31st August 2021 Musselburgh Athletic 1 Penicuik Athletic 0

 

Was not sure where to go tonight. Spartans were at home to Cumbernauld and I could get in with my season ticket but there was a full cardin The East of Scotland League as well. With Musselburgh at home to table topping Penicuik I decided to head to Olivebank for this game. I left home just after 18.00 and walked down to Haymarket where I caught a 44 bus to Musselburgh. I arrived in Musselburgh around 19.10 and had a short walk to the ground. Having bought my ticket on the Fanbase app there was no problem with getting access and I was soon inside the ground.  No match programme was available although team line-ups were sourced on Twitter. I wandered past the dressing room area and met John, another road work colleague, who is on the Penicuik Athletic committee as treasurer. We had a long chat about the current Penicuik side before I wandered round to the covered enclosure leaving John with his committee colleagues. I then met Alan and his friend Graham, a Linlithgow Rose and Hearts fan, and we stood together for the match. 

Musselburgh are currently in the top four of the table and are pushing for a Lowland league place. I have seen them twice already this season and have been impressed. Former hearts player Joe Hamill who had recently been appointed player/manager at Musselburgh has inherited a good squad. Musselburgh had record goal scorer Matty King back in the side tonight and he was partnered up front by Jordan Smith. Smith had played for Tynecastle, Bonnyrigg and Tranent and is a regular goal scorer at East of Scotland level. I was a bit concerned for Penicuik this season as they lost a number of experienced players. Callum Connolly (Bonnyrigg), Craig Stevenson (Tranent) and Sean Stewart (Berwick) have all moved on. However penicuik are now looking at fielding a younger side. Reece Hope (St Johnstone), Robbie Neave (Bonnyrigg) and Jack Furness (Hibs) have been brought in amongst others. There is still some experience in the side with Paul Thomson and Darrell Young in central defence and Aaron Somerville and Ryan Baptie on the bench. 

To be honest this was not one of the best matches I have seen. The two sides were evenly matched and while there was a lot of effort neither side had the upper hand which allowed for a lot of goal chances.  Penicuik had the first chance when Paul Tansey broke down the left but his shot hot the side netting. Musselburgh then had Pencuik keeper Robert Watt scrambling back towards his goal after a long freekick by Callum Donaldson. The ball however sailed past the post. Shortly before halftime Bradley Whyte went through on the Penicuik goal but keeper Watt got down well to block his shot. 

Penicuik had early chance in the second half when Andy Forbes sent in a cross towards Cammy Dawson. The striker's header was straight at Musselburgh keeper Ben McKinley who gathered the ball comfortably. Dawson had another chance when he robbed the ball from Musselburgh defender Greg Page. Dawson raced into the area but McGinley turned away his shot. Dawson is on loan to Penicuik from Spartans ans is, I think, a good striker. However he never seemed to get a regular place in the Spartans side and hopefully the move to Penicuik will help him flourish. Penicuik lost Tansey after a bad tackle and he was replaced by Robbie Neave. Page then almost scored for Burgh from a corner but headed just wide. The first and only goal came in seventy-five minutes. Conor Thomson tried a shot for Musselburgh from outside the penalty box. The ball was blocked by the arm of Neave and the referee awarded a penalty. I would have to say that form where I was standing it did not look like deliberate handball but there were few protests from Penicuik. Matty King fired the spot-kick into the right hand corner of the net despite McGinley getting a touch as he dived. As the game moved into injury time substitute Dean Ballantyne broke free for Burgh. Penicuik's Darrell Young took him down from behind about twenty-two yards from goal. Young had already been booked for dissent and received a second yellow card and subsequent red. Ballantyne fired the free-kick past the post as the referee blew for full-time.

After the final whistle I walked smartly back to Musselburgh High. I just missed 30 bus but a 26 came along within Minutes. I took this to Haymarket and walked home form there arriving back around 22.10. It had not been the best match I had seen all season so far and Penicuik have now lost three unbeaten record but was still enjoyable with two committed sides putting in 100% effort.

Teams

Musselburgh Athletic: McGinley, Donaldson, Orru, Tanner, Page, O'Kane, Jefferies, Thomson, Smith, King, Whyte.

Subs: Ballantyne, Fiddler.

Penicuik Athletic: Watt, Forbes, Hope, Thomson, Young, Furness, Reid, Watson, Dawson, Walsh, Tansey.

Subs: Leave, McMurdo, Kateleza