Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic -vs- Stenhousemuir (Saturday 1 October 2022)

[Francesc Fabregas]

And so, to the game I've been most looking forward to all season: a trip to New Dundas Park to see Bonnyrigg Ross Athletic taking on Stenhousemuir! I think this might be the first competitive meeting between the sides, unless someone can correct me. It's a contest between two teams in contrasting form - Bonnyrigg started the season superbly but results have faltered in recent weeks, while the Warriors have bounced back from three consecutive defeats to collect 10 points out of a possible 12. This could be a cracking contest.

The impression I get from watching Bonnyrigg's highlights is they're a bunch of big lads with a great team spirit but some of their players perhaps lack the quality and the fitness to compete in the SPFL. Nevertheless, I'm expecting a difficult, physical game on a tight park in front of a partisan home support.

As for Stenny, have they turned a corner under Stephen Swift? I think this will be the match where we'll find out. The victory over East Fife was thoroughly deserved but a win on Saturday might convince the doubters (myself included) that's he's finally cracked it. I think we'll see a couple of changes from the team that started at Bayview - Adam Corbett might come in for Chocolate Dan Higgins and Euan O'Reilly must be included after his two goals. This might be the kind of match where Mikey Anderson's industry could be valuable, hopefully at the expense of the lumbering Ross Forbes. Maybe Tam Orr might get the nod ahead of Will Sewell.

- Matty Yates - Will Sewell -

- Euan O'Reilly - Adam Brown - Nat Wedderburn - Mikey Anderson - Mikey  Miller -

- Adam Corbett - Sean Crighton - Nicky Jamieson -

- Conor Brennan -

I'd be over the moon with a win but given this is a relative step into the unknown, I'd be content with a point and a positive performance. I'll see you there!

[Hard Graft]

I would be surprised if he drops Forbes. Swift seems to be the only one that thinks he can do no wrong. If he does not start O'Reilly then he should be questioned why in the aftermatch interview.

[Neilly]

What a result that is for us today and with Dumbarton dropping points it makes for a thoroughly enjoyable Saturday.

The first half I felt we dominated the contest with our quick, technical players causing absolute havoc to the lumbering Bonnyrigg back line. They couldn't live with us but I felt at half time we really needed that third as we just can't put 90 minutes together.

An absolute nightmare start to the second half for us changed the whole direction of the game. From there on in it was back to the walls for the majority of the half. Bonnyrigg aren't going to cut you open with great football but they are effective in getting the ball in the danger area quickly and causing havoc with their range of absolute units. A lot of close calls around the six yard box but we stood strong, bodies on the line and managed to nick a couple of really good goals on the counter, ultimately Tam Orr finishing the contest with a neat finish under Weir in the closing minutes. Clinical stuff from us really we had two sniffs in the second half and finished both off. Jubilant scenes.

I don't want to get too negative on that second half so let's look at it from a positive aspect we really had to dig deep and mentally that has to set us in good stead moving forward. It's a difficult venue to get points from so to go there, score four goals and get three points the players deserve a big pat on the back.

Nicky Jamieson is now back to his supreme best after a sticky start to the season I thought he was the best player on the park by a distance. Not many centre halves at this level have his ability over 5-10 yards to cover the ground and make as many good tackles as he done today. Matty Yates, as always, is a pain in the arse to the opposition and him getting a goal from chasing down a lost cause typifies the wee man. Brilliant stuff.

Credit to Mark Weir. That's the single worst half of football I have seen from a goalkeeper at this level which is some feat when you think of the characters we have had in goals in recent years. He just could not do anything right and it was a right good laugh. He was better second half as all he had to do was pick the ball out of the net from the two occasions we managed to get up the park.

[Vimto90]

Easy fucking peasy.

Slopes a joke.

Up yeez.

MWOA

[Kelheart]

How did Philp do (if playing ) ??

[Francesc Fabregas]

That was a brilliant result and a thoroughly well-deserved three points for Stenhousemuir. The match was uncomfortable at points, especially in large parts of the second half, but I think the players and management deserve a lot of credit with how they handled a tough, up-and-at-them opponent. I wondered if this would be the game where Stephen Swift turned a corner and I think that could be the case. Fair play to everyone involved.

Neilly sums up the match really well above me. Stenhousemuir dominated the first half, creating the bulk of the chances and keeping Bonnyrigg on the back foot. They were, of course, aided by some horrendous goalkeeping from Mark Weir - seven minutes into the match, he leathered a clearance off Matty Yates which spun into the net, and shortly afterwards he failed to deal with a routine corner kick that Euan O'Reilly poked home on the goal-line. His distribution throughout was horrendous. He reminded me a little of Sandy Wood all those years back at Montrose, and not in a good way. Elsewhere, Adam Brown had an effort cleared off the line, Ross Forbes almost scored with a free-kick and Mikey Miller put a good ball across the face of goal that couldn't find a taker.

