Wednesday December 31st 2014
Third top Bo’ness United visited Penicuik Park to play fifth place Penicuik Athletic in this Super League clash. In the opening minute, Bo’ness won possession and broke up field only to see a strike on goal by Philp crash back off the bar and cleared. One minute later a free kick to Penicuik was curled in by Killin and McCulloch got his head to the ball but keeper Wallace saved comfortably. Immediately afterwards a corner to Penicuik saw McCulloch rise above the Bo’ness defence again, but this time his header was off target. In the 6th minute, Killin drove into the penalty box and appeared to be pushed off the ball by Murphy, but referee Cairns took a different view and booked Killin for diving. Then an effort by Ross had keeper Wallace watching anxiously as the ball went narrowly wide.
Bo’ness started to pressurise the Penicuik defence winning consecutive corner kicks the second of which brought out an instinctive save by Bejaoui. In the 16th minute, a great cut back to the edge of the Penicuik penalty box by Walker was blasted high over the bar by Cowan. Five minutes later, Killin was inches away from prodding home a Jancyzk free kick. In the 26th minute, a powerful left foot strike by Leiper was tipped round the post by Bejaoui. Shortly afterwards with Bo’ness in control of the game, Cowan came close with a strike from 20 yards. Ten minutes later, Bejaoui had to be alert to get down quickly to save a Devine shot.
Three minutes into the second half, referee Cairns had no hesitation in red carding Walker for a bad tackle on Killin who was unable to continue and Penicuik substitute Gay came on his place. In the 51st minute, Lister crossed the ball into the Bo’ness penalty box where Jancyzk was just beaten to the ball by Campbell who headed the ball clear for a corner to Penicuik. From the corner, the ball was partially cleared, but Lister got to the ball first and passed to Gay who crossed the ball back in. Ross got in ahead of his marker, but his header came back off the bar. Immediately afterwards, a defence splitting pass by Gay picked out McCallum, but instead of striking for goal first time, he tried to cut inside to his favoured left foot and lost possession.
Five minutes later, a great run up the left by McDermott saw him back heel the ball to Jancyzk who crossed the ball into the box. Ross headed the ball down to McCallum but his strike was blocked and gathered by keeper Wallace. In the 82nd minute, a driving run by Pittman released substitute Anderson who appeared offside, but fortunately for Penicuik he dragged his shot wide of the goal. Four minutes later, a pass back to Wallace was hit by the keeper against McCallum who was unlucky not to control the clearance and the keeper gratefully gathered the rebound. Then in the first minute of injury time, McPartlin drove at the Bo’ness defence only to see his shot blocked by Wallace and the danger was cleared
Penicuik: Bejaoui, Cunnison, McDermott, McCulloch, White, Lister, Ross, Burrell, McCallum, Jancyzk, Killin Subs: McPartlin, Gay, Weir, Young, Hill
Bo’ness: Wallace, Snowdon, Leiper, Murphy, Campbell, Devine, Walker, Philp, Cowan, Pittman, Donnelly Subs: Anderson, Gribben, Scott, Sloan, Brown Referee: Mr Evan Cairns
Reporter: Jim Dick
