- ETHX SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP
- Semi-final 2nd leg
- New Dundas Park, Bonnyrigg
- Saturday 22nd April 2017
- BONNYRIGG ROSE ATHLETIC 0 (0)
- GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 0 (0)
- Glenafton win 1-0 aggregate
JUNIOR CUP JOY AS ‘SWEET AFTON’ EDGE OUT THE ‘RED RED ROSE’
Glenafton completed a hat-trick of Scottish Junior cup wins over Bonnyrigg following a goal-less draw to secure a 1-0 aggregate victory and book their place in final where the New Cumnock side will face local rivals Auchinleck Talbot on Sunday 4th June.
Defences were on top in a pulsating semi-final 2nd leg tie with play ebbing and flowing, not so gently but at a pace, on the green braes of New Dundas Park. The red Roses kicked off and were awarded a free kick almost immediately after Cameron Marlow outjumped Kieran McGachie to win the ball at the touch-line before the Rose striker fell to the ground with a scream. The free kick was floated into the box and McGachie’s header fell kindly for defender Ruaridh Donaldson only for his shot from 10 yards out to flash wide of the post.
Cammy MArlow closes down Alann Horne
Glenafton pressed and after a goalmouth clearance they earned a corner kick which was played short before the ball was curled by David Gray into the six yard box where it was cleared too. Back came Bonnyrigg and Donaldson tried his luck from 25 yards but his shot swerved well wide of target.
On 6 minutes Marlow stood his ground as McGachie backed into him before taking an orchestrated tumble in the box only for the referee to stand his ground and wave away appeals for a penalty. Glens broke upfield through Darren McGill who released the ball to Joe Andrew in the centre circle and in a flash the ball was played up the right-wing for Dan Orsi to progress before chipping the ball into the box where the incoming McGill met it sweetly only for his header to be cleared by the Rose defence.
A long clearance by keeper Michael Andrews initiated a game of head tennis in the visitors’ box which ended with the hosts winning a corner kick which was cleanly clutched by keeper Brian McGarrity.
At the other end Andrew collected a short throw into the box and with his back to goal he slipped the ball to McGill who quickly passed to John Carter to roll the ball back to Orsi and his angled low drive sneaked just wide of target. Orsi then switched play from the right, via Andrew, to McGill on the left who burst forward in his customary style before drilling a low shot that also ended wide of the back post.
John Carter goes close
Another Rose raid ended with a corner-kick which McAusland headed clear of the six yard box before Ryan McChesney launched it clear of the 18 yard one. The ball was gathered by Carter who found McAusland to chip a perfectly weighted pass up the right-flank for McGill who with his way to the box blocked returned the ball to McAusland on the overlap and another peach of a cross landed on the head of Carter on the edge of the six yard box only for the ball to drift beyond the post. A move worthy of a goal.
Darren McGill on the move
A minute later a Rose free kick from wide on the right was headed across the face of goal by Dean Hoskins for Wayne McIntosh at the opposite post and from yards out he looked certain to score only to connect poorly with the ball to send his header wide as the keeper looked on. On 24 minutes McGarrity was called into action and tipped McIntosh’s header over the bar before cleanly clutching the resulting corner-kick in a packed six yard box. Jonathan Brown kept the pressure on the visitors by floating the ball into the box from wide on the right but again McGarrity came out on top grabbing the ball from the head of McGachie.
Glenafton responded through a series of set-pieces from David Gray the first of which a free-kick from just outside the box that was blocked by the wall, followed by a corner whipped to the back post that was punched clear by Andrews as McAusland threatened and finally another free-kick which was well held by the keeper.
Brian McGarrity and Kieran McGachie
On 38 minutes Hoskins launched a free kick from deep in his own half to far the corner of the six yard box for target man McGachie only for the leaping McGarrity to get the better of him again with a solid hold. Gray replied for Glens with a free-kick into the box that was headed on by McAusland and the ball snapped up by Carter close to the bye-line only for his shot from a tight angled blocked and then cleared by an alert Donaldson.