Despite our level of control and our two-goal lead at the interval, I was still anxious, and I had every right to be. Not long after the interval, Kieran McGachie headed a corner straight at Conor Brennan, who inexplicably mishandled it and allowed Kevin Smith to smash it home. Brennan always seems to have a mistake in him, especially when it comes to dealing with crossballs and set-pieces, and his error really seemed to spook his team-mates and supporters. Bonnyrigg gained territory and looked to hit McGachie and get bodies around him quickly and it almost paid off when Lee Currie slipped in a couple of cute passes, but our defenders were quite to the danger and cut it out.

We created relatively little in the second half but our two forays upfield led to excellent goals for Yates and Tam Orr. The two strikes were sandwiched between Neil Martyniuk's penalty, given after an apparent handball by Sean Crighton. I'm not sure if there was an infringement but Bonnyrigg were able to get in behind after Ross Philp tried to play his way out of trouble at the back (something Adam Corbett and Liam Brown were guilty of at points), something you can't really do at New Dundas Park. Orr's goal at the death, superbly taken, was a blessed relief.

Bonnyrigg are the poorest side I've seen so far this season and I've gone from thinking they'll be safe in mid-table to thinking they'll be in bother. There's a real lack of quality across the park and their physical approach will only get them so far. A lot of their players don't look particularly fit either. I think their next match against Albion Rovers will be huge in determining where they'll finish. It's always good to see someone like Dean Brett in the mud too. I quite liked New Dundas Park - there's nowhere quite like it in League 2 and the squint pitch adds a different dimension to the afternoon and gives teams something to think about.

I'd like to think we're in a position where we can kick on and challenge for the title. It's beginning to look like a three-horse race between Dumbarton, Stirling Albion and ourselves. There isn't a lot between the teams but I think we have a little bit about us, especially with Liam Brown's addition. Who knows! Come back in a fortnight when I'm demanding Swift's sacking! I'm fickle like that!

[Hard Graft]

Good result yesterday.  Keeps the momentum going on a tricky surface.

The decision against Crighton for the penalty looked very dubious to say the least and he was harshly done.  Thought we might have conceded when it came to 3-2 but great finish by Orr.

Brennan still looks like an accident waiting to happen.  Game in two weeks time should be a cracker.

[Nigel Blackwell]

That was a really good result yesterday. I suspect that on that pitch and with their playing style Bonnyrigg won’t lose many games at home.

First half I thought we were excellent and had Bonnyrigg on the back foot, aided and abetted by their comical keeper. Swift praised Yates in his post match interview. I thought he was excellent yesterday with his movement and linkup with Brown and O’Reilly was fantastic.

Second half it was backs to the wall, although it took comic cuts from our keeper and a ridiculous penalty decision for Bonnyrigg to break through.

All in all it was a really enjoyable afternoon. When you think back to where we were prior to the Forfar game it is quite a change. With the addition of Philp and Brown (I’d suggest he is a more impressive addition than Bryson was ever going to be) then it’s fair to say that there can be no excuses this season. It is certainly the strongest squad in a long time (ever?)

[Old Fashioned Stramash]

Just watched the highlights on Youtube, that's a nice view of the dug oot roof . 

Matty Yates just keeps getting better, terrific wee player. Goes out and plays any role the manager asks of him and has go, offering runs and keeping the team moving. Took his second goal very well indeed.

Done fantastic to get 3 points at New Dundas park, a few weeks ago, we'd have probably collapsed but we stayed strong and got that 4th well worked goal. Hopefully we can take this form into next weekend against Annan. Positive signs. 

 

[Francesc Fabregas]

19 hours ago, Nigel Blackwell said:

All in all it was a really enjoyable afternoon. When you think back to where we were prior to the Forfar game it is quite a change. With the addition of Philp and Brown (I’d suggest he is a more impressive addition than Bryson was ever going to be) then it’s fair to say that there can be no excuses this season. It is certainly the strongest squad in a long time (ever?)

The two best Stenhousemuir teams I've seen over the past 20 years have been Des McKeown's side from 2005/06 and Davie Irons' squad from 2011/12. Both very good teams in different ways, both finished their respective seasons empty-handed.

I don't want to get too carried away after some sterling results but, on paper, this is a smashing group of players, especially after Friday's additions. Let's just hope they have something to show for it come May!