Penicuik Athletic 3 Stenhousemuir 0: Scottish Cup shock for last season’s giant-killers

A 3-0 defeat by the Midlothian side is a far cry from the 4-2 win over Falkirk and creditable draw at Pittodrie against Aberdeen of last season.

There was no hiding place for the visitors on their second attempt to have the game played at Carlops Road – and witnessed by more than 1200 in the former Juniors’ ground.

From the off Cuikie were intent on showing they were at least a match for Davie Irons’ side and they traded blows in the opening minutes with powerful drives from Chris O’Neil and Paul tansey handled by Kevin Swain and Graeme Smith respectively.

But gradually Stenhousemuir were edging the bulk of play but it was at the other end the opener almost came with a ball from the right wing swept in to the far post to waiting Sam Jones but he stabbed the chance wide.

With just five minutes to the break a rocket shot from “man of the match “ Paul Tansey whizzed inches wide of the target for Penicuik’s final first-half chance – but more was to come in the second with the scoreline blank.

For that’s when the Cuikie netted three second half goals to send the home fans into raptures.

Twice in a five-minute spell Penicuik got on the scoresheet to put the visitors on the back foot and grab a 2-0 lead.

It was in 51 minutes firstly that referee Lloyd Wilson awarded Penicuik a penalty for a challenge by O’Neil on O’Donnell and though Craig Stevenson’s penalty was blocked by keeper Smith, the player slotted the rebound home to break the deadlock.

And amazingly it was 2-0 to the ‘Cuikie just five minutes later following another fine save from Swain denying a rocket shot from Hopkirk before a sweeping move turned the tables to earn a corner subsequently swept in by Sam Jones.

There was little to no let-up now from the home side among fevered celebrations on the sidelines and Stenhousemuir were chasing the game. Substitute Connor McBride came on for Mark McGuigan and did put some pressure on the hosts but their strikers had an off day as Penicuik keeper Kevin Swain kept a super clean sheet.

The icing on the Penicuik cake came by way of their third goal just five minutes from time up when a through ball saw a slip from Scott McLaughlin allow Sean Stewart to run on to face Smith as Stewart swept the ball into the visitors’ net for an awesome third Penicuik goal on the afternoon and set up a momentous trip to Firhill to meet ian mcCall’s partick Thistle in the third round next month.