Sean Stewart aims to fire Penicuik past Whitehill Welfare in Scottish Cup

Sean Stewart says his lightening start with new club Penicuik Athletic is down to the quality of the team-mates surrounding him.

Bonnyrigg Rose, Penicuik Athletic, Newtongrange Star, Dalkeith Thistle, Arniston Rangers and Easthouses Lily in local derbies

The winger has been in red-hot form for the Cuikie since joining the club over the summer from Vale of Leithen and, ahead of visiting local rivals Whitehill Welfare in the second preliminary round of the William Hill Scottish Cup, he is eager to score more goals after netting a hat-trick in the previous round.

“I’ve scored a fair few goals and it’s always nice to get the season under way with a good start,” said Stewart. “What has helped me a lot is the boys I am playing with; the standard at training and games ... we play with a really high intensity and it has suited my game quite nicely. The calibre of player that we have recruited this year is fantastic and it’s been nice to fit in and contribute with a few goals here and there.

“Penicuik are a big club and when I spoke to Kev and Tony [Milne and Begg, joint managers] I knew almost straight away that Penicuik was where I wanted to go – just with the ambition that they had in getting to the Lowland League. I did have offers elsewhere but Penicuik just seemed the right fit for me.”

It’s been night and day for Stewart playing for a club who go into most matches expecting to win, considering his past couple of years with Vale which were spent fighting it out at the bottom of the table.

The 22-year-old continued: “Coming in and playing in Kev and Tony’s team there is an expectation to win every week, so there is that pressure. It is almost a reverse for me as last year and the year before we struggled at the bottom of the league.

“It’s been a long time since Penicuik were last in the cup, and we know no games are going to be easy.

“I am absolutely buzzing and everyone around the club is up for the Whitehill game.

“We are just taking each game as it comes but we want to get as far as we can.”

Saturday’s fixtures

Premier Division (2.30pm): Crossgates Primrose v Blackburn United, Dundonald v Newtongrange Star.

Conference A (2.30pm): Dunipace v Leith Athletic, Haddington Athletic v Burntisland Shipyard, Peebles Rovers v Heriot-Watt University.

Conference B (2.30pm): Easthouses Lily v Hawick Royal Albert Shipyard, Stirling University (EOSFL) v Preston Athletic, Tynecastle v Coldstream.

Scottish Cup second preliminary round (3pm): Camelon v Auchinleck Talbot, Girvan v Broxburn, Jeanfield Swifts v Linlithgow Rose, Lochee United v Lothian Thistle HV, Threave Rovers v Hill of Beath Hawthorn, Whitehill Welfare v Preston Athletic.

Alex Jack Cup first round (2.30pm): Arniston Rangers v Kinnoull.

Alex Jack Cup second round (2.30pm): Dalkeith Thistle v Oakley, Dunbar United v Craigroyston, Edinburgh United v Glenrothes, Inverkeithing HS v Tweedmouth Rangers, Musselburgh Athletic v Bo’ness United, Ormiston v Sauchie, Tranent v St Andrews