Linlithgow Rose- Adams, Tyrell, Gray, Hamill, McKenzie, Leiper, Batchelor, Shirra, Weir, Coyne, McLennan. Subs – Kelbie, Ovenstone, Thom, Jones, McKinven (GK)

Penicuik Athletic – Bejaoui, Bruce, Cunnison, White, Young, Barr, Ross, Devlin, Somerville, Gay, Jancyzk. Subs – Lough, Mitchell, Montgomery, Lister, McGurk(GK)

Referee – Alan Hogg, Assistants - Jack Van der Ster & John Brown

Penicuik made several changes both in personnel and position following the midweek defeat at the hands of Bonnyrigg as they faced a strong Linlithgow side under new manager Davie McGlynn.

The match started in controversy when with only two minutes gone the stand side assistant raised his flag for offside as the home side attacked, and as play raged on Bruce was cautioned for a tackle on the edge of the box, with referee Hogg choosing to ignore the flag. From the resultant free kick taken by home captain Tyrell, Bejaoui produced an outstanding save to turn the ball over the bar.

Linlithgow started to control possession with Penicuik wasteful when they had their share of the ball and the home side not showing much penetration, but the game came to life on the quarter hour mark when a Tyrell cross flashed across the six yard box but there were no takers and the ball slid past Bejaoui’s right hand post. Two minutes later Weir ran at the Penicuik defence and slipped in Coyne whose shot went across goal and reached Batchelor whose effort was cleared by Jancyzk. Greg Ross had Penicuk’s first effort a minute later after a neat exchange of passes with Bruce and Somerville but his shot went wide.

With 25 minutes gone Weir was played in by Coyne and McLennan but his shot was saved by Bejaoui and the rebound was hit wide by full back Gray. The opener came a minute later when a Tyrell cross fell to the far edge of the box and Grays’s cross was headed home from close range by BATCHELOR. The home side continued to dominated possession and it was Greg Ross who posed the attacking threat  on the right hand side for the visitors and in a rare attack with 35 minutes gone his cross into the box just evaded Somerville.  The home side had a penalty claim turned down three minutes before half time when Coyne tumbled theatrically in the box after a Cunnison tackle but referee Hogg waved play on

Half Time – Linlithgow Rose 1 Penicuik Athletic 0

With Montgomery replacing Devlin for the visitors the second half continued in the same manner as the first, the hosts neat and tidy in possession without over threatening and Penicuik struggling to hold onto the ball and having to work hard to keep in the game. Linlithgow threatened three minutes in as a free kick was headed across goal and just wide of the post. It was the 54th minute before Penicuik had a chance as a free kick for a Leiper foul on Barr saw Gay’s free kick crash off the wall to safety. Gay was involved five minutes later as he broke from deep in his own half and linked with Montgomery but his final effort was woeful. On the hour mark and Coyne produced a save from Bejaoui and then a Tyrell free kick was held by the keeper at the second attempt. On 65 minutes COYNE got the second (and his 200th for Linlithgow) as he pounced on a return pass from Kelbie in the box to smash the ball past Bejaoui from 15 yards. The home side should have put the game to bed ten minutes later when a sublime pass from Shirra set Batchelor free but his shot went narrowly wide.

With 15 minutes left manager Meikle shuffled his pack bringing on the attacking Lough for right back Bruce as Jones replaced Weir for the Rose. Lough sent a header wide in the 79th minute and Meikle made his last throw of the dice with Mitchell replacing Somerville with four minutes left on the clock. With a minute of the ninety left Penicuik grabbed a lifeline as Jancyzk found Lough on the edge of the box and his flick was heading towards Mitchell when Tyrell’s last ditch tackle saw the ball break into MONTGOMERY’s path and he fired the ball past a helpless Adams.  Into injury time and as the pace of Mitchell had Linlithgow worried every time the ball went forward, Cuikie won a corner on the left and Gay swung in a corner which was met by ROSS who headed home to grab the equaliser. With almost the final kick of the ball Mitchell broke clear for Penicuik and was on the verge of shooting from the edge of the box when a last ditch tackle saved the day for the home side but the late fightback secured a valuable point for Penicuik.

FULL TIME – LINLITHGOW ROSE 2 – PENICUIK ATHLETIC 2