Star: Ref crossed line

GRAEME ARMSTRONG was furious after a controversial refereeing decision dealt his Newtongrange Star side a severe blow in their bid to catch Bo'ness in the East Region Super League title race.

With a hugely-entertaining game hanging in the balance at 2-2, Gareth Hutchison thought he'd put the visitors in front with less than 20 minutes to go with a header that had crossed the line before the ball was thumped clear by Steven Noble.

Despite being only a few feet away, referee Alan Hogg somehow thought otherwise but his assistant, who'd been looking straight across the line, spotted it and started to raise his flag as though a goal had been scored.

Perhaps due to the to the fact his fellow official didn't seem to take much persuading to put his flag down again, Hogg stuck by his decision and Armstrong couldn't hide his anger after Bonnyrigg went on to claim the points instead thanks to a stunning 84th-minute strike from Craig O'Reilly.

"I'm gutted for the players as they didn't deserve to lose the game," fumed the normally-placid Newtongrange manager. "We practice that week in, week out and score so many goals like that.

"Gareth Hutchison, who is the most honest lad in the world, said it was well over the line and I believe their goalkeeper said it was as well. It is just a disgrace. He must go to the linesman and ask him why he put his flag up. If he tells him it was because the ball was over the line, then he's got to award a goal.

"It changes the game because they then score a winner and, instead of sitting here with three points, we've got none."

While admitting that the visitors could count themselves unlucky to go away empty-handed, Bonnyrigg boss Alan Miller said he couldn't say for certain the ball had gone over the line.

"No-one in the technical area knows for a fact that the ball crossed the line," he said. "The linesman was hesitant in putting up his flag. He wasn't 100 per cent sure as far as I was concerned. It half went up, it's gone down and half up again. He's not attracted the ref's attention and the referee, who was in the box, has made the decision.

This local derby attracted a good crowd and they were treated to a cracking match, the first-half in particular being a contender for the best 45 minutes of action in the East Region this season.

First Bonnyrigg went in front, Bryan Wilson, who had rattled the top of the crossbar with a right-foot shot a minute or two earlier, hammering home a left-foot effort from almost exactly the same spot in the ninth minute.

Then Newtongrange gained the upper hand, Stuart Roseburgh prodding home from close range in the 17th minute and Scott McCulloch powering home a header at the back post four minutes later – both goals stemming from Darren Gourlay corners.

Back came Bonnyrigg and, with Wilson and Kevin McLeish both prominent in what was a terrific midfield tussle with Damien Gielty and Steven Thomson, they drew level in the 26th minute. O'Reilly, who had a fantastic game all round, met an inch-perfect cross from McLeish and bulleted a header beyond Chris Hill.

As the action continued to swing from end to end, Sean Grady sent a header just wide for Bonnyrigg while Greg Logan came to the rescue for the home side just before the break as he denied McCulloch following a mis-kick from Ross Hamilton.

Logan then saved from Hutchison early in a less frantic second-half and, in truth, Newtongrange were just shading things when the same player thought he'd scored with 18 minutes to go.

Gielty, who covered every blade of grass on the park, went close soon afterwards only for salt to be rubbed into the Newtongrange wound when O'Reilly picked up possession fully 35 yards out, decided to try his luck and beat Hill with a shot that crept in under the crossbar.

"It is a very important three points for us, lifting us into the middle of the table and takes a bit pressure of the players," said Miller. "Over the piece I think a draw would have been a fair result but we are delighted to win it."

With Bo'ness beating Musselburgh, Newtongrange slipped five points behind in the title race and Armstrong admitted: "There was nothing I could say to them (his players] as it was a major disappointment.

"It was a goal worthy of winning any game, though I was a bit disappointed as I thought our goalkeeper was too far off his line."

Bonnyrigg Rose: Logan, Robertson, Noble, Hamilton, Dunn, Wilson ( Moffat 71), Grady, Bracks ( Burrell 60), O'Reilly, McLeish, Martin ( Paliczka 71). Subs: Reid, Combe.

Newtongrange Star: Hill, Murie (Brown 46), Forbes, White, Woodburn, Gielty, Gourlay, Thomson, McCulloch (Umatong 80), Hutchison, Roseburgh. Subs: Meaney, McKenzie, Lunn, A Fairbairn, R Fairbairn.

Referee: A Hogg.