Bonnyrigg Rose vs Dumbarton

[The Mantis]

Dumbarton showed more composure and quality on the ball, but Bonnyrigg will be disappointed at not seeing it out like any team does when you’re struggling at the bottom.
The highlights will show, like the BBC’s stats, that Bonnyrigg had far more chances from the second minute onwards when they really should have hit the target. Never got a good look at the pen down the far end but most folk thought it was soft. But the keeper gifted an equaliser which breathed new life into Dumbarton.
I don’t really understand the stick Bonnyrigg get for looking unfit as any time I’ve watched them they finish games strongly.

[BallochSonsFan]

2 hours ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

Decent enough point. Either the Bonnyrigg Twitter updater is extremely biased or they absolutely battered us and we’ve stole that point.

 

Bonnyrigg penalty. A lot of Sons fans think it was the wrong decision. Understandable. I didnt get a clear view of it so I won't say whether it was correct or not. Should never have got to that - about 20 seconds before the penalty there was a clear offside that the linesman missed. Would have stopped the game and given us possession. 2nd half booking for a Dumbarton player - Bonnyrigg player got his studs caught in the turf, tried to turn and couldn't and went down. Ref sees it as a foul and a yellow card but the Sons player never touched him. A few minutes later and a blatant push on a Sons player isnt even called as a foul. Then there were the niggly tugs and the blatant handballs not called.

All of those sounds like excuses. Despite all of that, the frustrating truth is that we didnt test the Bonnyrigg keeper often enough and can thank a few really smart saves from Brett Long and a couple of excellent last gasp tackles and blocks in the 2nd half to keep the game level. If we can justifiably be miffed at the Bonnyrigg opener with the missed offside in the build up and some of the other referee decisions then the home fans can be understandably frustrated that some of their 2nd half chances didnt go in the net.

Point rescued by the Sons. Home side were unlucky not to take all 3 points.

[Nowhereman]

I wouldn’t say it was a point rescued. Either team could have won. We just didn’t look sharp enough in the box but had plenty of opportunities. A real retro afternoon tho. No turnstiles just a guy with a plastic tub taking money, no terracing just a grassy slope, a pitch that made the common look good, no proper toilets, no cover for the away fans, no lighting in the way out. A great 1970s experience. Thoroughly enjoyed it

[Jan Vojáček]

I thought that was a really good point today. To take that away from home without our first choice two centre-halves (and with the third choice not even in the squad), two full-backs at centre-back and Edin Lynch playing his first minutes since April at right-back speaks volumes for the sort of character there is in the squad. It would've been very easy to crumble.

A draw was probably about the right outcome. We played more football, but struggled to test Michael Andrews when we worked our way into good positions. Bonnyrigg didn't ever look afraid to have a pop, and Brett Long made a few really good saves.

Seeing Buchanan was out had me fearing the worst. Then seeing McGeever was out too added to that worry. When we lost Carsy just after falling behind I was convinced it wouldn't be our day. So fair play to the players for digging out a point. Especially on a pitch that looked like an absolutely nightmare - it was that classic council park grass, where there's a bobble every two yards and every pass has to be blasted or it will just hold up.

We weren't at our best today, but I wouldn't have said we were all that bad either. Just a bit indecisive in the final third. We put together a few really nice moves; with the likes of Kalvin Orsi and Gregg Wylde whipping in some great deliveries, but all too often there was either nobody there, or we tried to pass the ball about cutely in the box, and any danger was cleared.

Ryan Wallace maybe could've scored a couple having said that, but I'm enthused that he's in these positions. The sharpness and the goals will come if he keeps popping up in the right areas.

Bonnyrigg won't be pushovers for anyone. And, whilst I still think they lack a bit of magic and quality, there's no denying they are a solid team unit. For a neutral the game probably would've been a good watch - two sides who clearly wanted three points, and who were chucking everything at it at both ends.

I think they'll view that as two points dropped though; mainly because I reckon other sides around them (Forfar with the likes of Slater and Flannagan) Annan (Goss, Wallace and Johnston) and Albion Rovers (Charlie Reilly) would've exposed our makeshift defence and found a way through. Whilst at the back they looked seriously shaky when we started to pop the ball about - albeit brave, strong and fully committed.

I'll need to see the penalty back. But the general consensus from those who were closer (and players on both sides) was that it was in the 'soft' to 'never' category. That said, I thought Bonnyrigg could've had a penalty a few minutes earlier when the ball looked to hit Carsy's hand in the box, so maybe we can't have too many complaints.

Our goal was a massive stroke of luck. Of that there is no doubt. Edin Lynch's high cross should've been dealt with every day of the week by Michael Andrews. Somehow he's managed to drop it right onto the leg of his defender - and it's rolled across the line. It was an absolute Grade A howler. And, based on what a few Rose fans have said, seems to be indicative of their season. Issues in both boxes letting down a generally reasonable enough side. I'd imagine a goalkeeper might be very high on Robbie Horne's summer shopping list.

Elsewhere for Bonnyrigg I thought Kieran Mitchell looked a bit of a livewire in an otherwise fairly one paced team. Kevin Smith still shows flashes of the quality he has and Bradley Barrett looked like he might have something about him. But I can't say anyone really stood out.

