Wednesday 25 May 2016
New Central Park
Fife & Lothians Cup Semi Final
Kelty Hearts
Starting XI | Hamilton, Jacobs, Gates, Carstairs, Courts, Ritchie, Smith, Greig (c), Dalziel (Campbell 73), Cargill (Husband 52), Currie (McCabe 75)
Unused subs | Morrison, C Courts
Penicuik Athletic
Starting XI | Bejaoui (c), Fraser, McDermott, Meikle, Young, Lister, Devlin, Janczyk, McCallum, Somerville (Patterson 83), Lister (Blaikie 62)
Unused subs | White, Montgomery, Gay
Goalscorer | Lough (57)
A Penicuik side buoyed by a run of four wins on the trot, and a record of not having conceded a goal in this seasons’ competition travelled to Fife to meet strong favourites Kelty Hearts who had triumphed 4-0 in the league match between the clubs a few weeks ago. The home side opened strongly and had an early chance as the Cuikie defence failed to clear their lines and Dalziel’s shot was parried to safety by Bejaoui. The visitors responded and Devlin’s effort from a McCallum knock on went narrowly past the upright and was followed with eight minutes gone with as Somerville almost caught out keeper Hamilton as he tried to play the ball out of his penalty area. Gates was prominent for Kelty down the left side and on ten minutes his cross was nodded down into the path of Ritchie but his attempt was wide. It took the home side another 15 minutes to trouble Bejaoui again and this time the big keeper easily saved Smith’s shot before a Cargill surge into the box saw the ball break towards Smith who was unable to get a shot away. The home side were starting to pile the pressure on the Cuikie defence who were proving up to the challenge and on the half hour Cargill saw his shot saved at the near post. Kelty continued to press and a Smith shot went narrowly past the upright before Ritchie crashed a header of the base of the post with 33 minutes gone and that proved to be the last real chance of the half as Cuikie defended well.
HALFTIME | Kelty Hearts 0-0 Penicuik Athletic
The early part of the second half saw both teams look for the opening and it came Penicuik’s way with 56 minutes gone when LOUGH latched onto a through ball from Lister, shook off his marker Carstairs and slotted past the despairing Hamilton from the edge of the box. Kelty replied with a long range effort from substitute Husband but the ex-Hearts and Blackpool midfielder saw his shot sail over the bar. On the hour mark Gates and Smith set up Dalziel with a shooting opportunity in the box but he crashed his shot into the side netting and five minutes Cuikie sub Blaikie got in on the act but his shot from 25 yards out was went high and wide. Cuikie had a chance to go further ahead in the 70th minute as a Young directed a header from Jancyzk’s free kick in towards McCallum who saw his overhead kick come back of the post. Kelty immediately went up the park and as the ball broke to Husband 20 yards out his fierce drive shook the cross bar but was cleared to safety. With 15 minutes to go Gates again provided a great ball across the six yard box but there were no takers and again Cuikie cleared the danger. With five minutes of normal time remaining Campbell for Kelty came close again but Young was his equal to block his shot and again the danger was cleared. A minute into stoppage time, and memories of a Scottish Cup tie a few seasons ago when Kelty scored twice in injury time to thwart Penicuik were invoked, as Carstairs rose to meet a cross into the box but saw his header bounce off Meikle and safely in to the waiting arms of Bejaoui. With the final chance of the game McCabe fired over from distance and an elated Penicuik team celebrated as referee Clark blew the final whistle.
FULLTIME | Kelty Hearts 0-1 Penicuik Athletic
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