IN this now annual fixture, Penicuik went down 5-0 to a young Hearts side brimming with exciting talent.
On show from the Tynecastle side were youngsters full of pace, guile far above their years, many of them who will be pressing hard for first-team opportunities as next season progresses.
Hearts coach Darren Murray used this game at Penicuik Par
k as a warm-up before heading for the Milk Cup in Ireland and he was delighted with his squad.
He said: "We got the ball down and that was important. We passed well, opened the game up and saw how they reacted when under pressure. It's a learning curve for us at this point. But it was a good workout."
Acting coach for Penicuik, Mark Cowan, was pleased with the way his players still tried to play good football.
"It was a good workout for us so early in our training. Fitness told in the end as it was grown men against youngsters full of running. I would have been disappointed if we had beaten them because everyone wants to see good footballers being given a chance, and there was plenty of talent out there. It was a good fitness exercise with the crowd enjoying the game."
The first half was tight with few chances before Hearts took the lead in the 38th minute.
Dumitru Copil, who produced some dazzling footwork, took the ball out wide right before crossing for Paul Mulrooney to scramble it into the net at the far post.
Into the second half and Hearts stepped up a gear.
In 55 minutes, Elias Wagner crossed low for Copil to side-foot home at the back post, then impressive full back Craig Thomson controlled the ball in the box and drilled home from ten yards.
Hearts brought on their subs and immediately stepped up another gear.
Penicuik were trying hard but fitness was now telling as the visitors grabbed another goal,
a simple Conrad Balatoni header from a corner. With time running out, Hearts scored their fifth of the afternoon. Again it was that man Thomson with a terrific strike from a short corner.
Penicuik Athletic: Bald, Munro, Steel, Trialist, Foster, Ryrie, Milne, Barr, Moonie, Gay, Gibb. Subs: Gallagher, Montgomery.
Hearts Under-19s: Bjornsson, C Thomson, Brown, Lithgow, Balatoni, Stewart, Wagner, Mulrooney, Cowan, Copil, Mackie. Subs: D Thomson, Love, McGowan, Robinson, Long, Deland, Hill, Ralzon.
The full article contains 407 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
