Star hold out to take share of the spoils

Published on Monday 7 December 2009 08:43

Newtongrange Star 1 Bonnyrigg Rose 1

IN what was the first derby between these teams since the Super League started in season 2001-02, a share of the points wasn't what either side wanted. Newtongrange are battling hard at the top of the table while Bonnyrigg are too near the bottom for comfort. The Star finished the game with ten men and were under pressure to hold out after Damien Gielty was given a straight red card.

Newtongrange Boss Graeme Armstrong didn't agree with the decision, saying: "I felt it was a yellow card at most. It changed the way we were playing and Bonnyrigg had a lot of the ball after that. Damien isn't a dirty player. In fact, we keep telling him to tackle more. However, the referee is there to make decisions and, although I felt it was harsh, you just have to get on with it."

Newtongrange started the game well with Ubong Umatang missing a sitter from six yards in the 12th minute. The same player had another great chance five minutes later but his header flew high and wide. Then, in the 27th minute in the best passage of play so far, Bonnyrigg opened their account. Bryan Wilson started and finished a great move down the left wing. His pass to Liam McKenna was perfect and McKenna's cut-back was side footed home by Wilson who had followed the ball into the box.

The game ran out of steam as half time approached with neither keeper seriously troubled.

The second half had Newtongrange changing their line-up. Off came Alan Brown and into the battle marched Tom Britton. Scott McCulloch was pushed forward to support the strikers.

They took only eight minutes to get their reward. A nothing ball was played into the Bonnyrigg penalty box. David Dunn allowed Gareth Hutchison to get on his blind side and was in on goal. Dunn's tackle brought Hutchison down with what looked like a last-man effort.

A penalty was awarded and Dunn, who had previously been booked, was lucky to stay on the field. Stevie Thomson scored from the spot to equalise for the Star.

Play raged to the other end as Bonnyrigg pressed for another goal. They had a strong penalty claim turned down when Sean Grady was upended in the box after keeper Chris Hill had fumbled the ball but the referee waved away the shouts.

Then came the sending off with 15 minutes to go. Gielty lost the ball in a midfield clash and dived in strongly with both feet. The referee was only feet away and after a flurry of pushing and pulling sent him off with a straight red card.

This gave Bonnyrigg some heart and they pushed Newtongrange back on their heels for the rest of the game. They had some great chances to snatch a winner but a resolute Star defence held firm until the final whistle. Armstrong said afterwards: "It was a hard-fought derby. We started the game really well but didn't score from the chances we created. At half time I felt we had to change things and give us some height up front.

"We were losing so to get into the game we pushed Scott McCulloch forward. Stevie Thomson's penalty gave us a lift and we feel we could have gone on and won the game until the sending off. That changed for us again. They had a lot of the ball after that and we had to soak up some pressure. A share of the points in the circumstances is okay."

Bonnyrigg manager Allan Miller saw enough to believe his side is coming back to their best form.

"We're getting there," he said. "We played some great football, especially when we scored. The signs are there for us to think we're not that short of how we want to play every week. It's good to have this derby again. It's been too long for the supporters not to have this a couple of times a season. Two good teams trying to play good football. I was disappointed to lose the penalty but this happens in derbies. Neither keeper was seriously troubled but it was an entertaining game for the supporters. For our goal there was great movement form start to finish. That's the standard we want all the time."

Newtongrange: Hill, McNicoll, Forbes, McCulloch, Woodburn, Gielty, Brown( Britton), Thomson, Hutchison, Umatang( Meaney), Roseburgh. Subs: McKenzie, Swaney, Patton, Lunn.

Bonnyrigg: Logan, Robertson, Noble, Hamilton, Dunn( Reid), Wilson, McCaul( Brigain), Morrice, Grady, McKenna, Paliczka. Subs: Howat, Bracks,