Carluke Rovers were back on league duty this week after a rest last Saturday and were looking to get back on track against East Kilbride Thistle. EK Thistle themselves had been on a good run of form and victory for them would see them move to the top of the league above Carluke.

This was always going to be a tense affair and so it turned out. It took 10 minutes for the first real opportunity to materialise and it came for Carluke. A throw in on the right wing was deftly flicked on by Nicky Prentice to Ben Patterson whose goal bound shot from 10 yards was blocked out for a corner.

The game was being played at a high tempo with defences on top and it looked as if it was going to take a set play to break the deadlock and this indeed was the case. A corner for East Kilbride was driven in and Garry Black produced a good reflex save from the first effort but Jordan Grant shot through a ruck of players from 6 yards out found the bottom corner to give East Kilbride the lead 0-1.

They nearly extended their lead when a long throw in on 25 minutes found its way to Jake Hughes whose overhead kick was brilliantly palmed away by Black to keep the score at one nil at halftime.

The second half got underway with Rovers intent on getting back on terms and it nearly came in the first minute. A long ball from midfield was brought down by Nicky Prentice. The striker tried to lob Craig Hart in the East Kilbride goal but his effort was well wide.

The second half began to take shape with Carluke pushing for the equaliser and East Kilbride happy to sit on their lead and hit on the break. The game was getting tense with Carluke doing everything to keep the game going and East Kilbride likewise to slow things down.

Carluke nearly got back on terms in the 56th minute when a good run by Mark Cassidy down the left saw him cut the ball back to Nicky Prentice, who in turn laid it off to Jamie McIntyre. The midfielder hit a good shot but it was well saved at the bottom left by the East Kilbride keeper.

However Rovers pressing in the second half paid off in the 75th minute when a great cross by defender Ronan Shiels on the right wing found Gary Stewart unmarked on the penalty spot and his volley from the cross left the keeper with no chance as the ball flew into the roof of the net 1-1.

Carluke were on top at this stage and were going all out for the winner but at the same time East Kilbride had abandoned their rearguard action and were looking for a winner themselves.

Unfortunately for Carluke it was to be Thistle who were to snatch the winner in the 96th minute. After a succession of long throw ins and a couple of corners the ball broke to Jonathan Branks 12 yards out. The striker’s volley found space through the defence and hit the back of the net at pace. The goal was met with jubilant scenes both on and off the park by the East Kilbride contingent. There was no time left for Carluke to recover and the Ref blew for fulltime shortly after the restart with the final score Carluke Rovers 1 East Kilbride 2.

This result puts East Kilbride at the top of the league above Carluke but in a long hard season still to come there is plenty to be buoyed about by this Carluke team. Next Saturday there is a friendly with a 2pm kickoff against local rivals Lanark United.

Photography by Kevin Ramage