Carluke travelled to Alexandria, Dunbartonshire today attempting to win three league games in a row for the first time this season. However their chances were hampered with a few players unavailable for several different reasons. That said the players coming in had an opportunity to stake their place and the team that took the field was still a strong one. The opposition was Vale of Leven.

The pitch was in good condition giving the rain over the last couple of days and both teams started well but Carluke had slightly the better of the early exchanges. Then, out of the blue, in the 8th minute Vale took the lead. A speculative low drive from 25 yards went in off the far post giving Josh McGill no chance to make the score 1-0 to Vale of Leven.

This gave Vale of Leven a confidence boost and for the next 10 minutes they had a little more of the play without really threatening the Carluke goal. However in the 26th minute they were to increase their lead.

Rovers didn’t deal with a long throw in, allowing the ball to bounce and then find the head of the Vale of Leven No9 who kept the ball going in the same direction with a loopy header over the outstretched arms of McGill in goal. 2-0 to Vale of Leven.

Carluke needed to try and get a goal back before halftime and they thought they had a penalty when Connor McKenzie was clearly brought down in the Vale box but the Referee didn’t see it that way and played on much to the annoyance of the Carluke players and management team. This was the last passage of play in the first half.

It was important that Carluke got off to a good start in the second half but unfortunately in the 48th minute a low cross from the left found the Leven No7 who calmy side footed the ball into the net to make it 3-0 and give Carluke Rovers a mountain to climb.

Carluke didn’t let the head goes down and continued to plug away trying to get back into the game. There was a feeling if they could get one back it would make things interesting. Then on the hour mark a Vale defender gave away a stonewall penalty when there wasn’t really much danger pulling down Josh Bell just inside the box. The same player took the kick and although the Vale Keeper saved the initial effort the ball broke back to Bell who slotted into an empty net. 3-1.

This goal gave Carluke further impetus and they went in search of a second which they nearly got in the 66th minute. A freekick from the left found the head of Lewis Meechan but his header was just over the top. Then 2 minutes later the same player had a clear header but missed the target with the ball going back across the goal from the back post.

It wasn’t all one way traffic and in the 71st minute Vale No9 hit the bar when he broke the offside trap. Then at the other end the Vale Keeper dropped a long free kick to the feet of Dean Bell whose resultant shot was cleared off the line. The game was very much alive at this stage and Carluke felt if they got the next goal they could still get something from the game.

However just as Carluke were pressing a Vale clearance found it’s way to a Rovers defender. Unfortunately, being last man, he allowed it to run under his foot through to the Vale of Leven No15 who could not believe his luck. He sauntered through on goal and with just the Keeper to beat and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner finishing off the game as a contest. 4-1 to Vale of Leven.

The scoreline flattered Vale of Leven but individual errors cost Carluke Rovers dearly in this fixture. Next week Carluke are at home to East Kilbride Thistle in a game they must look to get three points.

Westcoast Storage and Removal Limited
Rovers Man of the Match
Joshua Bell

Photography by Kevin Ramage