Tranent Juniors put on a show for new boss Johnny Harvey with 5-2 demolition of Penicuik Athletic

Belters raced into 4-0 half-time lead as Harvey watched on
Tranent Juniors swept Penicuik Athletic aside at Foresters Park as new boss Johnny Harvey watched onTranent Juniors swept Penicuik Athletic aside at Foresters Park as new boss Johnny Harvey watched on
Tranent Juniors swept Penicuik Athletic aside at Foresters Park as new boss Johnny Harvey watched on

New Tranent boss Johnny Harvey watched on for the first time as his players delivered a terrific performance to beat his former club Penicuik Athletic 5-2.

Harvey, who returned from a week’s holiday in Tenerife on Friday, left caretaker boss David McGlynn in charge for the final time as he ran the rule over his squad, meeting them for the first time in the changing room before the game.

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He would have loved what he saw in the opening half as Tranent went into break 4-0 ahead as they took full advantage of having the wind behind them. Brad Donaldson fired in the opener, before team-mates Kyle Lander, Lewis Hawkins and Stephen MacDonald joined him in finding the net.

Centre-back Donaldson revealed it was a win the squad needed after feeling responsible for former boss Calvin Shand’s sacking.

“It was good to get back to winning ways after losing three on the trot, and we need it massively,” Donaldson said. “It has lifted the spirit back in the changing room after Calvin got sacked.

"It hasn’t been a great time, because ultimately the reason he lost his job was because of us.

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“It was a bit of a shock to the boys when Calvin got sacked, albeit form wasn’t great but we were still sitting in the top three and dominating games. It has been put to the back of our heads now. Hopefully we can finish the season strongly and get to where we should be.

“There seemed like there was a bit of togetherness in the squad, and we took our chances, which was the main thing. I think it was the first time we have scored more than two in quite a few months.

“The wind was a massive factor, but being 4-0 up after half an hour gives you the mindset that you can’t really get beat. In the first half hour the game was won and we just had to make sure that we defended properly in the second half, and we did, although we conceded two it was a really good team performance.”

Penicuik rallied in the second half with Scott McCrory-Irving and Lumbert Kateleza reducing the deficit, but MacDonald got his second with just over 20 minutes to go to halt any potential comeback.