Blackburn United 1 (Campbell 41mins)
Penicuik Athletic 0
United were almost in trouble inside the opening minute when only a perfectly timed, last gasp tackle from John Drummond prevented Somerville from pulling the trigger in front of goal with only Craig Saunders to beat. At the other end, Kieran Welsh sent Danny Campbell in on the right but after he’d tricked his way past O’Donnell his drilled ball across the face of goal went begging. The visitors, too, saw a tempting ball into the six yard box find no takers when McCrory-Irving wriggled into space on the right before whipping in a delivery that came to naught. Just beyond the half-hour mark David Howe made some room to clip in a twenty yarder that Watt in the Cuikie goal held before, two minutes later, Penicuik also came close, O’Donnell pulling a ball back for Tansey whose shot flew across the face of goal and narrowly past. With just four minutes until the interval Blackburn then made the breakthrough, Saunders sending a long, penetrating ball forward from the edge of his box to release Danny CAMPBELL in behind Connolly and, as Watt advanced from his goal line, the striker coolly lifted the ball over the big ‘keepers head and into the waiting net.
Seven minutes after the resumption a deep free-kick found Young to head back across goal to Tansey but his header was brilliantly saved by Saunders before, moments later, Somerville’s cross from the right was again met by the head of Tansey but his effort this time was too high, as was Connolly’s header from Somerville’s knock-down just beyond the hour. Midway through the half and with the visitors piling forward O’Donnell hit a twenty-five yarder that Saunders saved before pouncing gratefully on the ball as it rolled loose. With Penicuik’s attempts at an equaliser becoming ever more desperate United were able to break quickly with ten minutes remaining but when Campbell intelligently held up play on the right of the area waiting for support his eventual lay-off was rattled against the base of the left hand upright by substitute Laurie Devine. Devine himself then showed wonderful skill on the break to set up Marc Smith with a cut-back that the youngster drilled goalwards only for it to be cleared off the line and bundled away, but only as far as Richie Hutton who had a pop at goal from the left angle of the area that was deflected past for a fruitless corner.
Blackburn United line-up: Saunders, Welsh, McClung, Browne, Drummond, Smith, Queen (L.Devine 62), Kane (McLeod 78), Campbell, Howe, Hutton Subs (not-used): Mildren, McIntosh, Gunn, Lawrie, Mitchell
Penicuik Athletic line-up: Watt, O’Donnell, Young, Page, Connolly, Jones, Somerville, Tansey, McCrory-Irving, Ponton, Forbes Subs: Baptie, Kateleza, Wilson, Devlin, Stevenson
Referee: Mr. Alastair Grieve
Assistants: Mr. Chris Ashley & Mr. Michael Harte