Carluke crash out of the Scottish Cup
Carluke Rovers ........ 1 Lochee United ......... 3 Ian Mcknight
Rovers’ run in the Scottish Junior Cup came to an end against Lochee United despite putting in a never-say-die 90 minutes.
Carluke should have opened the scoring after five minutes when a neat Lafferty through ball allowed Haley to sprint in on goal and what looked like a certain goal was stopped after the keeper tipped round the post.
Two minutes later Mark Weir burst through two tackles as he ran towards goal and as he shaped to shoot at the edge of the box had his legs taken from behind.
Inexplicably the Lochee player was only spoken to by the referee with the resultant free-kick taken by Biggart who bulleted an effort that was turned round the post.
The remainder of the half saw both teams trying hard to create chances and Rovers’ keeper Dave Cherrie palmed a shot over the bar on the stroke of halftime.
With the second half a mere five minutes old, United opened the scoring as Rovers committed numbers to an attacking move which broke down on the edge of the Lochee box, allowing the visitors to set up a quick counter-attack.
Rovers’ Cassidy looked to have thwarted the move as he blocked a pass across the edge of the box, but it fell at the feet of a Lochee striker who slotted neatly in from 12 yards.
Two minutes later Carluke were reduced to 10 men after Kane picked up a second yellow card for a petulant trip after being dispossessed in the middle of the park.
Lochee made the extra man count and scored their second goal on the hour mark from a corner which deflected off the top of their striker’s head at the near post and looped over Rovers’ keeper into the net.
To their credit Rovers continued to work hard to create chances and pulled a goal back after 67 minutes when Weir threaded an inch-perfect pass through to Haley who was deliberately tripped in the box. He fired home the resulting penalty. The referee again failed to caution or even speak to the Lochee player.
Rovers almost drew level on 70 minutes when a Weir corner from the right was headed narrowly over the bar by Watson.
With Rovers pressing high for an equaliser in the 85th minute a well constructed attack once again broke down on the edge of the Lochee box who countered at speed to bag their third decisive goal.