Robbie Horn unimpressed with officiating as Bonnyrigg Rose lose final Premier Sports Cup game

Robbie Horn criticised the officiating after watching his Bonnyrigg Rose side lose 3-1 in their final game in the Premier Sports Cup.

Robbie Horn watched his Bonnyrigg Rose side lose 3-1 at Greenock Morton in the Premier Sports Cup. Picture: SNS

The League Two side exited the competition with another spirited showing against a team in a division above, even taking the lead in the ninth minute. A quick-fire Morton double turned the tables before the match was decided in injury time with a penalty and red card for Scott Gray.

Although unimpressed with referee Calum Scott, Horn conceded his side could have done better to prevent their downfall.

"We settled into it, started to play a little bit, obviously get the goal and then for five minutes after that I thought we were OK,” he told the Evening News. “We just gave away cheap goals again and you can’t do that against full-time teams. We need to do a wee bit better.

"The referee said the red was for foul and abusive language. Obviously Scottie shouldn’t react like that, and he’ll be disappointed with himself, but it’s just frustration because I thought a lot of decisions went against us today. I thought there was a lot of soft free-kicks going their way, while we didn’t get the same kind of soft free-kicks.”

The League Two side opened the scoring when Kevin Smith was on hand to tap home from Neil Martyniuk’s corner after the ball found him at the back post.

The lead wouldn’t last long with Jaze Kabia equalising six minutes later. The winger danced inside his man and fired a low finish into the far corner.

It was 2-1 a short time later with Kabia again heavily involved. He was on hand to put back across the face of goal for Carlo Pignatiello to score from close range.

Mark Weir made the first of a couple of impressive saves shortly before the half to deny Jack Baird. The game went into a bit of lull in the second period until George Hunter found himself through late on but couldn’t convert, injuring himself in the process.

After Weir saved again, this time from Michael Garrity, Gray was adjudged to have fouled Garrity. After he was shown a straight red for losing the head with the official, Grant Gillespie slotted into the corner with the last kick of the game.

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