

Match Report
The Rovers first game of 2025 was not the planned home fixture against West Park , nor was it the second fixture , an away game to BSC Glasgow . Both fixtures having been postponed because of the recent winter snowstorm which cancelled many games in the first two weeks of the new year. Instead, it was a trip to the home of our first opponents of the season, Saltcoats Victoria.
The winter weather continued its impact, with a cold wind from the Firth of Clyde blowing across the park and the recent snowfall having left the pitch heavy and slippery.
However, with less than one minute having passed since the young referee had blown his whistle to start the game the first goal had been scored.
The Rovers had elected to take the kick-off, and the resultant back pass had been launched forward into the opposition box. The Saltcoats keeper’s attempt to gather the ball resulted in a spill from his hands and the Rovers number 8, Ross Steele, pounced on the dropped ball and managed to direct the ball towards the Saltcoats goal where it trundled over the line, just inside the upright.
The home dugout and support were momentarily stunned into silence however they quickly found their voice to berate the referee.
The next 10 minutes of the play can only be described as frenetic. When the play settled down it was end to end. The home side were desperate to find an equaliser and they were having some success with long balls into the channels which the Rovers defence had to work hard to clear the danger. When they did get through, Black in the Rovers goal kept the Carluke lead intact with some excellent saves.
The Rovers were having more success as they pushed forward. Time after time the Rovers wide players launched balls into the packed Saltcoats box where Downs and Girdwood had shots on goal blocked. In particular the cross balls from Rovers McQueen on the right wing and Owen on the left together with Coyle’s long throw-ins were a constant threat to the home defence.
Despite the Rovers pressure it was the home side who scored just after the half hour mark. A pass was launched from the Saltcoats midfield across the park and over the Rovers defensive line. The Saltcoats number 10, Anderson, ran through to pick up the ball and pushed forward to just inside the opposition box. His excellent shot across the Rovers goal was unstoppable as it rifled into the net.
The Rovers pressed to look for the next goal. On 37 minutes they were awarded a free kick just outside the Saltcoats box on the right when McQueen was fouled. He took the kick, but his well hit shot missed narrowly over the bar. They finally found the back of the net on 39 minutes. A ball fired into the Saltcoats box was not cleared by the defender and Connor McQueen pounced on the loose ball , rounded the oncoming keeper and fired the ball into the empty goal.
The hosts almost equalised on the stroke of halftime when they picked up a loose ball in the Rovers box and fired a shot which struck the top of bar.
HT – Saltcoats 1 – 2 Rovers
The second half was barely 10 minutes old when the Rovers scored their third goal of the game.
In a moment reminiscent of the Rovers goal against Buckie Thistle in this year’s Scottish Cup, Ross Steele controlled a long pass inside the Saltcoats half. He outpaced the Saltcoats defender and fired a shot from outside the box across the oncoming keeper and into the right-hand side netting of the goal.
The visitors continued to dominate most of the play for the remainder of the game with Saltcoats looking dangerous on the break. In the dying seconds of the game Rovers keeper Black was called upon to make a save when a Saltcoats shot was fired from outside the Rovers box.
FT – Saltcoats Victoria 1 – 3 Carluke Rovers.
The Rovers next game is at home in a league fixture against East Kilbride Thistle at the John Cumming Stadium. Kick-off 2pm.
Photography by Kevin Ramage