Established 1888

Match Report

Lochee vs Penicuik 26.5.18

League

Lochee 1 Penicuik 0 Lochee United: Fotheringham, Webster, Kirk, Davie, McComiskie, Smith, Deasley, McNally, Birse, Lawson, Millasr Subs: Stewart, Trialist 1, Trialist 2, Trialist 3 Penicuik: Allison, Young, Williams, Hume (c), Hamilton, Connolly, McCrory-Irving, Jones, Sampson, Ponton, Baptie Subs: Trialist A, Trialist B, Cordery Penicuik travelled to Thomson Park for their penultimate league game of the season looking for a point to clinch a third-place finish against a Lochee side who were beaten Junior Cup semi-finalists and had won 3-0 at Penicuik Park in October. Manager Harvey’s team selection was restricted due to a lack of player availability with only two trialists and a goalkeeper on the bench. The visitors started well and dominated the early stages and with four minutes gone Sampson latched onto a loose ball and drove towards goal but saw his effort saved by Fotheringham. From the resultant corner kick Young ‘s header went narrowly over the crossbar. In the 11th minute a well worked corner routine saw Baptie feed McCrory-Irving whose shot was held by Fotheringham at the near post. Three minutes later Baptie’s free kick from wide right was well struck but was easily gathered by the home keeper. With 22 minutes gone a well worked move down the right saw McCrory -Irving found Connolly 22 yards out and his shot forced a diving save from Fotheringham. It was halfway through the opening 45 minutes before Lochee had a look at the Penicuik goal and Lawson curled a shot wide from the left-hand side of the 18-yard box., However, the home side took the lead just before the half hour against the run of play when the visitors defence failed to clear a free kick into the box, and McNally reacted quickest to volley past the despairing dive of Allison. Penicuik thought they had equalised in the 41st minute when Jones beat the offside trap to put the ball in the back of net for Penicuik but was incorrectly flagged offside. HT - Lochee United 1 Penicuik Athletic 0 Four minutes into the second half Hamilton had a glorious chance to equalise as Fotheringham could only parry McCrory-Irving’s cut back but the big defender blazed over the bar. Two minutes later good work by Ponton and Sampson set up Connolly, but he was unable to get a clean strike from six yards out. Lochee made a rare foray into the Penicuik half as they broke through Deasley but Birse was unable to reach his tempting cross across the goal. With 53 minutes on the clock Connolly set himself up20 yards out and cracked a fierce drive off the crossbar with the keeper beaten all ends up but the ball rebounded to safety. There was controversy in the 65th minutes as Birse saw red for an outburst at referee Crawford. Penicuik were dominating possession but finding it hard to create clear chances against a home side happy to defend and hit the visitors on the break and in 75 minutes forced Allison into his first save of the match when Lawson sclaffed his shot straight into the keeper’s arms. At the other end trialist had a good opportunity but again Fotheringham was alert to the danger and as Penicuik forced a succession of corners they failed to create anything from them. With two minutes left on the clock McComiskie cut in from the left for the home side but his shot was easily held by Allison and with the visitors unable to breach the home defence the ten man of Lochee held on for all three points Final Score: Lochee 1 Penicuik 0

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