Penicuik Athletic come from behind to beat Newtongrange Star in derby clash

Penicuik bounced back from the first defeat of the season with a hard-fought Midlothian derby victory at Newtongrange Star.
Penicuik edged past Newtongrange in a hard-fought Midlothian derby (pic: Jim Dick)Penicuik edged past Newtongrange in a hard-fought Midlothian derby (pic: Jim Dick)
Penicuik edged past Newtongrange in a hard-fought Midlothian derby (pic: Jim Dick)

Having lost 1-0 at Musselburgh in midweek, Penicuik found themselves trailing again after just nine minutes at New Victoria Park.

Liam McIntosh's strike dipped over keeper Robert Watt’s outstretched hand and to give bottom-of-the-table Star, still chasing their first win of the season, an early lead.

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Four minutes later, a mix up in the Penicuik defence allowed Ryan Porteous a shot on goal but his effort sailed high over.

A Jack Gillan effort was then tipped away for a corner by Watt.

In the 20th minute, a Penicuik break by Penicuik saw Aiden Walsh one on one with keeper Liam McCathie who pulled off a superb one handed save.

However Penicuik levelled the match in the 27th minute when Paul Tansey spun his marker and drilled the ball low into the bottom corner.

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Penicuik should then have taken the lead five minutes later but Nicky Reid blasted over the bar from inside the penalty box.

After the break Nitten came close when Alex Webb volleyed just wide and then saw Watt save a curling strike to deny substitute Tom Davies.

McIntosh got behind the Penicuik defence, but Andy Forbes was on hand to head clear his dangerous cross.

At the other end a Walsh header had McCathie scrambling across his goal and he was relieved to see the ball go narrowly past the post.

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However, in the 69th minute Penicuik took the lead, Forbes rising above the defence to power home an unstoppable header from Ryan Baptie’s corner.

Then a first-time volley from 25 yards by Reid went just over the Star bar before Webb saw a volley dip onto the roof of the Penicuik net.

Penicuik then sighed with relief when a long free kick bounced in the box, struck the crossbar and rebounded straight into Watt’s arms.

Penicuik almost added a third in the 85th minute as Reid set up Tansey, who drilled the ball past McCathie only to see it blocked by full-back Liam Peden.

Two minutes into injury time Nitten were reduced to 10 men when Gary Hamilton received a second yellow card for a foul on Reid.