Saturday 21 December 2019
Penicuik Park, Penicuik
East of Scotland Premier Division Fixture #13
Penicuik Athletic
Starting XI | Watt, O'Donnell (Stewart 54), Baptie, Page, Connolly, Kateleza (Tansey 54), Jones, Watson, Somerville (c), McCrory-Irving (Ponton 68), Forbes
Unused sub | Young, Stevenson
Sent off | None
Whitehill Welfare
Starting XI | Bejaoui (c), Somerville, Hamilton, Meikle, Rogan, Janczyk, Wright, Devlin (Swanson 58), McCallum, Muir, Lough
Subs | Connor, McQueen, Hunter, Cowie, Connell, Sproule
Sent off | Lough (39)
The first chance fell to Penicuik in the 11th minute when Jones failed to take advantage of a Somerville cross, driving his shot wide of the target. Two minutes later, it was Whitehill who took the lead when Keith LOUGH drilled a free kick past Watt. Two minutes later, Whitehill had the ball in the back of the net but the goal was ruled offside by the stand side assistant. This served as a wakeup call for Penicuik who promptly went up the park but keeper Bejaoui denied Jones with an excellent fingertip save for a corner. Then in the 24th minute, Callum CONNOLLY rose above the defence to head home the equaliser. Shortly afterwards, Lough and the Kateleza had efforts for their respective sides. In the 36th minute, a ball over the top of the home defence by Muir picked out Lough, but Watt raced from goal to smother the ball at the striker’s feet. Two minutes later, Lough was again in the thick of the action, but this time for the wrong reason. The referee adjudged his tackle on McCrory-Irving to merit a red card and the visitors were down to ten men. Just before half time, Kateleza hat a powerful shot blocked for a corner.
HALFTIME | Penicuik Athletic 1-1 Whitehill Welfare
Seven minutes into the half and a chance fell to Kateleza, but his effort went just past the upright. The Penicuik dugout made a couple a changes that had immediate effect. A Tansey cross was headed into the crossbar by Somerville before McCrory-Irving’s effort was cleared off the line by Meikle, with Somerville firing wide from the clearance. Then a swift Penicuik counter attack saw Somerville fire straight into the hands of keeper Bejaoui. In the 66th minute, McCrory-Irving tried a high shot from 25 yards but Bejaoui at full stretch tipped it over for a corner kick. At the other end, McCallum had a chance, but dragged his shot wide of the target. Then a long range strike by Watson flashed over the Whitehill crossbar. In the 74th minute, a lightning break down the right wing by Whitehill saw Wright cross the ball from the right wing to the back post where McCALLUM headed home to restore their lead. Penicuik piled on the pressure looking for the equaliser but the Whitehill defence were solid with former Penicuik players Meikle and Hamilton outstanding. In the 85th minute, Forbes tested Bejaoui, but the big keeper saved well. Minutes later Somerville had a chance, but his header went wide. Just when Whitehill thought they had secured all three points Paul TANSEY’s curling cross deceived everyone and went in off the post for the equaliser. Whitehill must be terribly disappointed with the result having played more than half the game with only ten men and Penicuik must be relieved to have rescued a point.
FULLTIME | Penicuik Athletic 2-2 Whitehill Welfare