Bonnyrigg Rose ready to make New Dundas Park a sea of red and white for Lowland League trophy presentation

Bonnyrigg Rose manager Robbie Horn is well aware Saturday will be an occasion to cherish for the Scottish Lowland Football League champions as they take delivery of the 2021-22 trophy.

The club is aiming to create a sea of red and white at New Dundas Park by inviting all their youth players in for free if they wear their club kit. There are around 600 youth players at Bonnyrigg across age groups from Under-6 to Under-18.

Horn is looking forward to the occasion but is reminding his players to keep their focus.

He said: “It’s a big day for the club, having the trophy presented, and I would imagine there would be a good crowd. But it’s important it doesn’t distract from what we want to do, which is win the football match and keep the run going.

New Dundas Park will be bouncing on Saturday when Bonnyrigg Rose are presented with the Lowland League trophy

"We don’t want to treat it as distraction – we’ll get the trophy after the game – but we want to go about it in the right manner.”

He knows it’s important to remain focused on the task in hand at New Dundas Park, that being winning their final home game of the season and keeping a positive outlook ready for the pyramid play-offs later this month.

East Stirlingshire are the opposition and a tough game is in prospect, with Derek Ure’s team on the lookout for points to improve on their current eighth place.

“They are a good side and they will make it tough,” said Horn. “They will be desperate to cause an upset, so we have to ready for that.

Bonnyrigg Rose winger Bradley Barrett in action against Bo'ness United on Saturday. He'll collect his Lowland league title medal this weekend. Picture: Joe Gilhooley LRPS

"I keep saying to the players – we’re a scalp, it’s as simple as that.

"When you are sitting at top of the league or the league winners, everyone is desperate to beat you and prove a point.

"It’ll be about keeping the same performance levels in the game and hoping we get another win on Saturday.”

Horn made a few changes to the squad before last midweek’s league victory over Rangers B and yet more on Saturday for their South Challenge Cup win against Bo’ness United to keep players “on their toes and fit and ready for the play-offs”.

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Rose are due to play as-yet-undetermined Highland League opposition at New Dundas Park on April 23.

Horn said it took Rose around 10 to 15 minutes to get going properly on Saturday against Bo’ness United but, after they went in front, on the way to a 3-0 triumph, there was only going to be one winner.

“It’s not as if they (United) were dominating or anything like that – it just took us a while to get a foothold in the game but, once we did, we were well on top and worthy winners,” he said.

“We deserved it and we put to bed the myth that you need penalties to beat Bo'ness.”