12th August 2023. Tynecastle 9 Penicuik Athletic 0

 

With Hearts having played Rosenberg in the Europa Conference qualifiers on Thursday todays scheduled League match against Kilmarnock has been pushed back to Sunday. As a consequence I had a choice of where to go and I decided to head to Meggetland to watch Tynecastle host Penicuik in the East of  Scotland Premier League. I left home around 13.40 for the short walk along the banks of the canal to Meggetland. I arrived around 14.05 and paid my £5 concessionary admission. The stadium, which is also used by Boroughmuir Rigby Club, has a capacity of 4388 with 500 seats in the main stand and a grassy terracing area opposite the stand. Tynecastle do not normally issue programmes and the quality of the PA system makes it difficult to hear the announcement iPod the team line-ups. However I recognised the bulk of the Penicuik side and found the Penicuik Twitter page listed both line-ups in full.

Tynecastle struggled last season and narrowly escaped relegation. They have strengthened their squad by bringing in strikers Fletcher Hendry and Russell Cairns along with midfielder Matty Combe from Penicuik. Striker Mackenzie Scott has arrived on loan from Spartans with Ethan Wynne coming in from Livingston to bolster the midfield. I have seen Penicuik twice already this season with both games resulting for victories for ‘Cuikie’ under new manager Lewis Coult. They have added Scott Taylor-McKenzie to their options in midfield after his transfer from Hutchison Vale during the week. However the side were defeated 6-0:at Glenrothes last week and will be looking to bounce back to form today. 

Penicuik started the game well and captain Aaron Somerville had a shot from outside the penalty box pushed away by Tyecastle keeper Murray Jackson. Ben Wardlaw then headed past the post before things started to go wrong just before the half hour mark. After twenty-four minutes Paul Thomson fouled Hendry in the penalty area. The referee had no hesitation in awarding a spot kick and Ryan Cameron stepped up to send Evan Miller the wrong way as he shot into the corner of the net. Two minutes later Tynecastle scored a second. Full-back Blake Wales sent in a  cross from the right and Scott rose unchallenged in the penalty area to head past Miller into the top of the net. Penicuik then lost centre-back Thomson when he limped off after an injury be replaced by Sean Calder. Cameron scored number three in twenty-nine minutes after Combe broke down the left. He sent a low ball across goal where Cameron netted from the edge of the six yard box. Goal number four arrived after thirty-five minutes when Stephen Tait broke from the back and sent a pass through to Scott who beat the offside trap before sliding the ball past Miller to give Tynecastle a 4-0 lead. Two minutes later it was 5-0 as Scott took a pass on the edge of the box and beat his man before slamming the ball low into the far corner.

Oenicuik replaced Somerville and Josh Inglis with Sammy Dawson and Ryan Quinn at halftime while Tyncastle brought on former Penicuik striker Russell Cairns. Goal number six arrived after fifty-nine minutes. Tynecastle continued to press forward and after some sustained pressure, the ball fell to substitute Cairns who managed to squeeze his right foot drive under keeper Miller from a tight angle with the ball ending up in the net despite Andy Forbes' attempt to clear of the goal-line. Goal number seven arrived after seventy-thee minutes. Cairns gather a low cross in the penalty area facing away from goal. He turned quickly and shot low under the diving Miller for his second goal of the game. Then after seventy-five minutes Scott scored the eighth goal. He ran onto a long through ball and despite claims for offside slid the ball under the diving Miller into the net. Cairns scored number nine and his hat-trick after eighty-one minutes. Again the Penicuik defence were caught our by a long through ball. Cairns gathered the ball on the left inside the penalty area and shot past Miller. Tynecastle were well on top now and manager Charlie King shouted to Ryan Cameron asking if he wanted to come off for a rest. He responded no as I think he wanted his hat-trick but ended up being caution for a dive in the box attempting to win another penalty. Thankfully for Penicuik the referee did not add much extra time as he blew the whistle to signal a comprehensive win for Tynecastle.

I walked home along the canal again and arrived home just after 17.00 after stopping to pick up a bottle  of red wine to celebrate the victory. I think Penicuik are really struggling under their new manager and there may be further managerial changes coming up shortly unless performances improve.

Teams

Tynecastle: Jackson, Wales, Tait, Jardine, Goodlad, Greig. Wynne, Combe, Cameron, Scott, Hendry.

Subs: Cairns, O’Donnell, Tuck, Blaney

Penicuik Athletic: Miller, Melvin, Baptie, Inglis, Thomson, Forbes, Wardlaw, Roue, Fraser, Somerville, Taylor-McKenzie

Subs: Dawson, Calder, Quinn, Buckle, Philp