Carluke Rovers travelled to Glasgow today for the first away game for some time and it couldn’t have been more difficult. They were taking on league leaders Glenvale in this West of Scotland League game. The game was played on grass and Glenvale were hitting down a slight incline in the first half. Carluke were also without the 3 key players who were injured in last weeks game.

The first half got underway and it only took 3 minutes for the first clear cut chance to be created. The Glenvale No7, who was to be lively all afternoon, picked the ball up on the left and cut inside. His shot however was well saved by the feet of Sanderson in the Carluke goal.

The first half was to follow a distinct pattern with Glenvale having most of the ball but without really threatening the Carluke goal. In fact it was the 23rd minute before they got another effort on goal. Their No10 drove in from the left hand side but his shot curled just wide of the far post. However it was Carluke who nearly snatched the lead when a Dom Small corner was met by the head of Barry Fraser but his unchallenged header went over the bar. Then in the 35th minute the best chance of the match fell to Glenvale. A cross from the left found their No10 unmarked at the back post and he had time to control the ball before shooting. However his shot from 8 yards hit the underside of the bar and was cleared to safety. This respite for Carluke was to be short lived when from a similar position 2 minutes later Glenvale took the lead. The ball was again crossed from the left and No7 for Glenvale was left to volley into the net to make the score 1-0. Carluke were to see this out till halftime,

The second half got underway with Carluke knowing they had to make better use of the ball when they got it. Thomas Devine, the Rovers manager, has been building a strong squad and is not afraid to make substitutions. He was to make good use of them in the second half as Carluke made a much better fist of things.

However it was Glenvale who nearly extended their lead at the start of the second half when a shot from the edge of the box was heading for the roof of the net only for a brilliant one handed save by Sanderson in the Carluke goal to deny Glenvale. Then in 52 minutes Carluke got the equaliser. A ball was slipped through to Jay Blair on the right wing and he bore down on goal and unleashed a shot from 20 yards into the bottom right corner giving the Keeper no chance. 1-1.

This goal gave Rovers renewed confidence and at this point there was nothing to separate the teams but in 55 minutes Glenvale regained the lead with a direct freekick from 25 yards. The kick was on the right hand side and instead of a cross into the box, which everyone expected, the Glenvale player curled it round the wall and into the goal at the near post. 2-1 to Glenvale.

Carluke were still well in the game and didn’t let their heads drop. In 64 minutes they nearly created a carbon copy of their first goal when Jay Blair again broke through the middle but this time his shot from 20 yards out went agonisingly past the far post.

Then in 66 minutes Glenvale got their third. A mistake in the middle of the park saw Carluke dispossessed by Glenvale No6. He passed the ball wide to the Glenvale No10 who dinked a cross to the backpost where it was met by the head of the Glenvale No9 completely unmarked and with the easiest of goals to make the score 3-1.

This was going to prove too much for Carluke to overcome and although there were half chances at both ends in the final minutes the game was finished with that third goal. Final Score Glenvale 3 Carluke Rovers 1.

Photography by Kevin Ramage