HANCOCK HEADS PENICUIK TO VICTORY

Penicuik's Brian Hancock, partly hidden by No 9, turns away after scoring another excellent goal for the Midlothian outfit in a tremendous game against Bo'ness in Penicuik

Penicuik United beat Bo’ness 5-4 in a fantastic premier division clash in the Lothian & Edinburgh Amateur FA.

In a quite incredible first half, the home side looked to be heading for a massive score when they cruised into a 3-0 lead with superb goals from Brian Hancock and Chris Walker (2). All three goals came in the first 24 minutes of the game and the visiting side from West Lothian looked to be heading for a real thumping. To their great credit, Bo’ness kept playing their own passing game and they reduced the deficit to 3-1 with a thundering drive from Chris Brown. Penicuik should have gone further ahead but a stunning clearance off the line by Bo’ness star, Steve Veitch, kept the shot from Hancock from going over the line.

Four minutes from the half-time whistle, Bo’ness made it 3-2 with another glorious goal from Craig Cleland this time and it was no surprise, really, when Gareth Adamson found the back of the Penicuik net with a cracking drive from 16yd out to square the game at 3-3 at the half-way stage.

It was a wonderful game of football between two very good sides. The home side created the first good chance on the restart, with Scott Bradford sending a searing free-kick from the left in to the Bo’ness goalmouth but there were no takers and the ball flashed across the goal and away from danger. The home side were punished for missing that chance when Bo’ness scored their fourth goal of an amazing game, Cleland setting up Adam Brown to stick the ball in the Penicuik net and put the visiting side ahead for the first time in the game. It was an incredible turnaround and the shell-shocked home outfit had to dig deep to produce a stunning equaliser from Brian McGarry to square the game once again at 4-4.

What a tremendous goal that was from the Penicuik striker as he hit the ball on the run from the right of the 18yd box in to the top corner of the Bo’ness net. In a really sensational bout of scoring, it was the home side that produced a great winner when Scott Bradford sent another pin-point free kick in to the centre of the visitors goalmouth for Hancock to rise above the static Bo’ness defence to head the ball down and in to the back of the net for a great winning goal. In the time remaining the pace of the game never slackened at all but the home side had down enough to clinch all three points in a game that was an absolute credit to amateur football. Match referee, Kenny Swan, kept firm control of the game and that allowed the players to concentrate on playing football to the delight and enjoyment of everyone lucky enough to be watching from the sidelines.