Bonnyrigg Rose 5-2 Bo'ness United

Thanks to BRYAN COPELAND for submitting his fans view match report ?

Match report
Scottish Cup Round 1
Bonnyrigg Rose v Bo’ness United
Saturday 01/01/21 KO : 15:00
New Dundas Park, Bonnyrigg

BU Team :
Murphy (Gk) Macfarlane, Campbell, Wharton, Stevenson. Jacobs, MacKenzie, Gemmel, Grant, Locke, Miller.
Subs : Adamson (Gk) Hunter, Snowdon, Bell, Donnelly, Anderson.

After a feast of food for Xmas dinner we should have been all set for a feast of football on Boxing Day as the Scottish Cup brought up some fantastic games including this one between Bonnyrigg and Bo’ness.
Thanks to the persistent rain New Dundas park was deemed unplayable so the match was rescheduled for midweek.
It could have been a lot worse however thinking of Brora Rangers who have the 416 mile round trip to Camelon to make all over after their match was abandoned on Saturday and is being replayed tomorrow night.
Also a mention for old league rivals and derby neighbours Linlithgow rose got a good result beating Brechin and Broxburn made the trip to Nairn County and held their own for 90 minutes plus extra time to be defeated 4-3 on penalties. A mention however to their 2 players that were injured during the match and spent time at Hospital in Inverness so we of course with them well and a speedy recovery.
Onto this game coming up then and of course the 2 sides will know each other well coming through the juniors together and rejoining battle again in the East of Scotland leagues and now both sides find each other on the lowland league together also.
Unfortunately the aforementioned mentioned midweek tie once again fell victim to the weather this time plummeting temperatures causing a freeze.
This meant the New Year derby against East Stirlingshire was no longer able to be played as this cup tie has to replace it.
The match was then scheduled for today but to be played at Ainslie Park (home of Spartans) however a 10am inspection deemed the pitch unplayable and it looked like more fixtures piling up for both clubs. Shortly after however there was an announcement the Bonnyrigg’s home of New Dundas Park may be playable and subject to an inspection there was still a possibility of the match being played.
Finally just before noon the good news came the the pitch at New Dundas Park is playable and a New Years Day cracker of a cup tie could be looked forward too very soon.

Into the game then and home side got us underway. Within 40 seconds Andy Murphy in the BU goal was called into action making a fantastic save to keep the score at 0-0. The home side then got a corner which was cleared by the BU defence before a ball down the right saw a dangerous cross into the box from the home side. A good start was continued by the hosts with a free kick from wide right crossed into the box and a shot towards goal just off target. Up at the other end a good cross from wide right had to be dealt with by the home defence. The ball was then played along the box well by the BU before Bonnyrigg intercepted and had a quick counter attack up the left. Murphy was alert and off his line to clear the danger. Minutes later and Murphy was again the hero as he produced a fantastic save to deny Bonnyrigg the lead. The hold side however gathered the ball and good defending was required from the visitors. A long ball over the top then allowed Bonnyrigg in behind the BU back line but a good recovery in defence sent the ball for a corner. The corner was defended at the near post and the ball cleared for another. This time another good clearance stopped any danger and the ball went for a throw on the far side. An excellent interception then had the BU on the front foot moving forward quickly only for a foul to halt the attack. The free kick from wide right was crossed into the box and headed clear but only as far as the edge of the box and a shot from distance was well off target. The visitors were looking just as good as the hosts at this stage and another dangerous cross had the home defence alert once again. Both sides then had free kicks in the space of minutes. The visitors went for a direct hit while the home side crossed theirs to the back post. Bonnyrigg played a ball into the box causing an appeal for hand ball but it was waved away and play continued. Grant laid the ball off to Miller but saw it intercepted for a corner. 38 minutes played and we had a breakthrough in the scoring. A good ball was fed through to Zander Miller who made no mistake with his finish low. Minutes later and Miller was trying to get another goal, latching onto a through ball turning and shooting from distance. The BU had the last action of the half with a free kick. The free kick sent the ball into the danger are but the home keeper done well to get it quickly away.
Half time Bonnyrigg 0 - 1 Bo’ness.

Into the 2nd half and straight away the home side got an equaliser. The ball was fed down the right, played into the box quickly and a good finish from George Hunter had honours even in this very important cup tie with a lot at stake given that with all the postponements the draw is already made, and the winners get a trip to play Dundee. Andy Murphy in the BU goal having a brilliant afternoon thus far once again produced a top quality save to dent the home side the lead. A corner then saw a fence header on goal which was cleared and the BU went quickly on the counter attack led by Tom Grant only to be intercepted before reaching the home sides box.
Forward came the hosts with a great through ball into the box, Campbell conceded a foul resulting in a yellow card and of course being in the box a penalty was awarded. Lee Currie stepped up to take it and sent the ball low into the left corner of the net with Murphy going the other way. Bonnyrigg 2 - 1 BU.
Moments later and the home side were on the front foot again this time a ball over the top into the box but it had the same outcome Ross Campbell conceded a foul this time luckily he wasn’t booked which would have meant a sending off but the referee did once again point to the spot. From then it was like a carbon copy of the 1st from Lee Currie same spot in the bottom left. Murphy did go the right way this time but was helpless to stop the powerful strike. Bonnyrigg 3-1 BU.
Almost immediately BU Gaffer Max Christie who also previously managed Bonnyrigg leading them to the Junior Superleague title made a change as Snowdon replaced Campbell. Unbelievably what happened next was the same player fouled for both penalties was fouled again in the box, down went George Hunter out came the referees finger to point to the spot. BU fans I’m sure will remember the day we scored a hat trick of penalties, the man to do it was Brian Morgan, and Lee Currie had the chance to do it for Bonnyrigg today. You wouldn’t believe it he stepped up and for a 3rd time produced the exact same penalty low into the bottom left with Murphy going the opposite way as he had done for the 1st. Bonnyrigg 4-1 BU. Another change for the visitors saw Jacobs replaced by Donnelly. Bo’ness weren’t about to give up on this tie just yet and a good cross from Gemmell was cleared followed by a resulting counter attack well intercepted. More good play from the BU saw Grant play the ball wide to Donnelly who’s cross was blocked.
A free kick wide on the right was played in by the visitors only to be cleared as far as the 18 yard line and a shot from there was blocked before the home side put the ball out of play rocks low treatment to one of their players down in the box. After getting back underway a decent long range effort was well held by the Bonnyrigg keeper. He quickly played the ball to the other end and once again Andy Murphy was quick to react and produced another fantastic stop from close range.
A few minutes later however and with the cloak running down the home side ensured the tie was put beyond doubt, a low ball through the middle was picked up on the edge of the box and rolled under the advancing Murphy. Bonnyrigg 5 - 1 BU.
The home side had a free kick well out which was crossed to the back post and cleared by the BU. The ball was quickly at the other end and won a corner. Disappointingly however the ball in from it didn’t get past the 1st man for Bonnyrigg at the near post. The next corner however was better as Grant swung a great ball into the danger area and the visitors had a 2nd goal to reduce the deficit with Stevenson rising well to head past the home keeper. Bonnyrigg 5 - 2 BU.
Both sides got one final chance as the game entered added time, a long ball forward from half way for the visitors saw a good effort just over the bar then at the other end good quick passing saw a ball into the box that was cleared.
Full time Bonnyrigg 5 - 2 BU. The home side progress to the tie against Dundee and both these sides are scheduled to meet again in the league next midweek.