Bonnyrigg Rose confident of setting Edinburgh Uni students their toughest test

Bonnyrigg Rose go into tomorrow's visit of Edinburgh University in buoyant mood despite crashing out of the SPFL Trust Trophy on penalties earlier this week.

Bonnyrigg Rose manager Robbie Horn. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

Robbie Horn's men came perilously close to knocking out League One outfit Queen's Park on Tuesday night at Firhill, Dean Hoskins having given the Lowland League side the lead with a header on the hour mark only for Grant Gillespie to net an equaliser from the penalty spot for the full-time Spiders.

And although the Glasgow side sneaked through on penalties, Rose will be confident of consolidating on their strong start to the campaign when the students make the short trip to New Dundas Park. While the Midlothian club are third and two points off the pace of early pacesetters Civil Service Strollers, the uni are still searching for their first win of the season. Dorian Ogunro's men have just two points to their name and are one place better off than bottom-of-the-table Vale of Leithen.

The students were beaten 3-0 by sixth-tier side Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts in the second round of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup on Wednesday night.

Elsewhere, league leaders Strollers are on their travels when they make the short journey up the M9 to play hosts East Stirlingshire at the Falkirk Stadium.

Gary Jardine's men have been relentless so far this season winning five of their opening six fixtures – five on the trot since the opening-day defeat to Dalbeattie Star.

Meanwhile, Spartans, who are fourth, are down in the Borders for a mouth-watering clash against second-placed Dalbeattie Star. Dougie Samuel's side were knocked out of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup 3-1 by Linlithgow Rose in midweek, their first defeat since losing to Rangers B in the league curtain-raiser last month. However, they have yet to concede in the league since that loss to the Ibrox men.

Goalkeeper Blair Carswell, who made his 200th appearance for the Ainslie Park club in last weekend's 2-0 win over Broomhill, said: "We've not been losing a lot of goals lately so it's been really good.

"It always settles the nerves if we can score in the first half."

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