Carluke travelled to nearby Stonehouse today to take on Royal Albert in a West of Scotland league game. This would be a difficult fixture for the Rovers as both clubs were on the same points having played the same number of games.

The first effort on goal was to come from Carluke when a long Connor Coyle throw in from the left touchline found it’s way to Mikey Downs outside the box. The big striker took the opportunity to shoot but his effort went tamely over the bar.

It wasn’t long before Albert showed their teeth when in the 4th minute their winger got to the bye line and cut the ball back to one of their strikers. He had time to pick his spot but his resultant shot was too close to Rovers keeper Garry Black who made a fine save.

As the half progressed Royal Albert were more on the front foot than Carluke and again went close in the 24th minute from a corner. The ball came in from the right and was dummied but when it fell to the Albert player he only managed to poke his effort past the post.

The first goal looked to be coming for the home side and it duly arrived in the 26th minute. Their winger picked the ball up on the left wing and flighted a good cross in which just eluded Connor Coyle but was not missed by Kian McCann behind him whose header nestled in the bottom corner 1-0 to Royal Albert.

Then to make matters worse for Carluke indecision at the back was to cost them a second goal in the 32nd minute. A long clearance from the Albert defence looked to be bouncing through to the Rovers keeper but it held up slightly and his indecision when he finally went to clear allowed Kieran Brannan to nip in in front of him and knock the ball past him and roll it into an empty net. 2-0 to Royal Albert.

They nearly added a third when a ricochet inside the Rovers box saw the ball at the feet of an Albert player but with an easy opportunity he wasted his effort into the arms of Garry Black.

This was the last of the action in the first half and Carluke were a bit fortunate to be going in only 2-0 down at halftime.

Rovers Manager Thomas Devine rang the changes at halftime and brought on three subs in an attempt to rescue the game. On came Callum Shanks at centre back and in midfield Chris Kelly and Jamie McIntyre.

With the subs on Rovers performed much better in the second half and were competing more all over the pitch. They managed to get themselves back into the game from the penalty spot. A free kick into the box was handled in the air by an Albert defender and Jamie McIntyre calmy slotted the kick down to the Keeper’s right into the bottom corner. 2-1 to Albert.

The goal gave Carluke a renewed sense of urgency and it was them that looks the likeliest to get the next goal. A header from Gary Stewart across the face of goal saw no takers but for all their efforts the equaliser eluded them.
 
Then in the dying embers of the game Royal Albert got their third from another piece of poor defending which saw Kian McCann get his second when he pounced and knocked the ball into the Rovers net making the final score Royal Albert 3 Carluke Rovers 1

Next Saturday Carluke are back at the John Cumming Stadium after a nomadic existence for the last couple of months. With the refurbishment and installation of a new pitch and goals now completed it is hoped getting back there will help the team to continue their push for promotion to the third division.

Photography by Kevin Ramage