Website designed and maintained by Jim Dick
My Thanks to John Fraser for the match report and photos
Broughty Athletic 1 Penicuik Athletic 1
Broughty Athletic: MacPherson, Dailly, Ogilvie, M.Brash, K. Brash, Lunan, Kenny, Myles, Burns, Farquharson and Allan. Subs,
Cormack, Torrance, Miller, Stark, Cormack, Garrick and McLeod.
Penicuik Athletic: Bald, Cunnison, McDermott, Meikle, Reid, Gay, McPartlin, Barr, O'Reilly, Thomson and Draper. Subs, Brigain,
Knight, Gallagher, Roxburgh, Riley, Killin, Sub G/K Haldane.
There was a lot at stake for both teams in this Premier League encounter with the home team anxious for the points to maintain their
position in the Premier League and Penicuik at the other end of the table looking to keep their promotion challenge alive. The omens
for Penicuik were not good as Broughty had lowered Penicuik's colours in their first meeting earlier in the season and Penicuik's
previous trip to Broughty last season had ended in defeat. Charlie Brigain dropped out to be replaced by Connor Thomson while Jerry
Draper kept his place after appealing the red card issued to him late in last week's match against Glenrothes. Penicuik kicked off and
immediately took play upfield and a left foot Barr effort went past the post. Barr then just failed to collect an O'Reilly flick on the edge
of the penalty area as Penicuik kept up the early pressure. However, Broughty quickly showed their teeth when Dailly burst clear up
the right to win a throw in deep in Penicuik's half. The ball was quickly crossed after the throw in and Dailly saw his header pass
narrowly over the top of the bar. Dailly then had another run up the right and his deep cross was headed back across goal only for
Mark Brash to also head narrowly over the bar. The game was quite open with play being transferred quickly and Broughty were
denied after quarter of an hour when the off side flag was raised before the ball hit the back of the net. Penicuik then took command
but could not make the breakthrough despite a series of corner kicks. Keith Barr came closest in the twenty sixth minute but a
defender's toe just deflected his net bound effort past the post. The ball pinged around the Broughty penalty area after another
Thomson corner and MacPherson just managed to get a hand to a McDermott corner to allow his defence to punt the ball clear. A
sweeping move upfield involving McDermott and McPartlin ended with Barr heading past the wrong side of the post. Penicuik were
shocked nine minutes before half time when Broughty took the lead. The Penicuik defence took too much time on the ball and Burns
got a vital block in and the ball fell to Myles who crossed for LUNAN to head into the empty net. Penicuik immediately returned upfield
and Myles was booked for a crude challenge on the edge of the penalty area. Macpherson managed to punch away Thomson's
dipping effort before another good move involving Draper and Thomson ended with another fruitless corner. McPartlin was next to fire
the ball across the Broughty goalmouth but Barr shot well wide. Dailly set off on another run and Cunnison turned his cross out for a
corner which the Penicuik defence cleared. A limping Kenny was replaced by Torrance as another good passing Penicuik move ended
with Barr shooting straight into Macpherson's arms.
Half Time - Broughty Athletic 1 v 0 Penicuik Athletic
Penicuik came out in determined fashion in the second half and O'REILLY levelled the scores with a left foot shot in the fiftieth minute.
With Brigain on for Draper, Penicuik kept up the offensive but O'Reilly failed to reach an inviting McPartlin cross from the right.
Broughty replied with a burst upfield but Mark Brash's final shot went high over the bar. Ogilvie and Burns at the heart of the Broughty
defence were outstanding in keeping Penicuik at bay as the visitors were dominating. There was always a block or a challenge as
Penicuik toiled to make further headway, coupled with the wrong option being taken on more than one occasion. O'Reilly who had
been coming in for some rough treatment from a no nonsense defence was fouled by Farquharson but Thomson's free kick flew over
the bar. Shortly afterwards an O'Reilly left foot shot hit the outside of the post as Penicuik kept up the pressure. Bald in the visitor's
goal was reduced to being a spectator with Penicuik dominating play in the other half of the field. Macpherson in the home goals
appeared to pick up an injury which led to a delay every time a goal kick was to be taken by his defenders. Penicuik brought on
Knight for McPartlin and Roxburgh for Thomson but Broughty held firm. McPherson, Kris Brash and Burns were all cautioned as
Broughty's rearguard action dealt with all that Penicuik could throw at them. Penicuik's final effort was a weak O'Reilly shot on the
turn as both teams had to be content with a point when play ended. Broughty's point secured their place in the Premier League while
Penicuik's point returned them to the top of the league and leaves them in a position where they have to win their final game of the
season at Broxburn to gain promotion to the Super League.