Carluke Rovers made the trip to Kirconnel in Ayrshire for this West of Scotland League game against Kello Rovers. The home team are in a strong position to get the third promotion place but Carluke were determined to get back to winning ways after a couple of losses to the other promotion candidates.

On a typical bumpy grass pitch at this time of the season Kello kicked off and immediately went on the offensive winning a throw in level with the Carluke 18 yard box in the first minute. When the ball was thrown in to Carluke’s box it was cleared to the edge of the area where it was picked up by a Kello player. Unfortunately for Carluke his resultant shot was deflected, wrong footing Black in the Carluke goal and nestling in the bottom corner. A terrible start for Carluke who found themselves one down in the first minute.

The goal boosted Kello and in the 7th minute they nearly doubled their lead when a cross from the right was mat first time by Lori Johnson at the back post unmarked. Fortunately for Carluke instead of heading the ball the player tried to volley it and it went harmlessly wide.

The game settled down at this point and there was nothing between the teams but in the 20th minute Kello played the ball into the Carluke box and with their player having the ball at his feet with his back to goal and backing in went to ground with Connor Coyle adjudged by the Referee to have pulled him down. He awarded Kello a penalty which was duly converted to make the score 2-0.

The scoreline flattered Kello as there was nothing between the teams at this stage and next to no chances being created by either side. However finding themselves two down it was key that Carluke got the next goal or the game could easily have got away from them. Fortunately for them they did pull a goal back in the 37th minute. A long ball out of defence was pulled out the air by Mikey Downs and as it bounced the striker noticed the Kello keeper had come off his line and lobbed him from 20 yards to make the score 2-1. There was to be no more scoring in the first half and both teams went in with the game finely balanced.

The second half got underway with Carluke rejuvenated and they had the better of the early exchanges without creating any clear cut chances but they looked the more likely as the half wore on. Then in 72 minutes they were awarded a penalty when the Referee deemed a Rovers player had been fouled when Kello failed to clear a cross. The normally reliable Ross Steele placed the ball on the spot but his effort was saved down to the Keeper’s right when he guessed correctly.

This was a pivotal moment as had the kick went in Carluke looked well placed to get a least a point but as it was they were still trailing. They could have been even further behind when in the 79th minute Kello were awarded a penalty when Ronan Shiels pulled down a Kello player who was just about to pull the trigger. This was his second booking and Carluke were now down to 10 men. Fortunately for Carluke Garry Black in goal got down to his left and smothered the ball to save the penalty.

With Rovers now down to 10 men Kello went after a third and it duly came in the 82nd minute. The winger drove down the left wing, getting to the bye line where he scooped a cross to the back post. It was knocked back by the Kello striker to the edge of the six yard box where the Kello player had the easiest of chances to fire it into the roof of the net to kill the game as a contest and make the score 3-1.

In the 90th minute Garry Black made a great double save but couldn’t thwart Kello in the 92nd minute when they added a fourth to complete the scoring at 4-1.

A difficult day for Carluke but the scoreline didn’t reflect the closeness of the game. Next Saturday they are back at the John Cumming Stadium where they welcome St Peters with a 2pm kickoff.

Photography by Kevin Ramage