21st December 2023 Penicuik Athletic 4 Vale of Leithen 0

 

I was not sure where to go tonight with Tynecastle at home to LTHV at Meggetland being the closest game. However  as I am not keen on Tynecastle or LHTV I decided to head out to Penicuik for their match against Vale of Leithen. I walked to High Riggs to catch a 47 bus at 19.35 out to Penicuik. I arrived at the ground an hour later to find I had missed the kick-off as the match had kicked off at 19.30. I paid my £5 admission and asked about programmes only to be told that due to printers deadlines none were available tonight. I wandered round to covered terracing and checked in on the Futbology app. After I checked in I got a message from Jim saying he was at the game. I found him just outside the covered area and he told me that teamsheets were available at the gate just beyond where we were standing. I got a free teamsheet as we watched the rest of the match. 

Penicuik are sixth in the East of Scotland Premier but eleven points behind leaders Linlithgow Rose. Last season Penicuik failed to get a promotion spot of goal difference and have lost some key players in Nicky Reid, Kieran Watson and Paul Tansey. Manger Stevie McLeish has brought in a number of new players including Greg Page, Matty Combe, brothers Fletcher and Taylor Hendry from his previous club Tynecastle. However the style of football has changed as is less attractive than last season. I do not think that Penicuik will gain promotion this season and may need to think of a managerial change. As for Vale of Leithen they were relegated from the Lowland League last season and are currently struggling in the EiS League. They have only won one league match this season although it was announced this week that the league had deducted rather three points for this win due to Vale fielding an ineligible player. I think Vale will be relegated but will find their level in the lower leagues of the pyramid. 

Despite the differences in league positions Vale started well and were solid defensively in the early stages holding Penicuik at bay. Penicuik took the lead after twenty-four minutes.a Vale attack down the left was broken up and Penicuik switched the ball quickly into midfield.a through ball from McCrory-Irving found Aaron Somerville racing in behind the Vale defence, he side stepped on rushing Vale keeper Chris Burt on the edge of the penalty area and rolled the ball into the empty net.  There was a delay shortly afterwards as Vale keeper Burt received attention for a knock after a brave dive at a forwards feet. The injury time proved costly for Vale as they lost a second goal in the third minute of added. Somerville fed a ball through to Taylor Hendry from the edge of the penalty box. Hendry side stepped the keeper and, despite claims for offside, shot across goal into the empty net. 

At halftime Penicuik brought on Sean Melvin at right back to replace Gregor Lamb. Melvin who previously played for Newtongrange, Tynecastle and Broxburn was listed as a Trialist but subsequently signed a permanent deal with Penicuik.  He did not take long to make his mark as he scored Penicuiks third goal after fifty minutes. A free kick from Reece Hope was not cleared by the Vale defence. The ball fell to Melvin just inside the right hand side of the penalty area on about ten yards out in the right. He took a touch and then shot across goal into the.far side of the net. A minute later things get even worse for Vale. Somerville robbed centre-half Smith just over the halfway line and set off for goal. The defender pulled him back and was shown a red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. Vale then lost keeper Burt with a recurrence of his earlier injury. With no substitute keeper on the bench they were forced to put an outfield player in goal and bring on an outfield substitute. Penicuik scored again after seventy five minutes. Hope sent a deep cross from the left towards the right hand side of the penalty box. The ball fell to Penicuik substitute Cammy Fraser who shot across goal into the net. The game continued with Penicuik well on top and only a combination of eagerness leading to offside calls and poor finishing prevented further goals. The whistle blew with a 4-0 win for Penicuik.

After the final whistle Jim gave me a lift back into Edinburgh. He dropped me in Lothian Road annd after walking along Fountainbridge I was home by 22.30.

Teams 

Penicuik Athletic: Leiper, Lamb, Hope, Young, Thomson, Edwards, McCrory-Irving, Combe, Hendry, Somerville, Mair.

Subs; Furness, Melvin, Chingwalu, McDonald, Fraser.

Vale of Leithen: Burt, McNeill, Penker, Smith, Wilson, Tickle, Mendes, Pringle, Garvey, Mitchell, Weldon

Subs: Barclay, Murray, Roue