Goals from Kieran Watson and Mark Stowe ensured The Spartans were in the hat for the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Round 4 draw after a 1-2 victory over old adversaries Bonnyrigg Rose at New Dundas Park.
Jamie Dishington returned to the starting line-up after serving his recent suspension whilst Paddy Martin made his first appearance at NDP following his summer move to Spartans. James Craigen led the side out on the recently revamped pitch in front of a crowd of 840 who braved the dipping temperatures.
It was the hosts who had the first opportunity of the afternoon with a glancing header from Neil Martyniuk that went wide of Martin’s goalframe, a sign that the Lowland League side were keen to take their recent fine run in the Lowland League into the tie.
Long range chips over keepers seems to the in-thing in Scottish football this weather and Jamie Dishington almost pulled it off however the back-tracking Marc Anderson done just about enough to tip the ball over the bar.
Then with just ten minutes on the clock, Spartans took the lead. A corner to the back post was headed back into the six yard box by Jordan Tapping where he found Kieran Watson who wrapped his foot round the ball and slid it into the back of the net.
That lead was doubled just two minutes later. Mark Stowe was bundled to the ground by Martyniuk some 25 yards out. He dusted himself down – or more so pulled the clumps of muddied grass off his legs – and unleashed an unstoppable free-kick that whizzed into the top corner.
An early two goal cushion had been established by the SPFL 2 side however it was halved midway through the half after Watson was adjudged to have struck the ball with his hand in the box. Neil Martyniuk stepped up and send his old team-mate the wrong way to make it 1-2.
If the opening quarter of the game had whetted the appetite, the balance of the first half settled in to be a bit of a war of attrition with neither keeper feeling necessarily challenged.
HT: Bonnyrigg Rose 1-2 The Spartans
If Mark Stowe’s first half free-kick was sublime, his dead ball effort just after the restart almost had your scribe reaching for the superlatives log-book but for a fine save by Anderson who tipped onto the bar and behind.
On the hour mark, a somewhat perplexed Jordan Tapping conceded a free-kick as he looked to be shepherding his man in crab like fashion across the outskirts of the penalty box. The wall set itself up and done the job once again by preventing it reaching and troubling Martin.
Midway into the second half, Spartans made a swap with Murray Aiken replacing James Craigen.
A heart in mouth moment for the travelling Spartan Army faithful came when the ball found its way deep into the visiting box and but for a sea of limbs and a block by Martin, it somehow managed to keep out of the net for a second time.
A couple of further swaps came with ten minutes to go, Bailey Dall and Archie Wylie coming on for Drysdale & Stowe.
Bonnyrigg threw the proverbial kitchen sink at it, looking to take the tie into extra time however the Spartans defence was resolute and held out to record the win.
FT: Bonnyrigg Rose 1-2 Spartans
Malt & Hops Man of the Match: Marc McNulty
