 points. “When we looked at the ground conditions ahead of the game we knew it was going to be a tough game for us but, the lads stuck to the task in front of them and once again we won through."

On arrival at Dalbeattie the rain was constant with the ground looking heavy but playable; credit goes to the Star committee for getting the game on given the rainfall over the past three months. Dalbeattie started the game well enough but soon fell back in defence as the Rose pushed forward. Star keeper Vinnie Parker was a busy man keeping the score sheet blank at half time.

The Rose took the game to Dalbeattie right from the start of the second half and were soon peppering the Star goal with good efforts, none of which were converted. For long spells it looked like a stalemate was on the cards as the Star defended resolutely. Chances fell to George Hunter, Dean Brett and Lee Currie but but were thwarted by the Star rearguard. Dalbeattie, playing with only one striker Ian Anderson up front, were dealt a real blow when after 66 minutes he was sent off for a double booking making their job even more difficult. Keeper Parker (later rightly voted the Star MOTM by the match sponsors) was a very busy man as with time running out the Rose pushed hard for their now expected late winner. Then with only 5 minutes remaining the Rose made the breakthrough they deserved. From a corner on the right Kerr Young rose above everyone else to power a header into the back of the net, which was deflected by the head of Star player/manager Maxwell en route to goal for what turned out to be the winner .

It was difficult conditions for good football made even more arduous with the Star happy to sit in for a point, as they continue to fight doggedly to retain their status as a Lowland League side. However, the Rose won through in the end with a late flourish they now have as their trademark. Their fighting spirit keeps them going until the final whistle and has won them so many games this season.

Manager Interview.

“Our main objective today was the same as the game against Vale of Leithen and get back up the road with 3 points and we've done that. The conditions were poor but it was the same for both sides. It's important we just keep winning at the moment and although you want to play well every week it doesn't always work out that way, We've kept the pressure on at the top of the table league and it's a sign of a good team that win when not playing well. The lads kept going and we got there in the end. You have to credit the opposition for the way they defended and they made it really hard for us but I was delighted for big Kerr that he's come up with the winner with everything he's gone through recently.”

Dalbeattie: Parker, Park, Green (Kerr), Wilson, Thomson, Maxwell (Middlemass), Williams, Fergusson, Anderson, Sloan, Cowie (Graham). Subs: McConaghie, Pipe.

Bonnyrigg: Weir, Brett, Brown, Young, Baur (Docherty), Horne, S Gray, Martynuik (Moyes), Hunter, Currie, R Gray (McGachie). Subs: Turner, Andrews.

Bookings: Dalbeattie, Green, Anderson, Cowie, Parker, Williams; Bonnyrigg: Young, Weir, Martynuik.

Sending Off: Dalbeattie, Anderson.

Referee: Lloyd Wilson

Att: 126