ANDY KELLY TROPHY

Penicuik Athletic and Bonnyrigg Rose combined as North Esk to play Newtongrange Star, Arniston Rangers, Dalkeith Thistle and Easthouses Lily as South Esk for the Midlothian Council sponsored Andy Kelly trophy. The match fittingly was played at Lasswade Rugby Club at Poltonhall where Andy worked as bar steward for many years and in view of the new houses overlooking the pitch named after Andy.

Penicuik Athletic were represented by Billy Bald, Graeme Gallagher, Matthew Lynch, Graeme Cole and Paul Coleman. In an absolute downpour, the North Esk select romped to a four goal half time lead. Penicuik’s Graeme Cole looked as if he had opened the scoring but his left foot effort struck the inside of the post and rebounded along the goal line without crossing it. Not to be put off he notched the North Esk’s first two goals as he led the opposition defence a merry dance. Goals from Bonnyrigg’s Liam McKenna and Kevin Bracks stretched the lead to four.

The match officials decide to give the second half five minutes to see if the weather improved and mercifully, the torrential downpour stopped but left excessive pools of water on the playing surface. The South Esk team had made a couple of changes at half time and came right back into the game with goals from Grant Meaney (Newtongrange Star) and Scott Lucas (Arniston Rangers). If the North Esk had eased off, they stepped up the pace and replied with a further three goals from Penicuik’s Paul Coleman and Bonnyrigg’s Mark Robertson and Scott Montgomery (ex-Penicuik).

Man of the match was Bonnyrigg’s Ross Hamilton while Penicuik’s Graeme Gallagher, captain of the North Esk select stepped up to collect the trophy from Norma Kelly. Her late husband Andy made a huge contribution not only to Bonnyrigg Rose and Penicuik Athletic but to football throughout Midlothian. It was a mark of the respect in which Andy was held that Midlothian’s football clubs combined to support Midlothian Council’s excellent initiative and pay tribute to a true football legend.