Carluke in last 16 after 30-year wait
Late strike stuns Medda in fourth round clash
Carluke Rovers ..1 Irvine Meadow ..0 Carluke Rovers snatched a last-gasp winner over Irvine Meadow in the Junior Scottish Cup fourth round on Saturday, putting them into the last 16 for the first time in 30 years.
Just as the tie looked to be heading for a replay at the Ayrshire ground, Greg Fernie slipped the ball through to Lewis Mcdougall, who used a shimmy to fox the Meadow defence before firing a right-foot drive past Sean Newman and into the corner of the net.
The Rovers management, coaching staff and substitutes immediately leapt out of the dugout in sheer jubilation, invading the pitch to congratulate Mcdougall.
Manager Colin Slater said: “We’re absolutely delighted. Just as we were all nursing thoughts of going down to Irvine for a replay next week the boys produced a cracking winning goal.
“I thought we totally deserved the win. It was a top-notch performance, and a clean sheet against a Super League team.
“We set out our stall in a certain manner and the boys performed to the top of their game.
“It was a fantastic day – the best day we’ve had since Andy Barr and I came in.
“There was also a great support out there, and there had been a wee buzz about the town for the past week.”
Slater added: “The tie was Gary Gow’s first game in 18 months after a cruciate ligament injury, and the first start in five games for Mark Haddow and Mark Weir, while top scorer Ian Watt missed out due to a family commitment.”
Assistant manager Andy Barr said: “It was a great opportunity, and as soon as the ball left his foot you could see it was on course for the back of the net.”
He added: “We said to the boys last week that the pressure was all on Irvine Meadow, so enjoy the game. They did that, and it means a lot to the club and the local community, as we saw from the crowd.”
Meadow had the better of the early play before a Mark Weir free kick brought a great save from Newman, then a Mark Haddow header skimmed the bar.
Rovers created more direct efforts in the second half, with Haddow heading just wide and a Jonny Wilson effort, again with the head, was saved by Newman.
Then, as the game headed towards the closing minutes, Meadow’s Jared Willet cracked a shot off the junction of post and bar, before Mcdougall clinched the tie with barely two minutes left on the clock.