Today’s match was a meeting between two long established junior clubs. The first league game this season between the two was a close affair with Lugar equalising late on in that one. So this was expected to be a tight affair. There was some wind today but it was mainly blowing across the pitch to neither team’s advantage.

The game got underway and Carluke could not have had a better start. In the first minute the ball was pulled down by Josh Fullerton in the middle of the park and he threaded a lovely pass through to Dom Small who strode into the box and hit a shot across the Lugar keeper into the far corner. 1-0 to Carluke.

A great start for the home side but Lugar didn’t let it unsettle them and nearly equalised in the 4th minute. A cross to the backpost saw their No 10 rise to knock it goalward but his downward header was easily saved by Lewis Sanderson in the Carluke goal.

Carluke’s rhythm was to be upset during this first half as three of the new signings, who had all done really well since coming in, had to go off injured. In the 20th minute if was left back Chris Owen who appeared to twist his knee. He was replaced by Jamie Murphy.

Then it was the turn of Ronan Shiels 10 minutes later at centre half who landed awkwardly after intercepting a potential shot on goal. He was replaced by Declan McAuley.

Then during the halftime break manager Thomas Devine had no choice but to substitute striker Gavin Goodall with a thigh strain. He was replaced by Josh Bell. There was no doubt that these forced substitutions impacted Carluke’s fluency although all three subs that came on and did not disappoint contributing well to the outcome of the game.

It was during this passage of substitutions that Carluke managed to extend their lead. A long ball was cleared out of defence and Dom Small was the first to react. As the ball bounced in front of him and with the advancing Lugar keeper caught in no mans’ land he delicately lobbed him to make the score 2-0 and get his own second. Carluke were to hold this lead till halftime.

The halftime break gave manager Thomas Devine the opportunity to reset his team with all the enforced changes in the first half and the team gave a better account of themselves in the second half. In fact it didn’t take long for Carluke to threaten when a curling shot from Christy Lawlor from just inside the box looked to be going in under the bar. However the Lugar keeper made a great save to tip it over.

Lugar had most of the possession but without really threatening the Carluke defence. On the otherhand Carluke were more incisive when they got the opportunity to break and it was no real surprise that in the 61st minute they extended their lead. The ball was collected by Dom Small just inside the Lugar half and he threaded the ball to Jay Blair. He in turn ran in on goal from the right hand corner of the box and fired a shot across the Lugar keeper into the far corner ultimately finishing the game as a contest at 3-0 to Carluke.

In 78 minutes Lugar were to get a consolation goal when a long clearance by their keeper McAllister was missed by everyone except their No10 Conan Mackin. He got to the ball just before the Carluke keeper and rounded him before stroking the ball into the empty net making the final score Carluke Rovers 3 Lugar Boswell Thistle 1.

Next week Carluke have another tough one away to league leaders Glenvale but they will be looking to continue their good run which has seen them take 7 points from the last 9 available.

Photography by Kevin Ramage