Miller rues ref decision

The home manager didn't make any attempt to deny that Linlithgow had been the better side on the day and deserved the win that took them three points clear in the title race.

But he was furious with referee Neil McLennan for denying Bonnyrigg an equaliser after they'd come out at the start of the second-half with all guns blazing.

James Morrice bundled the ball home from close range after it had been dropped by Steven Pinkowski only for McLennan to judge that the Linlithgow goalkeeper had been fouled.

The home side then had salt rubbed in their wounds as they quickly fell 2-0 behind and, try as he might, Miller couldn't hide his disappointment with the official.

"I don't usually talk about referees and decisions they make. But, for me, that was a bad one and it turned the game," said the Bonnyrigg boss.

"How can that be a foul at one end on their goalkeeper and not be a foul on our centre half (as John Ward scored the second goal]? The referee said it was for a challenge on the goalkeeper and it's just not right. The goalkeeper has mishandled the ball.

"Given that we were on top (at that time], we would have fancied our chances to go on and do something in the game."

Linlithgow were well worth their 1-0 half-time lead, Andy Reilly making Bonnyrigg pay for giving him too much space as he struck in the 22nd minute with a low shot that skimmed up off the slippy surface to beat Michael Burgess.

The same player almost scored again seconds later but, after a powderpuff first-half showing, it was a different Bonnyrigg that came out at the re-start.

"I think Linlithgow completely controlled the game in the first half," admitted Miller. "We had players on the park who were not able to get sorted out in terms of the shape Linlithgow were playing.

"They were too concerned about that rather than putting pressure on the ball. We had a word at half-time and sorted that out as we thought we were maybe showing them a bit too much respect.

"We asked them to up the tempo and I thought we started the second-half really well."

Pinkowski pulled off a terrific save to keep out a stinging low shot from Scott Devlin then did likewise to deny Kevin McLeish when it was still only 1-0.

Linlithgow needed a second goal to give themselves some breathing space and it came in the 63rd minute, Ward rising high at the back post to head home a Stuart McArthur corner.

Another great save from Pinkowski denied Devlin for a second time before Colin Strickland sealed the win, the little striker latching on to a defence-splitting pass from McArthur to round Burgess and roll the ball home.

"They are a big, strong side and are difficult to break down. But we were dominant in the first-half and kept the ball well," said Lithgae boss Dave Baikie.

"We deserved to be in front at the break but we expected them to come at us in the second-half and, after changing to a 4-3-3 formation, they started to cause us some problems.

"However, they didn't get the breakthrough and, as we'd said to the players at the break, by sitting in and being professional we were able to hit them on the break."

On Pinkowski's contribution, he added: "Everyone has to play their part and Steven certainly did that.

"Bonnyrigg are going to be there or thereabouts at the end of the season and to come here and win 3-0 is an excellent result for us."

Ominously for the chasing pack, Baikie appears to have a much-stronger looking side at the moment as he did in finishing runners-up to Bo'ness last season, when the Prestonfield club lifted the Scottish Cup.

"We are now sitting on 22 points from eight games," he added. "At this stage last season we were on nine or ten so we've doubled our points tally.

"We've got another league game in two weeks against Camelon when Bo'ness will be on Cup duty again. It is an opportunity for us to widen the gap."

The defeat ended an eight-game unbeaten run for Bonnyrigg, but the champions from two seasons ago can take heart from the grit and determination they showed throughout the second-half.

"The spirit is terrific and, after Pinkowski had made two or three very good saves to stop us from equalising, they kept going until the final whistle," said Miller. "Our start to the season has been fantastic. We've got a good bunch in there and they will make sure they keep their spirits up.

"We came up a bit short today but we'll keep on going."

On Linlithgow, Miller noted: "They've got a lot of power as well as good players and on a heavy pitch like that it stood them in good stead."

Bonnyrigg: Burgess, Caine, Bunyan (Fell 58), Dunn, Ritchie, Devlin (Martin 69), Grady, Morrice, McCallum, McLeish, Paliczka. Subs: Bracks, Reid, Moffat, Amos

Linlithgow: Pinkowski, Tyrrell, Virgili, Ward, Quinn, Nelson, McArthur, Adam, Strickland (King 83), Coyne, Reilly (McLennan 83). Subs: Kelly, Donnelly, Brown, McPherson.

Bonnyrigg Rose 0

Linlithgow Rose 3