Bonnyrigg Rose vs Caledonian Braves

The Braves got their season underway at a wet and blustery New Dundas Park, where they lost both the game and a key player.

Goals from Kerr Young and Gregor Hunter in the first-half were enough to hand victory to the Rose, as the Braves found no reply.

Meanwhile, an injury to star striker Ross McNeil looks like a bad one, with the talismanic forward leaving the ground on crutches for a late night hospital trip.

Conditions hampered the quality of the game right from kick-off, as rain pelted down and the wind blew the length of the pitch - initally behind the Braves, allowing them to play balls over the top for Jack Smith to chase.

However, they couldn't create too many chances of note before the Rose found their footing and started to threaten.

First, Bob Wilson went close with a header from a right-hand side corner, before Lee Currie played a nice one-two which saw him through on goal - but unfortunately for the hosts, he placed his shot wide.

They were ahead just a minute later. 25 yards from goal, right-back Kerr Young looked up and lined up a shot, which flew into the top corner with some venom. An incredible strike from an unlikely source, but the Braves were 1-0 down.

Then came the moment that really decided the match. Again, Young was involved - this time in a 50-50 with McNeil. It was hard to see who got there first, but McNeil definitely came off the worse. He tried to continue but with blood gushing out of his boot, he bravely limped off.

This dented the Braves' confidence and on the stroke of half-time, Rose had their second. Scott Gray picked up a loose ball in a good central area, slipping it through to Gregor Hunter who was one-on-one. The prolific striker made no mistake, lifting it calmly over the onrushing Alex Marshall and doubling the Rose's lead.

If the first-half lacked in quality, the second-half had none at all. The hosts set up camp in the Braves' half, who struggled to find their forwards with the wind now battering into them.

Kieran McGachie was proving a thorn in the side for the Braves defence, but he missed a golden opportunity when Marshall spilled a corner. The ball dropped to the feet of the hulking, blond stiker but he could only poke high and wide in front of a virtually empty net.

There was one more good save for Alex Marshall to pull off, denying a Hunter shot, but in truth there was little more to write about.