Bonnyrigg Rose 14s see off Spartans Colts for silverware

Bonnyrigg Rose 14s got off to a fast start against Spartans Colts and never looked back. Pic: TSPL

In a blistering start to the cup tie, Bonnyrigg came close to opening the scoring three minutes in as Jack Clelland smashed the Spartans crossbar from just inside the box. It was an early warning sign that wasn’t heeded by Spartans and they paid the price minutes later. Craig Charters’ long throw in from the left bobbled through for Dylan Waugh to smash in from close range, giving  Bonnyrigg the early advantage.

Spartans had to reply in the final and they wasted little time in finding an equaliser. Max Sneddon curled the ball in from a corner on the right and Jude Mathieson got up well to send a header past Bonnyrigg keeper Cameron Duncan.

It was end-to-end stuff with both sides looking to take the initiative in the game and another goal was only a matter of time away. Bonnyrigg probed away and eventually went 2-1 up as a long ball downfield was expertly anticipated by Charters as he nonchalantly lifted the ball over Spartans goalie Matthew Forsyth.

It was Bonnyrigg who had control as the half drew to a close and they came mighty close to going in at the interval with a two-goal cushion. A long Charters throw-in fell to Waugh kindly just outside the box and he hit a sweet strike on the half volley that flew narrowly over the opposition crossbar.

Bonnyrigg introduced their substitute goalie Kadin Boak at the break and he had to be alert with Spartans looked to crank up the pressure once more. Brodie McNab looked to steer a Spartans corner in from close range, but Boak showed good reactions to deny the striker.

It was a crucial save as Bonnyrigg went up the other end to extend their advantage with 47 minutes on the clock. An initial shot in the Spartans box was half-saved by Forsyth and Clelland followed up the rebound to make it 3-1.

Bonnyrigg were cruising with Spartans taking their foot off the gas despite being behind. With ten minutes to go neither team could really make any serious inroads into each other’s final third, with the ball bogged down in midfield a lot of the time. There was still time for the goalmouth action though from both sides.

Matthew Simon looked to venture down the left-hand side for Spartans, but time and time again he saw his efforts cut out. McNab had the best chance to give Spartans hope late on, but he saw his angled shot from the right of the Bonnyrigg penalty box end up just wide.

Alex McLauchlan then also went close for Spartans when he tried an effort from the edge of the box, but good defending from Bonnyrigg put the him off and he skewed his shot wide.

Into the final minutes it was clear there was only going to be one winner and Bonnyrigg savoured the occasion as they passed the ball around comfortably to run down the clock. The game was then eventually called to a halt, meaning Bonnyrigg had seen off Spartans to lift the trophy in front of a packed crowd in their home town.

Spartans FC Colts 14s: Matthew Forsyth, Shaun Taylor, Ethan Russell, Shawn Miller, Liam Clark, Nathan Hay, Brodie McNab, Josh Wood, Hugo Henzell, Matthew Simon, Alex McLauchlan, Jude Mathieson, Max Sneddon, Innes Skinner, Aaron Burns.

Bonnyrigg Rose 14s: Kadin Boak, Jay Docherty, Ethan Thompson, Jack Clelland, Craig Charters, Dylan Waugh, Sean Hancock, Jay Cormack, Dean Angus, Marc Mcnulty, Cameron Duncan, Aaman Butt, Jay Scott, Max Mouat, Alex Muir, Liam Docherty.