Established 1888

Match Report

 Penicuik vs Broxburn 7.10.17

2nd Round V Tech SMT Fife & Lothians Cup

Penicuik 5 Broxburn 2 Penicuik:  Allison, Forbes, Williams, Young, G Hamilton, Jones, McCrory-Irving, Barr (c), Jamieson, Somerville, Montgomery Subs: J Hamilton, Kateleza, Ponton, Mendes, MacDonald Broxburn:  Wallace, Beesley, Gavin, Purves, Townsley, Linton, Nimmo, Gillen, Miller, Locke (c), Anderson Subs: Richards, Scott, Downie, Paterson, Donoghue Penicuik defeated last season’s beaten finalists Broxburn Athletic 5-2 to progress into the third round of the VTech SMT Fife & Lothians Cup. A card display was held prior to kickoff to support Show Racism the Red Card’s ‘Fortnight of Action’. The visitors started brightly with Nimmo having the first chance of the match forty seconds in, getting in behind the Penicuik defence but Allison stood tall to save. Penicuik were quick to reply with McCrory-Irving hitting the post after being played in by Somerville. A misplaced Barr pass gave Anderson the chance to drive forward but he fired clear over the bar. His strike partner Miller had the next chance in the ninth minute, volleying a few yards wide of the post after Gavin’s header sat nicely for him. Broxburn captain Nicky Locke was the next to shoot over the bar from distance. Forbes and McCrory-Irving combined down the right side after fifteen minutes, with Forbes’ cross to Somerville being cleared for a throw-in. Penicuik were coming into the game with both Jones and Jamieson having shots blocked by the Broxburn defence. On nineteen minutes, a McCrory-Irving corner was met by Young, who brought the ball down and shimmied past a defender to get a shot off but was unlucky to have it also blocked. Further chances fell to Jamieson and Somerville before Penicuik finally made the breakthrough in the thirty-first minute as another McCrory-Irving corner was headed high into the net by Darrell YOUNG for his first goal of the season.  McCrory-Irving nearly turned from provider to scorer a minute later as his deft chip over an onrushing Wallace was cleared off the line by Gavin. Broxburn began to push forward, Locke dragging a shot past Allison’s post from twenty-five yards before Nimmo’s attempted lob landed over the crossbar. A soft free kick led to Broxburn’s equaliser, as Kieran ANDERSON stepped up to rifle the ball past Allison into the top corner to draw his side level after forty minutes. Penicuik however where quick to restore their lead under a minute later, good work from McCrory-Irving and Forbes led to the latter cutting the ball back to Aaron SOMERVILLE who slotted under Wallace. HALF TIME: Penicuik Athletic 2-1 Broxburn Athletic Broxburn made a change at the break, bringing Scott on for Gillen. Penicuik’s Montgomery created the first opening of the second half as he drove past his marker into the box and his cross deflected up onto the crossbar. Locke replied for the visitors, cutting in from the left but Allison was equal to his effort with G Hamilton clearing the ball before Miller could slide in. Goalscorer Young was replaced by birthday boy Ponton following a head knock on fifty-five minutes. Six minutes later Somerville got in behind and his initial shot was blocked back to him, and his lay off to McCrory-Irving saw him fire high and wide. Penicuik created the next good chance in the sixty-fourth minute as McCrory-Irving retained the ball in the corner and set up Barr to cross, Somerville’s header going wide. Under a minute later, an almost carbon copy Barr cross was met by Aaron SOMERVILLE who timed his run to perfection to head in his second goal of the afternoon and Penicuik’s third. Penicuik were well in control at this point, with chances coming for Jamieson, Somerville, Montgomery, Jones over the next few minutes. In the seventieth minute, Barr picked up the ball wide left and burst past Beesley who took him down and Penicuik were awarded a penalty. Man of the match Aaron SOMERVILLE stepped up to the spot and completed his first ever Penicuik hat-trick, sending Wallace the wrong way to make it 4-1 to the hosts. Substitute Mendes got the home fans applauding with a fantastic piece of skill saw him dance past Beesley with his cross being headed wide by Somerville in the seventy-eighth minute. Broxburn had a rare attack at this point a minute later, with Miller holding the ball up well before cutting inside to shoot straight at Allison. J Hamilton was next to bring out a save from Wallace who tipped his header onto and over the crossbar after a well worked corner from Penicuik. However he was not to be denied two minutes later, Forbes’ free kick was headed on and Gavin could only clear the ball into the path of Jack HAMILTON  who headed low to add Penicuik’s fifth goal. The scoring for the day wasn’t yet over over though, as Broxburn were awarded a penalty of their own in the eighty-eighth minute as Williams was adjudged to have handballed. Jack BEESLEY took the spot kick and put it straight down the middle to give Broxburn a late consolation. J Hamilton had the final Cuikie chance of the match in injury time, narrowly heading over before Locke forced a save out of Allison at the other end. A good win for Penicuik who now await the draw for the third round. FULL TIME: Penicuik Athletic 5-2 Broxburn Athletic

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My thanks to John Crawford for the match photos and to Andy Penman for the match report