5th January 2019 Penicuik Athletic v Arniston Rangers 1-0
Was not sure where to go today as SPFL clubs are now on their winter break. After taking Harper to see The Grinch at Cineworld decided to head out to Penicuik after lunch. Alternative matches I could have gone to where at Edinburgh City, Edinburgh United, Tynecastle or Whitehall Welfare. Walked to Lothian Road and caught a 37 bus at 13.10 and arrived at the ground at 14.05. Admission was £6. There is normally a good programme available at Penicuik but their printers had been on holiday over the Christmas period and were unable to produce their usual issue. Penicuik however provided a folded over A4 team sheet free of charge which included an editorial and some club information in addition to the squad listings.
Penicuik had new goalkeeper Liam Robertson between the posts. Liam is the son of former Hearts favourite and record goal scorer John Robertson. I remember Liam aged about 5/6 wanting to join in football training sessions with the Buckstone primary P7s. Liam has been with a few other EoS clubs including Tranent, Peebles Rovers and Selkirk. John, not Robertson but an ex-work colleague is on the committee at Penicuik, was working on the tea-bar today told me Penicuik had to sign Liam as regular keeper Tom Cordery had been on holiday to Thailand. Penicuik also fielded ex-Spartans favourite Craig "Grinchy" Stevenson. Grinchy usually played on the left when he was at Spartans but today was lining up at right-back. Interestingly Penicuik coach Ross Montgomery was listed as a trialist on the bench although he did not get on. Arniston Rangers are based in Gorebridge, 10.5 miles from Penicuik, and thus this fixture can therefore be classed as a local derby. Arniston had a tough game at Newtongrange last week which ended 2-2. However both teams had three players sent of and these players are unavailable for todays game. Arniston therefore fielded two trailists and of the five players on the bench four were trialists, although only one was used. I have used (t) to show the trialists on the team lists.
Penicuik started off well and Scott McCrory-Irvng had a early shot saved by Jamie Newman in the Arniston goal. After a low cross was cleared by the desperate Arniston defence for a corner Sam Jones had a shot over the bar and then Ryan Baptie received the ball had a good shot saved by Newman. Newman was being kept busy and blocked a shot by Kyle Sampson as he rushed through on goal. The pressure continued for the remainder of the first half but despite have all the pressure Penicuik were unable to find the net.
Early in the second half Dean Crabbe lobbed Newman but Jamie Butler got back to clear his effort off the line. Newman then made an excellent save from a Crabbe shot as Peniuck continued to pile on the pressure. Penicuik brought on captain Aaron Somerville for Sampson and finally broke the deadlock after seventy-five minutes. Somerville headed a long ball on to Crabbe at the edge of the box and followed up with a run forward into the penalty box. Crabbe threaded a pass forward and Somerville shot past Newman from about seventeen yards. Newman continued to be kept busy and when Somerville chipped him Butler cleared off the line again. Robertson in the Penicuik goal did not have a save to make until late on when he stopped a shot from Dyet which may have been going out anyway. The Penicuik match sponsors made Stevenson their man pf the match. I thought he had a good game and with Crabbe operating infield he had space to attack down the right and sent in some good crosses. However the true man of the match for me was Arniston keeper Newman as without some really good saves from him Penicuik could have repeated their 7-0 victory at Arniston earlier this season.
A good win for Penicuik keeping then at the top of their EoS League conference. After the game I caught a 37 bus back into Edinburgh and then walked home along Melville Drive from South Clerk Street.
Penicuik had new goalkeeper Liam Robertson between the posts. Liam is the son of former Hearts favourite and record goal scorer John Robertson. I remember Liam aged about 5/6 wanting to join in football training sessions with the Buckstone primary P7s. Liam has been with a few other EoS clubs including Tranent, Peebles Rovers and Selkirk. John, not Robertson but an ex-work colleague is on the committee at Penicuik, was working on the tea-bar today told me Penicuik had to sign Liam as regular keeper Tom Cordery had been on holiday to Thailand. Penicuik also fielded ex-Spartans favourite Craig "Grinchy" Stevenson. Grinchy usually played on the left when he was at Spartans but today was lining up at right-back. Interestingly Penicuik coach Ross Montgomery was listed as a trialist on the bench although he did not get on. Arniston Rangers are based in Gorebridge, 10.5 miles from Penicuik, and thus this fixture can therefore be classed as a local derby. Arniston had a tough game at Newtongrange last week which ended 2-2. However both teams had three players sent of and these players are unavailable for todays game. Arniston therefore fielded two trailists and of the five players on the bench four were trialists, although only one was used. I have used (t) to show the trialists on the team lists.
Penicuik started off well and Scott McCrory-Irvng had a early shot saved by Jamie Newman in the Arniston goal. After a low cross was cleared by the desperate Arniston defence for a corner Sam Jones had a shot over the bar and then Ryan Baptie received the ball had a good shot saved by Newman. Newman was being kept busy and blocked a shot by Kyle Sampson as he rushed through on goal. The pressure continued for the remainder of the first half but despite have all the pressure Penicuik were unable to find the net.
Early in the second half Dean Crabbe lobbed Newman but Jamie Butler got back to clear his effort off the line. Newman then made an excellent save from a Crabbe shot as Peniuck continued to pile on the pressure. Penicuik brought on captain Aaron Somerville for Sampson and finally broke the deadlock after seventy-five minutes. Somerville headed a long ball on to Crabbe at the edge of the box and followed up with a run forward into the penalty box. Crabbe threaded a pass forward and Somerville shot past Newman from about seventeen yards. Newman continued to be kept busy and when Somerville chipped him Butler cleared off the line again. Robertson in the Penicuik goal did not have a save to make until late on when he stopped a shot from Dyet which may have been going out anyway. The Penicuik match sponsors made Stevenson their man pf the match. I thought he had a good game and with Crabbe operating infield he had space to attack down the right and sent in some good crosses. However the true man of the match for me was Arniston keeper Newman as without some really good saves from him Penicuik could have repeated their 7-0 victory at Arniston earlier this season.
A good win for Penicuik keeping then at the top of their EoS League conference. After the game I caught a 37 bus back into Edinburgh and then walked home along Melville Drive from South Clerk Street.
Teams
Penicuik Athletic; Robertson, Stevenson, Baptie, Young, Page, Connolly, Crabbe, Jones, McIntoh, Sampson, McCrory-Irving
Subs: Somerville
Arniston Rangers: Newman, Liddle, Raymond Fleming, Butler, Kerr(t), Gay(t), Anderson, Ronald Fleming, Jones, McNally, Dyet
Subs: Reynolds, Smith(t)
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