Carluke travelled to Springburn in Glasgow for this Friday night league match against newly promoted Finnart. This was the second meeting between these 2 clubs in the space of a week with Finnart narrowly pipping Carluke on penalties in a previous cup tie. Carluke welcomed back Adam Brown, in place of the absent Josh McGill, in goal following a spell at Caledonian Braves.

The game got off at a frenetic pace and Finnart almost took the lead as early as the 2nd minute when a mistake in defence freed the Finnart winger who crosse the ball in low only for their No9 to side foot the ball past the past when it was easier to score.

However although Carluke had the slight edge in the first 20 minutes it was Finnart who took the lead when their No9 beat the offside trap, although he looked well off, and slid the ball under Adam Brown in the Carluke goal to make the score 1-0.

Then Carluke had an escape in the 27th minute when the Finnart No10 headed the ball against the post unchallenged. Although Carluke were will in the match they hadn’t really created much in the way of clear cut chances but in the 32nd minute they were to get a break. Christly Lawlor received the ball just outside the box and jinked his way into the area. Just as he entered at the corner of the box a Finnart defender brought him down. The Ref didn’t hesitate to point to the spot for a penalty. It was duly dispatched by Lawlor himself into the far corner giving the Keeper no chance. 1-1.

This goal gave Carluke a lift and they almost took the lead when a great Dom Small effort from 20 yard was tipped over the bar by the Finnart Keeper. This was the last action of the first half and the teams went in level at 1-1.

The second half was only 3 minutes old when a cross from the left into the Finnart box was inadvertently put onto the post off a Finnart shin. This was a bit of a wake up call for Finnart and their pacy forwards started to exert some pressure on the Carluke rearguard. Their No11 go the break of the ball and had time to hit an effort from a tight angle which he pulled just past the far post. Then the same player found more space in the 54th minute but his goal bound effort was brilliantly saved by Brown in the Carluke goal at his near post.

However the Keeper’s luck ran out on the hour mark when he came out to intercept a long through ball outside the box only to miss it allowing the No11 to follow through and head the bouncing ball into the empty net to regain the lead for Finnart at 2-1.

This was a blow to Carluke but deserved by Finnart who had just edged the play up until that point. They kept pushing and another good save by the feet of Brown kept the score at 2-1 but he could do nothing when in the 73rd minute the Finnart No10 rose unchallenged from a corner to bullet a header home to make the score 3-1 and effectively end the game.

To Carluke’s credit they regained the initiative in the last 15 minutes but without really looking like scoring and the game finished 3-1 to Finnart.

Next Saturday Carluke are again on league duty but this time at home with a 1:30 kickoff when the visitors shall be Irvine Victoria.

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Rovers Man of the Match
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Photography by Kevin Ramage