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League

My thanks to Andy Penman for the match report and to John Crawford for the match photos

Ballingry Rovers; Smith, Mowat, Cameron, J Smart, Morrison, Moffat, Byers, Blackadder, C Smart, Anderson & Linn. Subs - Martin, Rattray, Allison, Crowe. Penicuik Athletic: Bald, Cunnison, Thomson, Meikle, Kerr, McPartlin, Roxburgh, Barr, Millar, Patterson & Montgomery. Subs - McDermott, Reid, Killin, Ryrie, Bunyan Referee - Mr C McNab Penicuik travelled across the Forth for the second of four consecutive fixtures over the 'Bridge' as they sought to keep their promotion hopes alive against already promoted Ballingry at a dry, but breezy Ore Park. The visitors were first on the attack as Montgomery showed down the left and delivered a cross ball to the front post which Millar got a touch to but didn't trouble keeper Smith. Ballingry showed early danger through Linn as he latched onto a through ball from Blackadder but his effort was deflected for a corner which posed no danger to the Cuikie defence. Minutes later Blackadder tried an ambitious effort from 45 yards but it sailed wide of Bald's left hand post, before perseverance down the right by Roxburgh saw Millar move the ball wide to Montgomery, who was giving Mowat a torrid time on the wing ,saw his cross held by the keeper. With nine minutes on the clock Barr robbed Linn in the middle of the park and found PATTERSON who found space between two defenders and then calmly shot home from 18 yards past Smith into the bottom left corner. Shortly after a great cross field pass from Barr found Montgomery in space but his shot was blocked for a corner from which the ball broke to Thomson 30 yards out but his strike went wide. Penicuik had gained a decent foothold in the middle of the park through Barr and McPartlin, with Meikle and Kerr breaking up Ballingry attacks with some ease. In the 16th minute Linn went down after a Meikle tackle and from the resultant free kick from 18 yards out Bald touched Anderson's shot onto the post, Cuikie raced to the other end of the park and Millar was unfortunate to see his shot come back of the base of the post with Smith beaten. The visitors went two ahead in the 25th minute after great work by Montgomery and Thomson  down the left and Thomson's cross across the face of the goal was met at the far post by Roxburgh who mishit his shot which landed at the feet of MILLAR who stabbed it home. Ballingry pressed forward in search of a goal and a quick free kick by Mowat was played to Anderson whose shot was deflected for a corner. In the 29th minute Roxburgh lost possession up the park and a quick break saw Linn fouled by Meikle on the edge of the box and he received a yellow card from referee McNab. Linn's free kick was cleared, before Craig Smart of Ballingry was booked in the 37th minute after kicking the ball away well after the whistle had blown. Two minutes later the aforesaid Smart was breaking forward towards the Penicuik box when he appeared to trip, with Thomson and Kerr in near proximity. Referee McNab had no hesitation in producing a second yellow for simulation and the home side were reduced to ten men.   Half Time Ballingry Rovers 0 Penicuik Athletic 2 Ballingry replaced Moffat with Martin as they sought to get back into the game but it was Penicuik who started the second half on the front foot with a Montgomery corner just heads wide by Cunnison. A Bald goal kick was back headed by J Smart for a corner which came to nothing before two Penicuik attacks were thwarted by marginal offside decisions. Millar became the visitors second booking for failing delaying the restart at a free kick in the 51st minute before a 30 yard effort from McPartlin was well held by Smith. The tempo of the game had dropped with Cuikie happy to break at will with only sporadic opportunities falling to Ballingry through Linn who saw a 30 yard shot deflected for a corner. At the other end Montgomery slid a ball through to Millar who was just beaten to it by Smith as Cuikie sought to extend their lead. A Roxburgh run ended with Smith collecting easily before Patterson saw his shot from 14 yards out deflected for another corner. From the corner Montgomery's effort was parried by Smith but no one was able to take advantage and the ball was cleared. In the 66th minute a great break by Patterson and McPartlin saw Patterson slide the ball wide with the better positioned Millar racing in behind him. Millar was then replaced by Killin on his return from injury. The home side grabbed a lifeline in the 76th minute as J SMART rose above Meikle from a Linn cross to head home at the front post. Minutes later Bald pulled off a brilliant save to keep Cuikie in front as Cameron fired a loose ball towards the top corner. McDermott replaced Roxburgh as Cuikie sought to regain their two goal advantage, and some great inter passing down the right saw Killin, who had shooting across goal before at the other end Martin from a suspiciously offside position shot over. As the visitors pursued a third, Patterson headed straight at Smith from a Montgomery cross and with five minutes left on the clock a swinging Montgomery cross just missed the far post before the same player saw his shot from 18 yards saved well by Smith. PATTERSON  saw his attempt after a run from the half way line saved by Smith before two minutes into injury time he got the clincher breaking clear of the offside trap and firing past keeper Smith with a composed finish from 15 yards out. The game finished with Cuikie on the attack and Patterson was thwarted again by Smith after being set up by Meikle and Kerr. An excellent all round performance and sets up another cracker away to Dundee Violet on Saturday