Forth in final after dumping holders
Lanark await Wanderers after shootout win
Clydesdale Cup semi-finals Lanark United and Forth Wanderers will clash on Monday after both clubs made it through to the Clydesdale Challenge Cup final.
Lanark beat Carluke Rovers in a penalty shootout on Monday to clinch the first final berth, and 24 hours later Forth beat holders Lesmahagow 3-0.
In the first semi-final Carluke started well, with Mark Haddow, Chris Mccole and Ian Watt going close, while at the other end Cammy Lawson had a shot blocked.
Rovers broke the deadlock in 64 minutes when Lewis Mcdougall headed in a Watt cross.
Lanark equalised six minutes later when Shaun Gallagher cashed in on a breakaway. Lee Irwin, Gary Duggan, Gordon Murphy and Gallagher scored from the spot, while Dale Gordon netted for Carluke after efforts by Haddow and Watt were saved.
Lanark manager John Brogan said: “It was a fairly even game and a good pre-season fitness exercise.
“The teams battled hard, and I thought a draw was a fair result.
“The penalties were well taken and Michael Duke saved two of them, which was absolutely brilliant.”
Tuesday’s second semi-final was a fast-flowing match at a rainswept Kingshill Park with lots of half-chances – with Forth taking three of theirs.
’Gow’s Darren Lygate and Jack Currie (twice) and Forth’s Willie Mclaren, Jason Corbett and Kris Jack passed up half-chances, before Roddy Hunter fired Forth ahead in 16 minutes.
Kris Dick netted Forth’s second from the penalty spot, and two minutes from time Martin Hannaway’s blocked header was scooped over the line by Taylor Scott.
Forth manager Jamie Mckenzie said: “It was a good exercise and, first and foremost a good win, with a clean sheet.
“They had a lot of possession without causing us too much of a problem, and it was a good markup for us as we step up to a higher league, which ’Gow have been used to playing in.”
Lesmahagow manager Robert Irving said: “I’m disappointed with the result.
“Though I thought we did all right for long spells, we can’t expect to give away two soft goals and expect to come back to win. But there were some positives to take out of it.
“We had some new young boys playing themselves into the team, which gives us something to build on.”