Aside from Brett Long, I thought Aron Lynas and Martin McNiff did fairly well for us in their unorthodox positions. Kalvin Orsi continued his positive form, and - in the first-half at least - Gregg Wylde was whipping in some excellent crosses. Although I felt we really missed him being higher up the park.

The break probably comes at the perfect time. Four clear and with time for Buchanan, Carsy, McGeever and Ryan Blair to get themselves back to fitness. And for Finlay Gray, Ally Love and Edin Lynch to hopefully build up their levels a wee bit too. Declan Byrne should be back in the new year as well, and he could be like a new signing for us.

Three points would've been superb with Albion losing. But I don't think many of us can have a grumble about the position we're in.

Edited December 3, 2022 by Jan Vojáček

[rockson]

7 hours ago, bravehearts dad said:

They only beat us at Boghead with a soft penalty.

Boghead?

[Red Rose]

Don’t think Dumbarton had a shot on goal. Seen them twice and offer nothing. Poor team. Pretty confident we’ll finish above them this season. 

[O'Kelly Isley III]

14 minutes ago, Red Rose said:

Don’t think Dumbarton had a shot on goal. Seen them twice and offer nothing. Poor team. Pretty confident we’ll finish above them this season. 

^ ^ ^

Filed for future reference.

[Red Rose]

4 minutes ago, O'Kelly Isley III said:

^ ^ ^

Filed for future reference.

Ok

[The Moonster]

Having watched the goalcam it's quite obvious Boomtown Bonnyrigg Rosey Posey have cheated their way to a point yesterday. Sad that they're reduced to diving to try and win games but I suppose when you've taken 6 points from the last 10 games and are staring relegation in the face you'll try anything. 

[TullyBascombe]

Bonnyrigg certainly looked less of a pub team yesterday than they did at the Rock earlier in the season - seemed much fitter and no beer bellies in evidence this time. Giving away pub team goals like that won’t help though.

Am taking as a positive that, cheaty penalty aside, a defence without Buchanan and then Carswell didn’t concede. A team with a bit more brains might have exploited the lack of pace better - when McNiff got turned in the first half their forward looked more likely to be caught by a glacier - but with Sons missing key players all over the field and especially at the back, the defending was still pretty decent in the circumstances.

Disappointing that Sons didn’t take advantage of the slope, or at least the most significant of the slopes, in the second half. Plenty of action in their box and some slick passing but missed someone who could stick it away. 

Draw was probably a fair result. Friendly place to go, loved the ground, hope they stay up. 

[The Moonster]

8 hours ago, O'Kelly Isley III said:

^ ^ ^

Filed for future reference.

He's made 5 posts since the summer and 4 of them have been about how shite we are. Here was me thinking it was supposed to be Sons fans with the chip on their shoulder about the cup tie years ago but it seems the Posey's are seething for some reason. 

[O'Kelly Isley III]

42 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

He's made 5 posts since the summer and 4 of them have been about how shite we are. Here was me thinking it was supposed to be Sons fans with the chip on their shoulder about the cup tie years ago but it seems the Posey's are seething for some reason. 

Just a wee point about the 'Posey' thing; wasn't that originally the Linlithgow Rose nickname ?

[Nowhereman]

He's made 5 posts since the summer and 4 of them have been about how shite we are. Here was me thinking it was supposed to be Sons fans with the chip on their shoulder about the cup tie years ago but it seems the Posey's are seething for some reason. 

He’s probably one of the Sons ‘supporters’ who frequent our Facebook page. I see the usual suspects were out in force saying how ridiculous it was that we couldn’t beat Bonnyrigg

[Jan Vojáček]

17 minutes ago, Nowhereman said:

He’s probably one of the Sons ‘supporters’ who frequent our Facebook page. I see the usual suspects were out in force saying how ridiculous it was that we couldn’t beat Bonnyrigg

The thing that gets me about those folk is that, 90% of the time, they go 'I wasn't there, but'...

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

10 hours ago, Red Rose said:

Don’t think Dumbarton had a shot on goal. Seen them twice and offer nothing. Poor team. Pretty confident we’ll finish above them this season. 

Once your ram shackle mob install actual toilets we’ll allow you to come on here fishing for bites. 

Edited December 4, 2022 by Bring Back Paddy Flannery

[microdave]

With McGeever and Buchanan missing yesterday, who was the captain?

[Jan Vojáček]

4 hours ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

Once your ram shackle mob install actual toilets we’ll allow you to come on here fishing for bites. 

Gregg Wylde. Completing his one month transformation from benchwarmer to first name on the teamsheet.

[FifeSons]

16 hours ago, Red Rose said:

Don’t think Dumbarton had a shot on goal. Seen them twice and offer nothing. Poor team. Pretty confident we’ll finish above them this season. 

[Cowdenleith]

11 hours ago, The Moonster said:

Having watched the goalcam it's quite obvious Boomtown Bonnyrigg Rosey Posey have cheated their way to a point yesterday. Sad that they're reduced to diving to try and win games but I suppose when you've taken 6 points from the last 10 games and are staring relegation in the face you'll try anything. 

Bonnyrigg get more dubious penalties than the old firm.

[Sons Fan]

Considering we had a makeshift defence and light up front a draw on that pitch is a good result.

I missed the penalty as I was getting a pie but watching it back it does look like a bit of a dive.

I would much prefer to be at ground like bonnieriggs than ibrox or parkhead