Peterhead co-manager Jordon Brown is expecting a challenging League Two contest when his side heads to Bonnyrigg Rose for the first time.
The Blue Toon travel to New Dundas Park today after a three-week break in league fixtures, following the postponement of last weekend’s home clash with Dumbarton.
It is the first time Peterhead have travelled to face Bonnyrigg Rose, who entered the SPFL pyramid after winning the Lowland League in the 2021-21 season.
Player/co-manager Brown, who is not in contention to feature against Bonnyrigg due to a rib injury, said: “This has been another break that we didn’t really want, but we’re itching to get going again in the league.
“We wanted to play Dumbarton last week after the disappointment of how the Scottish Cup game against Ayr (2-1 loss) ended.
“I think a lot of us in the team have been to most of the grounds in the SPFL, bar a couple, so it is a a new venue for some of us and everything that comes with it will throw up a new challenge.
“Their pitch and their environment is testing for any team who goes down there to play.
“It’s another tricky ground for us to visit and it will be an exciting challenge, but any away game in this league is difficult.”
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Peterhead currently sit second in League Two with 28 points, three behind leaders Stenhousemuir, who have played one game more than the Blue Toon – meanwhile, Bonnyrigg sit fifth with 18 points after 14 games played.
Brown said: “It is a different situation because we had sat top for a good two-month period.
“We had the defeat to Stenny, but came back from that with a win against Spartans. You want to keep getting points on the board, so it was disappointing our game was called off last week.
“There is a three-point gap and we have a game in hand, but we just have to take care of our own fixtures and going down to Bonnyrigg Rose is the next chance for us to do that.
“It’s getting to the stage of the season where things are starting to shape up a bit in the league and we need to make sure that we keep picking up the three points.”
In the two sides’ previous meeting this season, Peterhead won 2-1 at Balmoor with an 89th-minute Kieran Shanks penalty securing a first home win of the league campaign.
Brown said: “That game feels a long time ago because it was early on in the season, but it was an important one for us because we got off the mark at home.
“We conceded a late penalty in the 80th minute and that was disappointing, but then got a penalty of our own which Shanks tucked away perfectly to get us the three points.
“I think Bonnyrigg have changed the way they have played over the last couple of seasons since coming in the league. We know it is going to be a big challenge going down there.”
As well as co-manager Brown, Peterhead will be without long-term absentees Conner Duthie and Kieran Gibbons on Saturday, while, skipper Jason Brown is a doubt.
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