Carluke were on their travels again this week and again into deepest Ayrshire. This time the opposition was Saltcoats Victoria at their upgraded facility that certainly looked the part. The Rovers have made an excellent start to the season and these were the games they have to do well in if they are to compete at the right end of the table.

The grass park was in excellent condition and with the wind at their back Saltcoats were looking to start strongly and put Carluke under pressure from the outset. However it was Carluke who were to create the first chance. Good play outside the box saw the ball at the feet of Jamie McIntyre and he struck a shot from about 20 yards which stung the fingers of Thomas Barrett in the Saltcoats goal in 7 minutes.

Then in the eight minute a great corner in from Carluke’s Kyle McAdam flashed low across the six yard box but it eluded everyone and went harmlessly out for a goal kick. In the 11th minute it was the turn of Saltcoats to nearly take the lead when a corner was floated to the back post where Andrew McIntyre headed it back across goal but just as it looked to be going in it was cleared off the line by Connor Coyle.

This was the start of a more sustained bit of pressure from Saltcoats who had a series of corners which were whipped in dangerously. It was one such corner in the 15th minute that gave them the lead. The ball was crossed in and was met unmarked by Euan Anderson who gave Eoin Wallace in the Rovers goal no chance. 1-0 to Saltcoats.

This was a blow to Carluke but a lift for Saltcoats who went in search of the second to give themselves a cushion for the second half. It duly arrived in the 22nd minute. Carluke were attacking but lost possession and Saltcoats lost no time in getting down the other end. Slick play on the right wing saw the ball crossed low into Gary Brown who had a straightforward task of side footing the ball home from relatively close range. 2-0 to Saltcoats.

There was real alarm bells ringing for Carluke at this point because although the game had been relatively even to this stage they found themselves two down after 20 minutes and any more leaks before halftime could have made their task of getting something from the game unrealistic .It was therefore to Carluke’s great relief that they not only limited the damage but got a fortuitous goal back. Similar to the last couple of games it was a Jamie McIntyre freekick that reduced the deficit. This one was deflected off the wall wrong footing the Keeper and although not as spectacular as his last two it was probably more important giving the context of the game at the time.

In fact this goal not only steadied the ship it turned the game on it’s head and Carluke slowly started to take control. The first sign of what was to come was when a great long ball from Jamie McIntyre found Jay Keenan who rounded the Keeper but saw his effort well blocked by last man Adem Whyte.

Carluke were not to be denied though and the equaliser was not long in coming. Good play by Rovers down the right wing and when the ball was squared across the front of the box to Andrew Arnott he unleashed an unstoppable left foot shot high into the net giving Barrett in the Saltcoats goal no chance after 35 minutes. 2-2.

If this wasn’t impressive enough Carluke and their supporters were in dreamland when they took the lead just before halftime. A long kick out from Wallace bounced off a Saltcoats defender into the path of the industrious Jay Keenan. The striker didn’t need a second invitation and bore down on goal before hitting a fierce low drive that gave the Saltcoats keeper no chance. 2-3 to Carluke Rovers.

Knowing that any breeze in the second half was in their favour Carluke could look forward to it with confidence. However on the stroke of half time they lost their skipper. Ross Steele, when the Referee adjudged he had made a motion to headbutt one of the opposition players. The fact that both players were rubbing heads and neither was indeed headbutted it seemed a harsh decision. Halftime Saltcoats 2 Carluke 3.

The sending off meant a bit of a reshuffle for Carluke in the second half with Jamie McIntyre, who had partnered Jay Keenan up front in the first half dropping back into midfield, leaving Keenan up front on his own. This was a very good tactical switch by Rovers Manager David Donnelly to combat the fact the team were down to 10 men as although it allowed Saltcoats the ball in their own back four it wasn’t any easier for them to break through the rest of the Rovers team.

Carluke replaced the hardworking Jay Keenan after 55 minutes with the fresh legs of Callum Hume and the replacement made a great contribution from the bench. In fact it took him only 10 minutes to assist in Carluke’s fourth. His tackle saw the ball break to Struan Nicholson who in turn got to the bye line and fired in a great cross that was met at the backpost with an unchallenged bullet header from Dylan Watt. 2-4 to Carluke and a bit of breathing space for the 10 men.

Then in 64 minutes Carluke put the result beyond doubt when a Kyle McAdam corner was met by the head of Callum Hume who gave the Saltcoats goalie no chance as his header went in off the underside of the bar.for his first of the season and Carluke’s fifth.

This was a very controlled second half by Carluke and Saltcoats never threatened to get a goal with the back four playing excellently and coping comfortably with anything Saltcoats threw at them.

It wasn’t therefore a great surprise when Carluke further extended their lead in the 87th minute and again it was Callum Hume who got his second and Carluke’ sixth to put the icing on the cake of a great comeback performance. The final score Saltcoats Victoria 2 Carluke Rovers 6.

Carluke will look to continue this good form when they welcome local rivals Newmans United on Tuesday night at the John Cumming Stadium with an 8pm kickoff in another WOSFL game.