Rose Agony as Talbot Claim Last Gasp Winner

Monday February 23rd 2015

Reporter Gordon Baird

Bonnyrigg Rose led twice over the two games it took to decide this fifth round Scottish Cup tie but ultimately succumbed to a last ditch goal.

Bonnyrigg Rose earned a creditable draw against 10 times Scottish Junior Cup winners Auchinleck Talbot at Beechwood Park last Saturday and brought the Ayrshire giants back to New Dundas Park for a 5th round replay. The east’s match of the day was played in front of a huge and boisterous crowd on a fine afternoon for football.

Talbot and Rose last met each other in the cup three years ago in the semi final, with the Ayrshire men going through on penalties 6-5 at Beechwood.

Both teams made changes from last weeks starting elevens with Rose restoring Wilson to the back four and relegating Brown to the bench. Talbot replaced Park and Spence with Shankland and Boyd.

Both sides started brightly with Rose winning an early corner which came to nothing and Talbot carving an opening for Gormley – the striker blazed over with the goal at his mercy.

The game was being played in midfield with few clear cut goal scoring chances. Talbot were a little more dangerous with Hyslop heading over and Gormley finding the net only to be ruled offside. Later Grant in the home goal had to be at his best to stop a Shankland strike. Rose replied with a Horne shot.

After 41 minutes Rose took the lead. King fired in a shot from outside the box and the clever Hislop redirected his header past Leishman, giving the Keeper no chance. This was the second time the experienced striker had scored the opening goal in this tie.

Talbot managed one more effort before the break. After good play on the right Gormley shot wide off the far post when he looked certain to equalise.

It was a tight first half with both sides having periods of control but few real scoring opportunities.

Half Time : Bonnyrigg Rose 1; Auchinleck Talbot 0

No changes to either side at the break.

Talbot looked like a different team after the break.

They laid siege to the Rose goal. They created a stream of chances and bombarded Rose keeper Grant with high balls. First Milliken had a shot at the far post and then Campbell headed just over from a corner. From another corner after fifty minutes, Campbell again headed over.
Rose were pinned back and finding it increasingly difficult to break out but Hamill on a rare foray forward, put in a good cross but there was no one on the end of it.

The Talbot equaliser looked inevitable and it came after an hour. Pope had a shot well saved by Grant, but Rose couldn’t clear the ball and Pope managed to poke it home at the second time of asking.

Rose did come more into the game after the equaliser and had a penalty shout after sixty two minutes when Hislop got on the end of a long ball, but referee David Lowe waved claims away. King then had a shot easily saved by Leishman. However, their best chance came after seventy two minutes when Whitson cut in from the right and fired a curling shot just wide of the far post.

Both teams made changes to try and the win the game but despite constant Talbot pressure the tie looked certain to be heading for penalties. Talbot were turning the screw as the clock ticked down but Rose looked certain to survive after Horne cleared a header off the line in the ninetieth minute.

However, in the second minute of added time, and after Rose had again failed to clear their lines, Young fired a shot into the far corner to book the visitors place in the last eight.

This was a win Talbot deserved on their second half performance. Rose simply couldn’t get out of their own half and looked nervous every time the ball went into the box.

Best for Rose was Hislop who tried hard to provide an out ball with little support. Hamill provided cover for his back four but Rose never gained control of the midfield area . Campbell at the back was immense for Talbot and their front men were always dangerous.

Full Time : Bonnyrigg Rose 1; Auchinleck Talbot 2

Bonnyrigg Rose Grant, Archibald, Hoskins, Hamill, Wilson, Woodburn, King, Horne, Hislop, Court and Whitson Subs Beaton, McLeish, Brown, Stewart and Easton

Auchinleck Talbot Leishman, Latta, Pope, Lyle, Campbell, Young, Boyd, Hislop, Milliken, Gormley and Shankland Subs Spence, Park, Cochrane, Lavan and Kerr

Referee David Lowe

Assistant Referees Nikki Smith and Kevin Lindsay

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