Carluke travelled down to Kilwinning today for this West of Scotland league match against Eglinton. The last time these two sides met it was a tight affair with Eglinton running out narrow 1-0 victors. The wind was very strong but did not overly affect the game as it was blowing across the artificial surface rather than up and down it.

As the game got underway it was Carluke who started the quicker and nearly took the lead in the 9th minute when Christy Lawlor cut in from the right but his left foot shot hit the bar. Then, a few minutes later, a Rovers corner was not cleared but Dom Small could not get his foot to it as he was falling backwards from 3 yards out and the Eglinton keeper gathered the ball.

Then in 16 minutes from an Eglinton corner Carluke broke quickly. Striker Josh McGrillen broke the offside trap and bore down on goal only to be tackled just as he was about to pull the trigger.

Although Carluke were on top Eglinton were well in the game and should have taken the lead in the 19th minute. A run down the left wing saw the ball crossed to the Rovers backpost and there, unmarked was the Eglinton No11. It looked easier to score into an empty net as he stooped to head the ball in but amazingly he could only hit the Carluke post. This was a warning for Carluke that they did not heed as only 2 minutes later Eglinton took the lead. A run down the right wing by the same No11 saw him pass the ball into the middle for the onrushing No6. He moved the ball forward and hit an unstoppable shot from 25 yards which went in off the underside of the bar. 1-0 to Eglinton.

To Carluke’s credit they did not let this setback get them down and continued to create chances. In 24 minutes a Lawlor free kick was met at the backpost by centre half Barry Fraser but his downward header cannoned of the near post. It looked like Carluke were never going to score but in the 38th minute they got the goal their efforts had deserved. A brilliant cross from right back Connor Dunlop found Josh McGrillen at the back post and his gently guided header back across the keeper found it’s way into the Eglinton net to make the score 1-1.

No sooner had Carluke got their equaliser when their second duly arrived in the 38th minute. The Eglinton keeper fumbled a shot from Chrsty Lawlor and Josh McGrillen was quickest to react. Although he stuck the ball in the net the Ref had already blown for a foul on the striker and awarded a penalty much to the consternation of the Carluke players. However McGrillen dusted himself down and duly converted off the inside of the keeper’s right hand post. 1-2 for Carluke. This was to be the last of the action in the first half and Carluke went in 2-1 ahead but in all honesty if it had been 5-1 no one would have argued.

As the second half got underway it was expected that Carluke would now build on their first half display and run out comfortable winners but as the half wore on it was clear they were not playing with the same urgency and penetration as they had in the first half. That said they were still comfortable and Eglinton did not look like they would breach the Carluke goal. However on the hour mark slack play at the back by Carluke saw the Eglinton midfielder collect the ball and his shot from 20 yards eluded Sanderson in the Carluke goal to make the score 2-2.

The game was now there for either side and there was s couple of half chances for Carluke with both Dom Small and Christy Lawlor being thwarted by the Eglinton keeper.but it was Carluke who were to regain the lead in the 87th minute. A long free kick went over the top of the Eglinton defence and was latched onto by Christy Lawlor. He hit a fierce drive across goal which was met by the onrushing Mark O’Reilly at the near post who lashed the ball into the net from close range to make it 2-3 to Carluke.

This was much to the relief of Carluke and it was hoped that they could now see the game out. However in the dying embers of the game and with Eglinton throwing caution to the wind they got a last gasp equaliser in the 93rd minute. Carluke had several attempts to clear the ball and when it finally broke to the Eglinton No8 he hit a speculative shot from 25 yards which managed to beat Sanderson low to his left to make the score 3-3. No sooner did Carluke restart the game when the Referee blew for full time.

This was a chastening result for the Rovers who should have been out of sight by halftime but did not maintain the same intensity in the second half. That said if they can maintain the same levels as they did in this first half for the whole game then it will be a strong end to the season.

Next Saturday Carluke Rovers are away to Rossvale with a 2pm kickoff.

Photography by Kevin Ramage