|
My thanks to John Fraser for the match report and photos.
Dundonald Bluebell:
Ryan Connor, Craig Noble, Stephen Connor, Gordon Hunter, Kevin Bain, Wayne Wright, Paul Campbell, Gary Westwater, Martyn Thomson,
Shaun Greig and Gary Gilfillan. Subs: Raymond Morgan, Steven McAndrew, Craig Duncan. Sub G/K Ross Harley.
Penicuik Athletic:
Mark Ramage, Graeme Gallagher, Brian Foster, Matti Lynch, Kris Steel, Kevin Milne, Ryan Gay, Keith Barr, Martin Cameron, Darren
Moonie and Ross Montgomery. Subs: Dean Jones, Graeme Cole, Scott Gibb, Brian Ryrie and Colin McDonald.
Referee: Keith
Maskell
|
|
Dundonald 1 Penicuik 3
Penicuik Athletic travelled to
Dundonald on the back of two straight league wins but were still without injury victims Mark Cowan, Billy Bald and Craig Meikle.
On a very wet pitch Dundonald settled into a passing game, keeping possession and putting Penicuik uuder sustained pressure.
Dundonald passed up the first of several first half chances when Gilfillan in space in the six yard box shot over the bar
in the fourth minute when the ball was headed back across goal. Penicuik’s defensive wall stood firm when the home team
had a free kick on the edge of the penalty area.
It took until the twenty third
minute before Penicuik created their first chance. Barr side footed the ball high over the cross bar when Moonie found him
unmarked in the penalty area. A good move involving Cameron, Montgomery and Barr came to nothing when Gay’s cross slipped
over the bar for a goal kick. Stephen Connor was cautioned for a trip on Gay as Penicuik were enjoying a good spell of play.
Prompted by Westwater and Greig,
Dundonald pinned Penicuik back and Ramage had to look sharp to save from Thomson. A
pile driver from the edge of the box by Greig was blocked before Thomson headed
wide as Penicuik struggled to clear their lines. Wright twice failed to find team mates with cut backs when sent clear and
Campbell on the left also failed to find a taker with his final ball in from the left.
Penicuik almost caught the home
team on the break but Connor came to his team’s rescue with a terrific save from a Cameron left foot shot. At the other
end Ramage was able to pick the ball up when Gilfillan completely missed his kick when put through with only the Penicuik
keeper to beat. Dundonald were unable to come up with the goal that they wanted as the first half came to a close.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Half Time: Dundonald
0 Penicuik 0
Gibb replaced
the injured Foster at the heart of the Penicuik defence for the second half. In Dundonald’s first attack their woes
in front of goal continued when Thomson headed wide. Penicuik, however were finding their feet and a Cameron snap shot sailed
wide. Milne shot narrowly past from a quick Barr free kick. Connor then saved a Cameron header from a Milne lob before a Montgomery
drive was deflected for a corner. With fourteen minutes of the second half gone Moonie put Montgomery through but the chance
was lost as Montgomery looked to pass the ball back inside when the way to goal was clear. McDonald replaced Montgomery in
the sixty fifth minute and made an immediate impact. Free on the left McDonald chipped the ball over Hunter but the inrushing
Cameron could not make contact. However, the distracted goalkeeper could only parry the ball into GAY’s
path who side footed the opening goal. Seven minutes later Penicuik got their second goal. Hunter blocked a Cameron run and
despite the defender’s protests that he had nowhere to go a free kick was awarded. Gay’s kick found CAMERON who buried his header past a helpless Connor. A minute later it was three as the shell
shocked home team were again caught out by a McDonald run up the left. Despite Connor and Bain’s attempts CAMERON was on hand to bundle the ball over the line to make the points safe for Penicuik.
Hunter was booked for remarks
to the referee before Barr was yellow carded for a foul tackle. Ryrie replaced Barr in the seventy eighth minute as Penicuik’s
midfield had turned things round in the second half. Dundonald applied some late pressure and Lynch headed a Hunter free kick
clear befor Ramage pulled off the save of the match with a point blank save from substitute Morgan’s header. With two
minutes to go Dundonald eventually scored when MORGAN volleyed another fine Connor
cross into the Penicuik net. It was too little too late for a home team left ruing their missed first half chances.
Full Time: Dundonald
1 Penicuik 3
|
|
|
|
|
|
