Established 1888

Match Report

Newtongrange vs Penicuik 21.5.18

Semi Final Fife & Lothians Cup

Newtongrange 1Penicuik 1 (Newtongrange won 4-3 on Penalties) Newtongrange: Renton (c), Swaney, Porteous, Hunter, Wilson, Lowson, Forster, Richardson, Smith, O’Hara, Melvin Subs: Dunsmore, K Scott, McNaughton, S Scott, Bracks Penicuik: Allison, Forbes, Williams, Hume (c), Young, Connolly, MacDonald, Jones, Somerville, Kateleza, Ponton Subs: McCrory-Irving, Hamilton, Sinclair, Sampson, Cordery Newtongrange won the penalty shootout 4-3 to earn a place in the final of the VTech SMT Ltd Fife & Lothians Cup. The home side started brightly and in the opening minute, only a timely intervention by Hume denied Star an early goal. However the early pressure paid off Newtongrange and in the 4th minute MELVIN broke through the Penicuik defence to drill the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Immediately afterwards a long punt was headed on to Richardson, but his effort flew high over the bar. At the other end, a pinpoint diagonal pass by Young picked out MacDonald on the right, but his first time volley went straight at keeper Renton. Then a defence splitting pass set Hunter free but great defending by Forbes forced Hunter to shoot wide of the post. In the 25th minute, a 25 yard strike by livewire Wilson flashed over the bar. Three minutes later, a sweeping move by Penicuik from defence to the Star penalty box was finished off by JONES who stroked the ball past Renton. Half Time: Newtongrange 1 Penicuik 1 Two minutes into the half saw Jones get his head to a Ponton cross, but he failed to hit the target. Then a cross by Melvin was similarly headed over the bar by Foster. On the hour mark, a long range strike by Richardson went through a ruck of players, but Allison was alert to the danger and saved well. In the 67th minute, following a throw in to Penicuik, Jones saw his shot go narrowly wide of the goal. Penicuik were now starting to exert pressure on the home side and Somerville had a great chance for Penicuik. Kateleza drilled a low cross along the six yard box and Somerville, at full stretch, got a boot to the ball but Renton tipped his strike over the bar. Two minutes later, a mistake by Penicuik saw former Penicuik player Stephen Scott strike for goal, but the ball flew a foot wide of the junction of the crossbar and post. In the 75th minute, Kateleza set up Connolly but he dragged his shot wide of the target. Minutes later, Kateleza again created a great chance with a cross to the back post. Somerville headed the ball from almost point blank range only for Renton to pull off the save of the game. The game went to penalties, and once again Penicuik failed to succeed in a penalty shootout losing 4-3. Final Score: Newtongrang1 Penicuik 1 (Newtongrange won 4-3 on penalties)

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My thanks to John Crawford for the match photos