Carluke Rovers travelled to Renfrew today for this West of Scotland league game against St Peters FC. Unfortunately for Carluke they were still missing 4 key players through suspension but could still field a strong team for today’s game.

The game kicked off on the astro turf surface with St Peters playing with what little wind there was at their back. It took till the 4th minute for the first effort of the game when St Peters No7 turned inside the box before shooting to the bottom right corner but Josh McGill got down to push it comfortably round the post.

It took till the 21st minute for the next effort on goal when on loan debutant, Luke Currie, knocked the ball across the St Peters goal and a despairing lunge by the centre half nearly went in for an own goal but was cleared off the line.

As the game approached the half hour mark St Peters breached the Carluke defence. Their left back had made a couple of runs down the left hand side and on this particular occasion he got to the bye line and fizzed in a low cross which was easily diverted into the net from close range by their No8. 1-0 to St Peters.

Carluke nearly got the equaliser in the 38th minute when Dom Small intercepted a pass in the St Peters half and carried the ball to the edge of the box where he found Josh Bell. He in turn squared the ball to the onrushing Craig Rutherford whose shot, from close range, went agonisingly over the bar.

At this point Carluke were in the ascendancy and another good move involving Dom Small nearly produced the equaliser a couple of minutes later. He cut inside and found Josh Fullerton whose shot was blocked. It then broke to Josh Bell who also had his shot blocked with some desperate defending by St Peters. This was to the last action of the first half and St Peters went in with a 1-0 narrow lead.

The second half got underway and the pattern was similar to the first with defences for the most part on top. However Carluke got the break that their commitment deserved in the 63rd minute. A freekick was conceded by St Peters on the left about 25 yards out. It was beautifully flighted in by Dylan Morrow eluding everyone and dropping into the bottom left corner with the keeper rooted to the spot to make the score 1-1.

From this point on the game swung from end to end and a couple of great saves from Josh McGill kept Carluke in the game. At the other occasional desperate defending kept Carluke at bay.

The game turned on it’s head however when in the 80th minute influential Rovers midfielder Josh Fullerton was sent off for a second bookable offence when he fouled a St Peters player on the touchline. This gave St Peters the impetus to go for the winner and they duly re took the lead in the 85th minute. A free kick was awarded 20 yards out for an unnecessary foul. Unfortunately for Carluke it was beautifully taken left footed, over the wall and in off the post given McGill in the Carluke goal no chance despite his despairing effort to get across.

This was effectively game over but a few minutes later whilst trying to clear the ball Barry Fraser let the St Peters forward get in front of him and he bore the brunt of his clearance rather than the ball. The Ref pointed to the spot and it was duly converted in the 90th minute to make the final score St Peters 3 Carluke Rovers 1.

The scoreline flattered St Peters but again indiscipline cost Carluke dearly as it has done in several games over the last month. Hopefully next week when several players are back from suspension the Rovers can turn the corner, get a bit of better luck and start putting some wins together.

Photography by Kevin Ramage