The pitch was heavily sanded after the week long dry spell and Penicuik kicked off into a strong wind in bright sunshine. David Livie, Scott Gibb, Brian Foster and Kevin Milne all returned with Billy Bald, Martin Cameron, Matthew Lynch and Ryan Gay missing out. North End are fighting relegation but were encouraged by their win last week at Ballingry.

North End had an early opening but their trialist centre forward knocked the through ball over the crossbar. McDonald was penalised for a push in Penicuik‘s first attack and this was the first of a long string of fouls awarded against the visiting team throughout the afternoon.

North End had a chance in the fifth minute when Narey missed the target with a free header from a Devine corner. Penicuik were awarded a free kick in the ninth minute when Brown tripped McDonald as he collected a through ball from Montgomery. From the free kick, a Gallagher header was cleared only as far as Meikle who was only stopped at the expense of a corner kick as he dribbled his way along the goal line. Meikle’s header from Montgomery’s corner was cleared off the line in the ninth minute. Two minutes later a series of three corner kicks produced the first goal.

A Montgomery cross was turned behind by Robertson and Montgomery’s first corner kick was deflected behind for another corner. Meikle’s header from the resultant kick was knocked behind again and when Gallagher’s corner came over, BRIAN FOSTER was on the spot to score his third goal of the season with an unchallenged header.

Two further corner kicks in the twenty first minute failed to prise open the home defence. Three minutes later a Barr free kick was cleared only as far as Moonie but Ferrie saved his effort comfortably. Moonie, who was prominent in most of Penicuik’s attacking moves had a great chance from a McDonald pass but put his shot past the wrong side of the post. Prompted by Milne and Barr, Penicuik were in complete control. Another Gallagher corner was cleared to Montgomery but Ferrie easily held his weak effort. In the thirtieth minute as Penicuik kept up the pressure a Moonie cross was cleared before Moonie again stretched the North End defence before being crowded out.

Meikle and Foster were dealing comfortably with the wind assisted clearances from the home defence but had to look lively in the thirty second minute when Foster was penalised. Devine’s free kick was headed out by Meikle for a corner  and it took two attempts from the home defence before Devine’s curling kick was cleared. In the thirty fifth minute Barr won another corner kick for Penicuik but Gallagher’s kick was punched clear by Ferrie only as far as Gibb. The Penicuik man’s attempt to find Gallagher rolled out for a bye kick.

In the thirty sixth minute a long ball almost caught out the Penicuik defence as Robertson raced clear on the left wing with Penicuik vainly claiming for off side. His cut back was cleared for a fruitless corner. McSkimming fouled Milne in midfield five minutes from the break but Gibb’s quickly taken effort put Gallagher under pressure and the danger was cleared. Barr shot over as Penicuik kept up the pressure and a passing move between Foster, Steel and Montgomery won yet another corner. Gallagher’s corner was lustily cleared downfield and with the Penicuik defence again claiming for off side, Dundee’s trialist latched on to the long ball and was through with only Livie to beat. The Penicuik keeper bravely dived at his feet and was alert enough to clear when the ball rebounded into the Dundee striker’s path.

The half finished with the Penicuik defence clearing another Devine free kick. Penicuik’s dominance was not reflected in the half time score line but goalkeeper Ferrie and his central defenders Brown and Stuart had defended stoutly with the blond haired Gowans working tirelessly in midfield to keep Penicuik at bay.

Half Time – Dundee North End 0 v 1 Penicuik Athletic

Play was scrappy on the resumption and there was a long delay in the sixth minute when Stewart required lengthy treatment for a shoulder injury. Penicuik were again exerting pressure but the second goal would not come. Two efforts from McDonald failed to do the trick and Moonie shot past from the left when he might have cut the ball back across the face of goals.

In the sixty fifth minute McDonald was caught off side and two minutes later Ferrie cut out a dangerous Moonie cross. Four minutes later a foul on Barr gave Gallagher the chance to float the ball in but the Dundee defence held firm. McDonald volleyed an effort narrowly over the bar as Penicuik chased a second goal. With twenty minutes left, Killin replaced McDonald and was immediately crying out for the ball in the middle as Moonie skinned Robertson on the left wing but chose to shoot rather than roll the ball to Killin. His effort blazed high and wide. Killin then rounded goalkeeper Ferrie but Stewart got back to clear his left foot effort out for another corner.

A Gallagher corner kick curled harmlessly out before Moonie tried his luck down the right wing but Robertson stopped him in his tracks this time with a well timed tackle. Gibb then tried a long range effort which sailed high over the bar before North End hit back through McSkimming but his cross drifted wide. A series of free kicks was unsettling the visiting defence and frustration was in danger of boiling over as North End sensed that they might salvage something from the game. However, Penicuik’s defence held firm.

Cole replaced Moonie with five minutes left and twice took the ball into the corner to run down the clock. He was guilty of conceding possession cheaply when he crossed with no-one in the middle. With the forty five minutes gone a good move between Killin, Cole and Montgomery saw the ball deflected out but the corner kick was not given. Penicuik won the ball back and successfully kept the ball in the corner to eat up more time. Milne showed Cole how it was done with a couple of deflected corner kicks before referee Rice brought proceedings to a close having played two and a half minutes of additional time.

Penicuik were delighted to chalk up a win after three defeats on the trot and Livie and his defence were rewarded with not conceding a goal after losing ten in those three defeats. This defeat leaves Dundee North End with an uphill struggle in their battle to avoid relegation.  

Result – Dundee North End 0 v 1 Penicuik Athletic