Established 1888

Match Report

Penicuik vs Newtongrange Star 11.3.17

League

My thanks to Andy Penman for the match report and to John Crawford for the match photos Penicuik 3 Newtongrange 0 Penicuik:  Easton, Forbes, Noble, Hume, Young, Janczyk, Gay, MacDonald, Somerville, McCallum (c), Montgomery Subs: K Scott, S Scott, Jones, Connolly Newtongrange:  Amos, Swaney, Martynuik, Currie (c), Morris, Cropley, Wilson, Lander, Richardson, Bracks, Cook  Subs: Murray, Douglas, Lally, O'Brien, Flynn After an impeccable minute’s silence in tribute to the late Alex Young, who played for Newtongrange prior to an outstanding career with Hearts, Everton and Scotland, and whose sons Alex Jnr. and Jason both played for Penicuik, the visitors deep, in relegation trouble, kicked off towards the ‘Loanburn’end.  Penicuik threatened in the 3rd minute as MacDonald threaded a pass to Montgomery whose low cross was cleared for a corner. The corner was headed clear but eventually fell to Montgomery who blasted past Amos’s right hand upright. The home side weren’t to be denied and with only seven minutes gone good work by Somerville wide left saw his cross missed by everyone and land at GAY’s Feet and he slotted calmly home.  The visitors responded and Lander’s driving run was stopped by Hume who saw yellow for his effort. However the resultant free kick saw Currie trundle a shot wide from 25 yards out. On the quarter hour mark a Montgomery drive across the box was met by Somerville at the back post but his effort flew high and wide. Two minutes later a Currie free kick found Richardson on the six-yard box but Easton was equal to his effort and the ball was cleared before at the other end an audacious lob from Gay was easily gathered by Amos. Lander was influential for the visitors and in the 22nd minute set up Cropley but his shot cleared the bar by a considerable distance. On the half hour Noble set up Montgomery down the left but his cross across the face of the goal went a begging. Then in the 40th minute  the home side extended their lead as a Gay corner was nodded on by Somerville and was met at the backpost by FORBES who netted from six yards out. HT Penicuik Athletic 2 Newtongrange Star 0 Penicuik kicked off the 2nd half but it was the visitors who were first to show as Lander saw his effort easily saved by Easton before a slack Noble pass gave the same player another opportunity but he shot wide. Six minutes into the half Lander again got on the end of a cross but saw his header go narrowly wide and again two minutes later he was denied by an Easton save. Star were taking the game to the hosts and both Currie and Martyniuk saw efforts kept out by some stout home defending. On the hour mark, it was the home side who showed their quality with a six-man passing move down the right seeing Somerville flash his diving header past the upright with Amos beaten. Four minutes later a Hume cross was bundled goal ward by Somerville and amid claims the ball had crossed the line referee Stuart waved play on. The home side had regained control although a Landers shot and Douglas’s effort from the rebound kept Easton on his toes. Just after the 70th minute mark the hosts moved swiftly down the right and Gay picked out Montgomery at the back post but his effort from ten yards out was turned away at the post by Amos before Somerville was again denied by the Star keeper with his effort from 16 yards out being well held. On 75 minutes Gay released MacDonald who skipped past Richardson and picked out McCALLUM who’s sublime finish left Amos stranded to put the game to bed. Boss Harvey replaced Hume, Jancyzk and McCallum with the three Berwick loanees and immediately Stephen Scott set up Somerville but Amos blocked his shot. In the 82nd minute Montgomery found Sam Jones in space 12 yards out and his shot beat Amos but was cleared off the line by Richardson and two minutes later a Gay free kick from 22yards narrowly went over the cross bar. With three minutes left MacDonald sent Kyle Scott running into the box but his effort was blocked by Martynuik and then Kyle set up brother Stephen but his attempted lob went wide. Penicuik 3  Newtongrange Star 0

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