Weir heroics finally undone as Rose go so, so close
It always seems slightly patronising to focus on players’ day-time occupations while analysing a par t-time team’s heroics when on cup duty against full-time opponents.
In the case of Mark Weir, however, it’ s too good an opportunity to let slip–an error the Bonnyrigg Rose 'keeper doesn’t let happen too often judging from his display against Dundee on Saturday night.
His remarkable per formance w as seconds away from being the major reason why Bonnyrigg Rose so very nearly produced one of the great Scottish Cup shocks of all time.
Asked after wards, in time - honoured fashion, what his day job was, Weir revealed he was a savings exp er t (of course) with Aegon, the Edinburgh-based pensions giant. “So that’s what I will be doing on Monday – working from home for them,” he said.
He won’t even have the thrill of being hailed by his colleagues when he walks back into work, as would have been guaranteed in more normal times. There will be no water cooler moments recounting his string of incredible saves in the live televised encounter.
It’ s a tale of what-might-have-been for Weir and his teammates. With the minutes ticking down, the enormity of what they were getting closer to achieving was beginning to dawn on the big ‘keeper.
Having led from as early as the 25th minute, when Lee Currie tucked away the first of his two penalties, there was a lot of time in which to contemplate this possibility – a fraction too long it turned out. What became incessant Dundee attacking finally yielded a goal from substitute Jonathan Afolabi in 90+4 – referee Gavin Duncan had decreed there would be five minutes’ injury time.
One photograph showing Weir and several teammates all splayed out around the goal mouth summed it up. They were literally floored. And yet, somehow, they found there serves of energy and mental strength to go ahead again on the stroke of half-time in extra-time.
Currie did what he does – this time converting his penalty into the other corner. But further goals from Lee Ashcroft – who Weir had denied with a stunning stop from a header late in the second half of normal time - and Osman S ow secured Dundee’s place in the third round, where they will host St Johnstone.
As well as being a former R angers youth, not so long Weir was an actual Wichita line man after moving to the United States on a football scholarship–he played in goals for FC Wichita, even scoring from his own box on one occasion. That moment is immortalised on Youtube, as in time will be his latest bravura performance in front of the cameras. It’s one consolation. He can watch again and again that save from Ashcroft, the one from Charlie Adam in the first half, the flying stop from Sow’s long-ranger, the dive to his right to top Paul Mcgowan’s header away. Even when the increasingly desperate Dundee finally produced their first equaliser, Weir pulled off perhaps his best save of the night to claw S ow’ she ad er away, before Afolabi netted the rebound.
Which stop was his favourite? “I can't really say,” he said. “Maybe I'll be able to pick one when I watch it over again. That's my job at the end of the day - in the same way Lee Currie's is to put the penalties away."
As well as being a case of back to the day job for Weir today, it’s back to league business too – Bonnyrigg Rose currently lie fourth in the Lowland League. After his side had given a good account of themselves in the Scottish Cup against St enhousemuir in 1999, current Spartans manager Dougie Samuel, then a White hill Welfare midfielder, was asked what he was going to do now. “We’ll do what we do at this level, we’ll go home and dream,” he memorably replied.
Robbie Horn’s version of this was not quite so poetic when he was asked afterwards what happens now.
The Bonnyrigg Rose manager said he would be advising his players to go home and rest – "because we have leaders Kelty away on Tuesday night".