History(cont)

Season 2018/19 Penicuik opened the new season with a friendly match against Auchinleck Talbot for the Adam Montgomery Memorial Trophy as a tribute to local councillor Adam Montgomery who had been such a strong supporter of Penicuik Athletic. The season proper started with a League Cup qualifying win against Sauchie Juniors, with Penicuik winning their group which also included Crossgates Primrose and Linlithgow Rose to reach the first round proper. Later in the season Penicuik beat Dalkeith in the first round but lost out to Bonnyrigg Rose in the second round. Next up was the South Region Challenge Cup where Penicuik scored eleven goals in a second round tie away to Nithsdale Wanderers. However, Coldstream came to Penicuik to knock the home side out in the fourth round in a penalty shoot out after a four all draw. Hill o’Beath knocked Penicuik out of the Alex Jack in the second round and Linlithgow Rose defeated Penicuik in the third round of the King Cup in another penalty shoot out. Penicuik reached the semi final of the Football Nation Qualifying cup to lose in a penalty shoot out to Spartans after a one all draw. New players Paul Tansey, Sean Stewart and Liam O’Donnell had been added to a strong player pool. Because of the number of clubs that had switched from the juniors to the East of Scotland League, three conferences were formed with the three winners playing off for the League title and the one promotion spot to the Lowland League. Penicuik’s league campaign got off to a winning start away to old East of Scotland rivals Peebles Rovers. After a long campaign Penicuik won the Conference “A” League title by one point from Hill o’ Beath Hawthorn. Penicuik finished with 63 points from twenty four games, winning twenty, losing one and drawing three, scoring ninety two goals in the process and conceding fifteen. Penicuik went forward into a three way playoff with Conference “B” winners Bonnyrigg Rose and Conference “C” winners Broxburn Athletic to decide the champion East of Scotland League club. Penicuik beat Broxburn but went down by two goals to one to Bonnyrigg. Bonnyrigg then scored a late winner to beat Broxburn by three goals to two to win the round robin play off with Penicuik runners up. A save by the Bonnyrigg keeper in added on time prevented Penicuik from equalising which would have been enough to see Penicuik come out on top. The League title was won despite the resignation of manager Johnny Harvey who left to manage SPFL club Berwick Rangers, taking three of the side’s leading players with him. Kevin Milne and Tony Begg were appointed as joint managers to successfully take over the rains. Wayne McIntosh was top goal scorer with thirty eight goals while Aaron Sommerville scored twenty three goals in all competitions. Off the field a huge exercise was undertaken, led by committee member Andy Penman to gain an SFA licence. The successful application meant that Penicuik Athletic could enter the Scottish Cup in season 2019 – 20. Penicuik Athletic also gained Quality Mark recognition from the SFA. All in all, a busy and eventful season for the first season back in senior football.