Roseburgh keeps Rose fighting on four fronts

WING king Stuart Roseburgh scored a “special” winner with two minutes to go to keep Bonnyrigg on the trophy trail on four fronts in their first season under Max Christie.

The Super League side fell behind to a 19th-minute free-kick from Glenrothes’ Sean Simpson in this Fife & Lothians Cup first-round tie. But second-half strikes from first Alex King and then Roseburgh ensured a positive mood in the Rose ranks heading into this weekend’s last-16 clash against Ashfield in the Junior Cup.

“It was a battle,” admitted Roseburgh of an encounter that finally went ahead at the fourth attempt and was played on a gluepot surface.

“We knew we had to do better in second half and, as the game opened up near the end, I was delighted to score a special goal to win it.”

He was referring to a sweetly-struck left-foot shot from 25 yards that flew into the net after the opening had been created by fellow-scorer King.

The little midfielder had a crowd of players around him midway inside the Glenrothes half but after a dip of the shoulder he had burst free into space before passing to Roseburgh.

King also produced a touch of quality for the 68th-minute equaliser, switching the ball from one foot to the other with defenders around him to create space as he shot home from inside the box.

“Ever since I arrived at the club earlier in the season, I’ve always said Kingy is one our strongest players and he showed that again,” added Roseburgh.

Rose definitely deserved their win, but for a long spell it looked as though it could be one of those days when lots of huffing and puffing might go unrewarded.

Ryan McCallum, a late replacement up front for Paul Shields, blasted over early on before Mark Weir pulled off a fine save at the other end to get team-mate David Dunn out of jail following a mistake by the centre-half.

With James Murray using his pace to cause all sorts of problems, Glenrothes probably deserved to go in front, though Weir’s positioning of a two-man wall looked suspect as Simpson was able to curl a shot around it and beat the keeper at his near post.

For the rest of the game, though, the home side rarely threatened and their time- wasting tactics after the break suggested they were simply trying to protect their lead in the hope in would be enough to go through.

David Burrell, a first-half substitute for the injured Steven Thompson, was denied twice by the home keeper in quick succession before King earned Bonnyrigg a deserved equaliser. And, for the final quarter of the game, the Glenrothes goal led a charmed life until Roseburgh struck the winner with penalties looming.

With Bo’ness and Linlithgow both dropping points in the Super League, Christie admitted it had been “a good day at the office” for Bonnyrigg.

“We tend to do things the hard way but, after chucking on three strikers and having a right go at it, we scored a great equaliser and then a fabulous goal to win it.”

Glenrothes: Roberts, McKie (Bell 76), Gay (Hush 88), Simpson, Leslie, Murray, Martin, McBride, Shields, Lee, Napier. Subs: Hush, Bell, Moffat.

Bonnyrigg Rose: Weir, Hendrie (Paliczka 61), Gray, McKenna, Dunn, McCallum (Shields 81), King, Thompson (Burrell 32), Archibald, Grady, Roseburgh. Subs: Steele, Burgess.

Referee: Lorraine Clark.