Carluke Rovers were back on their travels today on league duty following a couple of cup defeats against higher level opposition. The destination was Irvine where they would take on Irvine Vics in this West of Scotland match.

The Rovers were hopeful of getting their league form back on track as Irvine have had a poor start to the season and although Rovers were without seven players the feeling was three points was a must and a possibility.

The grass pitch was in good shape, albeit a bit long and the sun was out on a lovely summer’s afternoon. It was a feisty start to the game with both teams trying to get the upper hand and it was Carluke who showed first. In the 10th minute Michael Robinson, who was making his first start of the season due to injury, hit a lovely diagonal pass to the back post where it was met by the head of marauding fullback Connor Coyle. Unfortunately for both the player and the team it bounced off the bar with Khalan Lendrum in the Irvine goal beaten.

This was followed 3 minutes later when Rovers broke up field from a Vics corner. The ball found it’s way to Ben Rennie and the winger threaded a lovely ball through the Irvine defence to the onrushing Jay Keenan. The striker had to react quickly to the opportunity but he slid his shot just past the left hand post with the keeper beaten.

It was all Rovers at this stage and the opportunities to take the lead kept coming. It was again good running by Jay Keenan saw him collect the ball but his shot from a tight angle squirmed under the Keeper and past the far post. From the resultant corner centre half Euan McLew should have buried his free header from close range but it went sailing over the bar.

In the 23rd minute the hardworking Jay Keenan got to the bye line inside the box and cut the ball back to Jamie McIntyre but his effort was cleared off the line when it looked all ends up a goal.

The game had settled into a pattern now with Carluke very much in the ascendancy. Any danger that Irvine Vics were going to provide would have been down the right wing but captain for the day, Andrew Arnott was having another excellent game and snuffed out any threats in that area. Similarly Connor Coyle was in control on the other flank with Callum Shanks in the centre having another strong game.

Then with halftime approaching Jamie Mcntyre had two efforts that went close. The best one of those was in the 41st minute when he rose to get a glancing header on another Kyle McAdam corner but his header just missed the far upright.

This was the last chance before the break and Carluke went in at half time rueing the missed opportunities and hoping that this wouldn’t come back and haunt them in the second half.

The second half got underway and Irvine had a bit more purpose realising they were still in a game that should have been over at halftime. For their part Carluke had to maintain their levels but start taking any opportunities that came their way.
 

There was always the danger that one mistake could cost Rovers after their dominance in the first half. It nearly came in the 50th minute when Eoin Wallce in the Rovers goal mistimed a clearance straight to a Vics player who then tried to lob him from 35 yards. Fortunately for Carluke the ball went wide of the post.

In 53 minutes it took another great save from Khalan Lendrum in the Irvine goal to deny a top corner effort from Connor Coyle who after a brief stramash in the box found the space to dispatch a quickfire effort that looked net bound.

Irvine Victoria were definitely more of a threat in the second half but Carluke were still in the ascendancy. That said it was Coyle, this time at the other end, who was to save Carluke’s blushes when he cleared one off the line.

Just as it was starting to look that it could be one of those days when it just wasn’t meant to be Carluke finally go the goal their play had merited. Andy Arnott did great to win the ball on the left and when he crossed in a penetrating low ball across the six yard box there on hand to knock it over the line from close range was Dylan Watt. There was an audible sigh of relief from everyone associated with Carluke Rovers.

To their credit Irvine Vics were giving a much better account of themselves in the second half but still rarely threating the Rovers goal. In fact Carluke should have extended their lead when Jamie McIntyre did well to win a penalty in the 75th minute. He was pulled down in the box when shielding the ball. After a long delay the same player took the spot kick but it was easily saved by the Vics keeper.

This opened the door up to a nervy finish for Carluke where Irvine threw everything at it but lacked the quality in the final third. Their only real opportunity came in the last minute when a freekick was launched into the Rovers box. Eoin Wallace did the right thing to come and collect but the ball was just over his outstretched hands. Eventually the ball was headed towards the net only for it to be headed off the line by David Donnelly.

With the last kick of the game Vics threw everyone forward, including the keeper, but when the ball was cleared only Ashton Pellow and a covering defender stood between him and a second goal but as soon as Pellow had won the ball and with no one in defence for Vics the Ref blew inexplicably for fulltime.

A hard fought victory in the end for Carluke but a lot more nervy than it needed to be. The team have a well earned rest next Saturday as they are not on cup duty and this will give time for players to rest and in some cases get back in contention for a place in the team after niggling injuries. Final Score: Irvine Victoria 0 Carluke Rovers 1

Match Report by Steven Kane

 

Photography by Kevin Ramage