League Leaders Draw Blank

Penicuik Athletic retained their unbeaten record in the SuperLeague this season but were unable to find a way past a well organised Sauchie team and failed to find the net for the first time this season. In truth it was Sauchie Juniors who looked the more likely of the two sides to find a goal and were perhaps a little unlucky not to take three points. Penicuik created a few chances but nothing really clear cut and will be disappointed with their performance against a team they need to beat if they are to challenge for the championship. Perhaps the home side's options were curtailed a little as injuries restricted their tactical flexibility in the second half. 

Despite bouncing straight back into the Mcbookie.com East SuperLeague after a year in the McBookie.com East Premier League, Sauchie Juniors have found life difficult back in the top flight. Today promised to be just as challenging when they visited unbeaten league leaders Penicuik Athletic. The home side finished fourth last season and have started off this campaign in top form. Four straight wins have given Penicuik confidence and home wins over Linlithgow Rose and local rivals Newtongrange Star have seen them in good form on their home patch. Sauchie have lost both of their matches on their travels but only narrowly, so this promised to be an interesting test of the home side's championship credentials at this very early stage of the season.

Sauchie were quick to get on the front foot and their trialist wearing number 10 and looking suspiciously like Former stalwart Cummings shot wildly over the bar in their first attack but, it signalled their intent.

Penicuik's first raid saw Jones try to find Kataleza but his pass was just beyond the striker.  Penicuik's next effort was a Jones shot from distance but it was well wide.

Sauchie were very much in the game and after 10 minutes they created a chance after some good work down the right. Kelly played in Morgan  but his shot was blocked.  Sauchie created a great chance after 17 minutes but the triallist's effort was just out of Kelly's reach.

After 20 minutes Penicuik's Jones and Jack Hamilton combined well to create a shooting chance for McCrory- Irvine but he shot straight at Dolan in the Sauchie goal.

After 23 minutes the visitors won a free kick on the left. Morgan sent a teasing ball in which alluded everyone. Penicuik created a chance from a free kick themselves but McCrory- Irving's dipping shot was brilliantly tipped away by Dolan.

Sauchie nearly took the lead after 36 minutes. A long ball from a free kick in their own half was left by Hume and let Kelly in in goal. Allyson parried his shot brilliantly and when he followed up Hume redeemed himself with a saving block.

In the last significant action of the first half Kataleza sent the ball wide to Connolly, and with Syme diving in, the wide man found himself free but, he fired his shot wide of the far post.

It was an even first half with both teams having a share of possession but very little in the way of clear cut chances being created. The visitors were the more assured however, and looked the more likely to create the breakthrough.

Half Time:  Penicuik Athletic 0;  Sauchie Juniors 0

Neither side made any changes at the break.

Sauchie had a chance straight away. Connolly misplaced a pass across the back and the trialist had a sight of goal. However he curled his shot over. Penicuik were then forced into a change with Montgomery replacing Young. Almost immediately the trialist was on the end of a through ball and his chipped effort before beat Allyson- however Hume was there to hook his goal bound effort off the line. A minute later the trialist was played in again but his effort was wide.

Penicuik eventually got going in the second period with McCrory -Irving playing a good ball into Jack Hamilton but the defensive Trialist for Sauchie made a good blocking tackle. Jones then tried a shot from range for the home side which the goalkeeper fumbled but gathered at the second attempt. Sauchies's reply was a Morgan free kick over the bar.

After 63 minutes Kateleza did well on the right before playing in Jones whose shot was well saved by Dolan.

The game was well balanced at this stage but neither side looked capable of a breakthrough.

Sauchie then had a Morgan shot deflected for a corner after some good play.

Both sides used their substitutes in an effort to gain an advantage.

With time running out Montgomery put in a fine cross which the keeper did well to cope with at his far post, after the ball had been headed back across goal.

Deep into added time,  Sauchie's Morgan received a straight red apparently for comments made to the assistant referee.

With the last action of the game Penicuik had an effort cleared off the line after a corner.

A draw was probably a fair reflection on play with neither side creating much and the goalkeepers having very little to do. The Sauchie defence looked solid and Penicuik lacked creativity in midfield. Kelly and Shirra were best for Sauchie and goalkeeper Dolan did all asked off him. The home side had an off day and were best served by Barr.

With the midweek fixtures finished until the Spring both sides return to action next Saturday. Penicuik travel to Hill of Beath Hawthorn whilst Sauchie host Broxburn in SuperLeague fixtures.

Full Time: Penicuik Athletic 0; Sauchie Juniors 0

Penicuik  Allison, MacDonald, G Hamilton, Hume (c), Young, Jones, Connolly, Barr, Jack Hamilton, Kateleza, McCrory-Irving Subs Williams, Montgomery, Mendez, Somerville, Easton

Sauchie Juniors

Dolan, MacFarlane, Syme, Trialist, Sharp, Shirra, MacTaggart, Morgan, Kelly, Trialist and Leary Subs Morrison, Hutchison, Flood, Millar and Graham

Referee  Kevin Lindsay  Assistant Referees  Greig Haynes and Blair White

Gordon Baird

Neutral Reporter