Bonnyrigg Too Good For Struggling Star

Bonnyrigg cruised past a Newtongrange Star side who never looked likely to cause a surprise and did well to keep the goals conceded down to five. The League leaders dominated the game and only good goalkeeping and poor finishing, meant that the final score line was not more embarrassing for the visitors. Although the game was still close at the break there was little doubt that the home side would secure the points. 

Newtongrange Star made their second visit of the season to New Dundas Park today  - this time to face McBookie.com East Super League leaders Bonnyrigg Rose in a league game. Back in January, Star were on the end of a 5-2 defeat in the Scottish Junior Cup, but today’s game had crucial league points at stake for both sides. Rose were desperate to follow up on their fine away win at Linlithgow last week which saw them go back to the top of the table. Star find themselves four points above the relegation play off place having played more games than their rivals in the bottom half and points in this Midlothian derby were vital.

Bonnyrigg nearly took the lead within 30 seconds. Mitchell made a mistake and allowed McGachie a run in on goal. The frontman looked sure to score but Renton did well to deny the striker. However, it set the tone for the game. In 3 minutes Brown put in a good cross and his fellow fullback Brett nearly got on the end of it but he was denied by a saving tackle. Star’s first effort was after 4 minutes when Smith fired a shot past.

Bonnyrigg dominated possession but there was 10 minutes on the clock before their next chance and it gave them the lead. Currie put over the free kick and after Lough stooped and missed his header, the ball rebounded off Swaney and MOYES pounced to hook it home. 

Star produced a good passage of interplay on their left before Andrews did well to cut out the cross. The game was competitive in midfield and referee Ryan Lee handed out yellow cards to both sides. After 27 minutes Rose should have extended their lead. Mitchell lunged into a tackle on Brett near the goal line and the referee pointed to the spot. With regular penalty taker Hoskins out injured, Brown stepped forward but fired his effort well over the bar.

Rose were always dangerous from dead balls and goal scorer Moyes got on the end of another Currie free kick, but his header was a weak one. Rose continued to dominate but there was no real pace to their attacks. 

When there is only one goal in the game it’s always a dangerous position and Star were still very much in it. After 37 minutes they scored the equaliser. Smith did well on the left and put in a cross. Brown misheaded his attempted clearance and the ball fell to PORTEOUS, who shot past Andrews. 

However, the lead didn’t last long and after 40 minutes Rose restored their advantage. Brett got forward on the right and his cross was brilliantly headed home on the turn by MCGACHIE -  his fiftieth goal in Rose colours. 

Just before the break Porteous was on the end of another cross from the right and his well struck shot on the turn was just wide of Andrews’s right hand post.

Rose deserved their half time lead but hadn’t done enough to end Star’s resistance despite lots of possession. 

Half Time Bonnyrigg Rose 2;  Newtongrange Star 1

There were no changes at the break and the second half followed the pattern of the first, with Rose controlling possession. 

In Rose’s first attack of the second period Brown was in the end of a Currie cross but headed well wide of the far post. 

Star were dealt a blow minutes later when Mitchell was forced off with a hamstring injury, to be replaced by Lowson. 

With 57 minutes played Rose extended their lead, once again it was a Currie free kick which BRETT leaped high to meet about 12 yards out on the right of the area. His header looked to be going wide but swerved and went in off the inside of Renton’s far

 post - it looked more like an attempted cross than an effort at goal but it ended up in the net. 

After an hour Rose withdrew Lough and introduced McIntosh. Two minutes later Gray was in on goal, put through through by Stewart, but Renton pulled off a fine stop. Star withdrew Waugh and introduced McNaughton as legs tired on a heavy pitch.

Rose were totally dominant now and created opening after opening. A Brown header from a Currie cross was cleared off the line. Young had another header which came off the crossbar. McIntosh headed just wide then Brown shot just wide. It was a case of how many at this stage. 

K Scott had an effort at goal for Star from range as Andrews was called into action but the goalkeeper dealt competently with everything. Moyes put in a few significantly blocks as the game became stretched but Rose looked certain to add to their tally and they did so after 78 minutes. Yet another Currie corner and MCINTOSH fired the header home - game over. Two minutes later Rose got a fifth. Another substitute TURNER, slotting home after Lowson had been caught in possession. 

Rose thoroughly merited the win and should have scored more goals in the second period. They dominated possession and Currie provided telling cross after telling cross. The second half substitutions added a bit of bite to Rose’s play and for the second week running Macintosh and Turner came on and scored. Rose has no failures on the day and Currie and Brett were their stars. Newtongrange kept plugging away but were up against a much better side and outplayed. Renton and Smith were best on an afternoon they will want to forget. 

Rose visit Haddington next Saturday in the D J Laing East of Scotland Cup as their quest for a treble continues. Newtongrange Star visit Carnoustie Panmure in a vital league encounter. 

Full Time Bonnyrigg Rose 5; Newtongrange Star 1

Teams 

Bonnyrigg Rose

Andrews, Brett, Brown,Young ,Moyes,Horne, Gray,Stewart,McGachie,Lough and Currie  Subs Nelson,Turner, McIntosh Wilson and Bryan Young  (Gk) 

Newtongrange Star
Renton, Swaney, Porteus, K Scott,Waugh ( Trialist) S Scott, Wilkie, Smith, Bracks, Mitchell and Melvin  Subs Dunsmore, Currie (Trialist), McNaughton, Lowson and O’Hara

Referee  Ryan Lee

Assistant Referees Brent Falconer and Danny MacKinnon 

Gordon Baird

Neutral Reporter