SPFL LEAGUE TWO
Bonnyrigg Rose 2, Stirling Albion 1
It’s four defeats on the spin for Stirling Albion as Bonnyrigg Rose capitalised on a strong second-half showing to claim a comfortable three points in rain-lashed Midlothian.
The opening chance fell for the home side, Cammy Ross latching on to a ball inside the Stirling right channel, but he drilled his shot narrowly wide from a tight angle.
Bonnyrigg settled the quicker in the conditions and came close once again when a cross flashed over the face of the Stirling goal, just evading Kieran McGachie at the back post.
Stirling registered their first opportunity on 14 minutes when good passing through the midfield opened space for Ross Davidson on the edge of the area, but his shot flew wide.
Set pieces are always key at New Dundas Park and Albion went close when Callum Crane’s delivery to the edge of the area was hooked towards goal by Dale Carrick, falling on to the top of the net.
A quick Binos break almost yielded the opener when Crane raced down the left and played in Carrick, whose dangerous cutback was cleared on his goalline by Angus Mailer.
More last-ditch defending denied the visitors the first goal, Harry Wright working free down the left and finding Adam Brown, who had his goalbound effort well blocked by a Rose defender.
The home side started well shooting down the slope in the second half and Derek Gaston had to be at his best to Kieran McGachie from close range.
But Rose were to strike first blood with a simple goal on 53 minutes.
Cammy Ross produced a lovely piece of skill to nutmeg Erik Sula on the left before firing a ball into the box for Lewis Lorimer to drill past Gaston from 16 yards.
The second goal was on the way just after the hour mark when a cross thrown into the box was headed on the bar before dropping to Ross to tap in from a few yards.
Rose were firmly in the ascendancy, with Albion looking leggy attacking up the hill following their 120 minutes on Saturday and Lorimer was close to adding to his tally, forcing a good Gaston stop after wriggling free of a weak Bailey Dall challenge.
Bonnyrigg sub Mark Ferrie almost had the perfect introduction with his first touches of the game, racing behind the Binos rearguard – but could only fire wide with the goal at his mercy.
Fellow sub Kallum Higginbotham was next to try his luck, squeezing his header from a tight angle just over the junction of post and bar after being found by another Ross delivery.
By this point, the Stirling players looked firmly ready for the final whistle but they managed to conjure up one moment of delight to take from a difficult evening with a consolation deep into stoppage time.
Brown – one of the Binos’ brightest performers on the night – cut inside from the left and smashed a shot from 20 yards which flew past Michael Andrews, provoking some light cheers from the small Stirling contingent left in the ground.
That was to be it in terms of comfort for Albion on the night as they limped to a second defeat in four days and will once again have to lift themselves ahead of the visit of Edinburgh City to Forthbank on Saturday.
Bonnyrigg – Andrews, Mailer, Martyniuk, Young, Murphy, McGachie (Higginbotham 59’), Currie, Lorimer (Ferrie 81’), Arnott, Somerville, Ross (Scarborough 88’). Subs not used – Anderson, Allen, Connolly.
Stirling – Gaston, McGeachie, Sula, Kerr, Davidson (Waugh 81’), Carrick (Roy 72’), Brown, Wright (Graham 81’), Harkness (Knox 62’), Hilson, Crane (Dall 62’). Subs not used – McLean, Cant, McKinley.
Referee – George Calder
Att – 446