Bonnyrigg enjoyed a sustained spell of pressure in the closing five minutes of the half and a Craig Menzies header deep in the six yard box ended one attack while some wayward shooting ended another as the home side lacked the guile to find an opening.
H/T Bonnyrigg 0 Glenafton 0
Rose, now with the Glens 1st leg goal weighing heavier on their minds, pressed from the restart and on 51 minutes they came within a finger-tip of cancelling out the visitors aggregate lead. Brown’s cross from the right was met at the near side of the box by Adam Nelson and his looping header looked destined for the top corner at the back post only for McGarrity to claw the ball from under the bar as McIntosh and McGachie waited to pounce.
Another fine save from Brian
From the corner that followed McGarrity majestically plucked the ball from the air with team-mate McChesney at his back to guard off the attention of McIntosh. A quick throw-out to Menzies initiated a lung-bursting box to box run from captain Menzies only for his pass for Andrew on the penalty spot to be cut out and cleared by Jonathan Stewart. The same player was less fortunate at the other end when his shot from the outskirts of the box nearly soared over the protective fence behind the goal. McGarrity then had to be on his toes to punch the ball clear from the bar after a wicked cross from Lewis Turner on the right touch-line.
Craig Menzies breaks upfield
On the hour mark Hoskins impeded Andrew on the outskirts of the box and up stepped Gray to curl a sweetly struck free-kick round the wall only for keeper Andrews to a get a strong hand to the ball to prevent it from bulging the net.
David Gray’s free kick curls round the wall
Both sides opted for fresh legs as the hectic pace and battle scars took their toll. The home side replaced Adam Nelson with Andrew Kidd while the visitors brought on Conor Lynass for Dan Orsi and minutes later Alan Cairns for an injured Cammy Marlow.
A long high clearance from Andrews into the Glens box had Turner and McIntosh chasign down the ball only for Menzies to intervene keep a cool head to head the ball back to his keeper.
On 70 minutes Hoskins took the feet from Andrew in the box but the visitors loud claims for a penalty fell on deaf ears. Soon after good build up play by the Glens ended with Ally Park’s shot from a very tight angle being well blocked by the keeper at the base of his near post.
Joe Andrew tripped in the box
Bonnyrigg completed their substitutions with Jonathan Brown and Alan Horne replaced by Scott Gray and Sean Jamieson but still they couldn’t unlock a Glenafton side defending in numbers and counter-attacking with some menace.
David Gray & Ally Park double team on Kieran McGachie
Both teams were very much aware that time was running out. Too fast it seemed for Rose and their anxiety heightened through a series of poorly struck wayward shots.For the Glens, and in particular the travelling Afton Army, time was passing slowly. However the team kept its cool and the endurance running of Carter and McGill and the hold play of Andrew and Lynass not only denied Rose possession but posed the threat of a killer late goal.
Following five long added on minutes, during which time the Glens brought on Mick McCann for John Carter, the game remained goal-less at the final whistle and Glenafton progressed to the final on aggregate after two keenly contested games.
John Carter and Joe Andrew celebrate after the whistle.
F/T Bonnyrigg 0 Glenafton 0 (Glenafton win 1-0 aggregate)
Glenafton Athletic: 1. Brian McGarrity 2. Kyle McAusland 3. Cameron Marlow (14. Alan Cairns) 4. Craig Menzies 5. Ryan McChesney 6. Ally Park 7. Dan Orsi (12. Conor Lynass) 8. David Gray 9. Joe Andrew 10. John Carter (16. Mick McCann) 11. Darren McGill. Subs: 15. Ryan Borris Gk Blair Lochhead.
Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic: 1. Michael Andrews 2. Jonathan Brown (16. Sean Jamieson) 3. Ruaridh Donaldson 4. Kerr Young 5. Dean Hoskins 6. Jonathan Stewart 7. Lewis Turner 8. Alan Horne (15. Scott Gray) 9. Kieran McGachie 10. Adam Nelson (14. Andrew Kidd) 11. Wayne McIntosh. Subs: 117. Jordan Orru, Paterek.
Glenafton Athletic 