Carluke were looking to follow up last week’s victory against Royal Albert with another win when they welcomed league leaders Kello Rovers to the John Cumming Stadium. With Kello’s excellent start to the season this looked as if it was going to be tough task but Carluke were buoyed by last weeks’ result and started the match confidently.

Neither keeper had much to do in the first 20 minutes and it wasn’t till the 22nd minute that the first real attempt on either goal was made. Carluke won a free kick 25 yards out and Christy Lawlor stood up to take it. His resultant effort was parried to safety by the Kello keeper when it looked as if it would go in at the near post..

As the match wore on Carluke began to grow in confidence and with halftime approaching Christy Lawlor broke on the left and cut inside but his resultant shot was pulled wide. Then just before half time Greg Kane found Connor Curran with a precise pass and the striker’s resultant effort from outside the box missed the far post by inches. This was to be the last action of the half and the teams went in locked at 0-0.

Carluke started the second half as they had finished the first on the front foot. The midfield were winning their battle with a particularly strong man of the match performance by new signing Gregg Miller. It was therefore no surprise that in the 49th minute Carluke opened the scoring. A cross from the left by Mark O’Reilly bounced just in front of the diving Kello keeper and in trying to smother the ball he let it slip from his grasp and there on hand was Connor Curran to knock the ball into the empty net to make it 1-0 to Carluke. This was no more than the home team deserved and they continued to exert pressure on the Kello rear guard after this opener.

Next it was the turn of Christy Lawlor who was threaded through by Kane but while bearing down on goal he knocked the ball a bit too far in front which gave the Kello Keeper the opportunity to close him down and block the resultant shot. The striker wasn’t to be denied however and in the 79th minute he got his just rewards when he broke the offside trap following a great pass by Curran, rounded the keeper and slotted the ball into the empty net. 2-0 Carluke.

At this point and with 5 minutes to go Kello had to throw caution to wind in an attempt to claw their way back into the game but the Carluke defence held firm and looked comfortable as they had all game. In fact it was Carluke who were to exploit the spaces left when Connor Curran got his second and Carluke’s third. He broke the offside trap and coolly struck the ball past the Kello Keeper to effectively finish the game making it 3-0 in 82nd minute.

At this point the league leaders had failed to have an effort on the Carluke goal but in the 87th minute they breached the Carluke goal when they took a freekick on the right and it was headed in from close range by their No 9 for what was to be consolation goal. 3-1 to Carluke. The action wasn’t quite finished there and Christy Lawlor could have added to his own tally in the 90th minute but his attempt was blocked by the keepers’ legs leaving the final score 3-1 to Carluke.

This was another heartening performance by the Rovers who to a man all played their part with the defence looking particularly comfortable of late ensuring that keeper Josh McGill gets the protection he has merited with his own performances this season.

Next Saturday Carluke visit Larkhall Thistle for another stern test following their good start to the season but if the continue to perform as they have the last 2 weeks the season ahead will be an enjoyable one for all concerned.

Westcoast Storage and Removal Limited
Rovers Man of the Match
Greg Miller

Photography by Kevin Ramage