Bonnyrigg burst Rob Roy's Scottish Junior Cup dream

The Kirkintilloch side took a sizeable travelling support through for thei quarter-final showdown, but they returned disappointed as a powerful Bonnyrigg Rose side booked their place in the last four.

The first chance of the match fell Rob Roy’s way when Lee Gallacher whipped over a free-kick but his teammates were unable to make contact.

Rose responded minutes later when Ruaridh Donaldson’s cross was headed wide by Wayne McIntosh.

However the home side however took a ninth minute lead when Rabs keeper Michael McKinven failed to deal with an Adam Nelson cross and the ball fell to Alan Horne who fired high into the visitors’ net.

Rabs posed little threat to a more physical Rose defence with home keeper Michael Andrews having an easy afternoon.

Bonnyrigg came close to doubling their lead in the 34th minute with defender Dean Hoskins sending a free-kick narrowly past McKinven’s post.

Just as it looked like Stewart Maxwell’s men would hang on to the break only a goal down, Rose struck again in the 40th minute.

Chris Duff lost possession inside his own half, allowing John Brown to break down the wing to the byline before sending over an accurate cross for McIntosh to head the ball home.

Playing with confidence, Rose went all out to increase their tally with McKinven doing well to push a Hoskins shot wide before Danny McKenzie headed a goalbound shot off the Rabs line.

Rabs were beginning to create second half chances, Gallacher’s free-kick was punched clear by Andrews then they missed an opportunity to haul themselves back into contention when Gallacher’s corner kick was headed on to Willie Sawyers but his effort was blocked for a corner by Evan Moyes.

At the other end McIntosh sent a left foot shot against the crossbar.

In a more even second half, Kevin Watt had a well-placed shot blocked and then there was a scare for Rabs in the 68th minute when David Barr was short with a headed pass back to McKinven giving Kieran McGachie a free run in on goal, but the Rabs keeper did well to save.

With 20 minutes remaining Rabs should have pegged a goal back when substitute Alan Johnstone blasted the ball over the bar when through on goal.

Any faint hopes Rabs had were ended in the 75th minute when Sawyers, who had been previously booked, picked up a second yellow card for simulation.

Manager Maxwell admitted afterwards: “I actually thought we started well in the first nine minutes.

“But then we gave away a terrible goal from start to finish. We gave the ball away, we were sloppy on the ball, second to everything and didn’t play with any quality.

“There was no link-up play. It was a terrible first half and at 2-0 down the damage was done. When you’re playing at that level you can’t give good teams two goals of a start.”