Match date: 27th November 2021 Kickoff: 2.30 pm
After a poor performance last weekend Dunbar United faced League leaders Penicuik Athletic for the second time within three weeks and were looking to maintain their excellent unbeaten home form since early August.
On a bitterly cold afternoon both sides took a while to settle before the game burst into life after fifteen minutes when Aaron Somerville had a shot headed away by Dunbar’s Dean Whitson before a rapid counter attack saw Andy Jones cause problems in the Penicuik defence.
Dunbar went close with a shot from Evan Fleming before Darren Handling headed inches wide with Penicuik replying with two efforts from Nicky Reid one of which struck the top of the crossbar before the visitors missed a great chance to open the scoring in the 32nd minute when Aaron Somerville controlled a long clearance, rounded the Dunbar keeper but shot into the side netting which more or less summed up a goalless first half.
Fraser McLaren replaced the unwell Jamie Devlin after the restart for Dunbar and although they attacked from the off, it was Penicuik who broke the deadlock after 49 minutes when a long clearance from defence by Andy Forbes caused a mix up in the Dunbar defence leaving Nicky Reid the simplest of tasks to slide the ball into the empty net.
Minutes later the same player might have increased their lead but his shot went inches wide before Dunbar applied some pressure on the Penicuik defence and a Bob Berry shot from the edge of the box went through a ruck of players before being cleared of the goal line by a Penicuik defender.
With the game still finely balanced a quick counter attack saw Nicky Reid hit the post for Penicuik whilst Andy Jones cross for Dunbar was just missed by Darren Handling at the back post with the goal at his mercy.
Cameron Dawson might have done better for the visitors after being set up by Lumbert Kateleza before a nice flowing move from Dunbar ended with the Penicuik keeper making a fine save from Grant Thomson’s cross whilst under pressure from Fraser McLaren.
With eight minutes left and Dunbar pushing hard for an equaliser, Darren Handling and Bob Berry combined well with the latter’s low cross across the face of the goal evading everyone with only a touch needed to turn the ball into the net.
Penicuik were well organised and quite happy to see out the final minutes and maintain their League challenge with another three valuable points going their way.
An improved Dunbar performance from last weekend, but yet another difficult game next weekend when third placed Linlithgow Rose visit New Countess Park with kick off again at 2.30pm. Tickets for the game are on sale via the club’s Fanbase app:
Dunbar United :- Daniel Laing, Grant Thomson, Michael McFarlane, Dean Whitson, Evan Fleming, Darren Smith, Bob Berry, Fraser Neave, Jamie Devlin, Andy Jones, Darren Handling.
Substitutes :- Ryan Mack, Kieran Ingram, Fraser McLaren, Johnny Edmond, Scott Hay, Nicky Weir, Dan Purves.
Penicuik Athletic :- Robert Watt, Ryan Baptie, Daryl Young, David Edwards, Kieran Watson, Aaron Somerville, Scott McCrory-Irving, Paul Thomson, Andy Forbes, Aiden Walsh, Nicky Reid.
Substitutes :- Lumbert Kareleza, Cameron Dawson, Paul Tansey, Robbie Neave, Jack Furness, Lewis Collins.
Referee :- Daniel Graves.
Match report courtesy of Laurie Wood.