The Spartans maintained their unbeaten SPFL 2 record against Bonnyrigg Rose after a 3-1 win at the Vanloq Community Stadium in a game that contained a potential goal of the season contender from Callum Booth.
Jamie Dishington and Hamish Ritchie slotted into the starting XI replacing Blair Henderson & Mark Stowe freshening legs from the demanding three matches in seven days. New loan signing Bailey Dall returned ‘home’ to the place he spent his early youth years playing and took up a place on the bench. Spartans skipper Kevin Waugh led the side out as he racked up his 150th appearance for the Club.
The game was barely two minutes old when the first yellow was shown by Referee Gary Hanvidge. For the second game in a row in the same penalty box, a blatant dive by Bradley Barrett whilst seeking to win a spot kick would only result in a booking being earned.
Games between the sides are often tetchy affairs and for the next quarter of an hour, the live updates from both admins on the club socials were as rare as delivery cyclists wearing hi-vis on the Edinburgh roads at night.
Then, in the 18th minute, a goal Callum Booth will cherish for some time. James Craigen’s corner was headed out to the corner of the box and from a cute angle, the defender blasted the ball back with interest to send it low and hard into the bottom corner to give Spartans the lead.
Lee Currie’s agricultural challenge on Cammy Russell saw him enter the notebook as the Spartans playmaker continued to present challenges. Indeed, his cut back inside shortly afterwards created an opportunity that just increased its trajectory as it headed towards goal, narrowly missing and hitting the pole holding up the net in the process.
HT: The Spartans 1-0 Bonnyrigg Rose
Spartans made a change at the break with Brogan Walls replacing Liam Morgan.
Just eight minutes into the half, Spartans were to double their lead. Callum Booth’s cross-field ball was collected by Jamie Dishington who fended off a challenge before engaging in a neat exchange of passes with Brogan Walls ahead of sending his effort across the goals to nestle in the bottom corner.
Another swap on the hour mark saw Blair Henderson come on for Cammy Russell – not a shabby substitution to have in your armoury.
A long throw into the Bonnyrigg box saw Keiran Watson get a head onto it first. As it looked to be going wide, the acrobatics of Jamie Dishington not only kept the ball in play but returned into the body of the box where Ayrton Sonkur’s deflected header was cleared off the line.
When former Spartan Broque Watson acquainted himself with the astro after trying to nip in front of Blair Carswell, the visiting technical area was a cauldron of testosterone as they remonstrated profusely as another penalty shout was turned away.
A brace of swaps for Spartans as the clock on the stadium scoreboard, sponsored by Village Hotels on Ferry Road, saw Arran Preston and Mark Stowe replace Ritchie and Watson. This was followed up by the final change, as Lewis Hunter came on for Callum Booth.
Bonnyrigg grabbed themselves a lifeline with thirteen minutes left on the clock when loan signing Murray Aiken scored on his debut after making the move from Hibs.
Spartans then survived a scare when Blair Carswell’s attempts to punch away a deep ball into the area fell to Keiran McGachie who got himself off the ground well but his overhead effort went over the bar.
It was to prove to be a crucial miss for the visitors when just two minutes later, Spartans restored their gap between the sides.
Blair Carswell’s bye-kick was flicked on by Jamie Dishington to Blair Henderson who in turn sent Mark Stowe clear and with a touch to control, his next was the stroke the ball with ferocity beyond Andrew McNeil to round off the win.
FT: The Spartans 3-1 Bonnyrigg Rose
Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Jamie Dishington
(pic by William McGillivray)
