Gray: Rose aim to be Untouchable as they bid to collar Thistle in Cup

ROSS GRAY and his team-mates celebrated clearing their first Scottish Cup hurdle in style – with an Asda carry-out on the Bonnyrigg Rose chairman.

But the midfielder insists the champagne will remain on ice if they’re still The Untouchables come tonight’s final whistle.

Sean Connery won an Oscar for his part in the 1987 gangster flick long after he famously pulled on the red and white hoops.

Now it is the current crop’s turn to put on a blockbuster as Buckie visit in a battle between the Lowland and Highland League top dogs to be aired on BBC Scotland.

Ex-Livingston prospect Gray was part of the Rose side that pulled off a 1-0 smash-and-grab against Fraserburgh last month to get here, teeing up a memorable 180-mile trip back down the road.

And having not been at New Dundas Park when the then junior outfit downed Dumbarton before going on to play Hibs at Tynecastle, in 2017, the 27-year-old is angling for a fairytale cup journey of his own.

Gray said: “The chairman (Charlie Kirkwood) took us into Asda after the game and treated us all to a couple of bottles of beer, a few crates.

“That might’ve been a bit of a tab but I’m sure it didn’t make a dent on what we got for getting through! He was quite happy to get the win.”

Asked if it will be champagne if they get through this round, he said: “I don’t know about that! There is The Calderwood up the road so it will be round there for a few pints, it will not be any champagne or anything like that, we’re not planning for that.

“You have your usual suspects who like to take things that wee bit too far – Lee Currie.

“We went into the pub after the game and he dropped his karaoke mic into a full pint.

“No, it’s a good group of boys and a good spirit. It makes journeys that bit easier if you’ve won. I’ve been up north before and been beaten and it is usually doom and gloom, so it was good to get the win and we could celebrate properly on the way back.”

Running a football academy along with Arbroath midfielder David Gold, Gray is well aware of the excitement surrounding tonight’s tie.

Even mates of one of Rose’s players, Lewis Turner, are planning to turn up with a banner with his face on it.

And Gray knows he’ll be in for a hard time off the youngsters he’s working with if he fails to perform as he’s been teaching them to do all week.

He said: “A lot of the kids that come along to our camp are big Bonnyrigg fans. They come to the games every Saturday, so they will quickly tell you if you were good or if you weren’t.

“There is a wee bit of pressure from that aspect and we have got to see them the week after if we have been beaten.”

Ross Gray was speaking at a William Hill media event. William Hill is the proud sponsor of the Scottish Cup. BY ALAN ROBERTSON JACK HENDERSON admits local employers have played a blinder to keep Banks o’ Dee’s Scottish Cup journey going.

The striker was one of the junior club’s biggest doubts for tonight’s second-round visit to Edinburgh City due to work commitments.

Dee face a 124-mile trip on a day most of the part-timers have work – as Ainslie Park was unavailable tomorrow afternoon and Sunday.

But many bosses have been sympathetic to the underdogs and Henderson said: “It is maybe the magic of the Scottish Cup.

“A lot of the boys are working half days and some of the boys managed no bother. I’m a funeral director and I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get time off.

“I’ve managed to work it out with my boss and other colleagues so it has turned out quite nicely and I’m thankful for that.”

The North Superleague champions may be 11-1 with bookies to win tonight but Edinburgh defender Conrad Balatoni won’t dare write them off.

Balatoni was part of a Partick Thistle side taken to a third-round replay by junior side Culter in 2011 before finishing the job at Firhill.

He said: “I know exactly what can happen if you’re not on it. I’ll be telling the boys it’s not acceptable to drop standards just because they are in a lower league.”