Carluke Rovers 2-1 Lesmahagow Juniors: Rovers leapfrog Lesmahagow in table

Carluke Rovers leapfrogged Lesmahagow Juniors in the League One table thanks to a dramatic 90th minute winner by Paul Donaghy in Saturday’s 2-1 triumph over ’Gow at John Cumming Stadium, writes Stevie Kane.
Paul Donaghy scores Carluke Rovers winner against Lesmahagow on Saturday (Pic by Kevin Ramage)Paul Donaghy scores Carluke Rovers winner against Lesmahagow on Saturday (Pic by Kevin Ramage)
Paul Donaghy scores Carluke Rovers winner against Lesmahagow on Saturday (Pic by Kevin Ramage)

Rovers are up to fourth with 21 points from 12 matches, level on points with seventh-placed ’Gow but with a superior goal difference.

Yet things didn’t start well for Carluke in this Clydesdale derby as Lesmahagow were awarded a penalty after just eight minutes.

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Home defender McDonald failed to control the ball properly and then was short with his backpass to Carluke keeper McAllister.

In his attempt to reach the ball first the goalie unfortunately didn’t make it and pulled the Lesmahagow striker down, leaving the referee with no option but to point to the spot.

Up stepped the experienced Kris Jarvie who coolly sent the keeper the wrong way, making the score 1-0 to Lesmahagow.

’Gow keeper Jordan Brown then made a fine stop from Rovers’ Ciaran Lafferty before play raged to the other end where an unchallenged Steven Clark headed wide of the Rovers goal from six yards after a long free-kick into the box.

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Lesmahagow were made to rue this miss a couple of minutes later when Lafferty latched onto a through ball from Conor McDonald and passed the ball into the net just inside the left hand post for 1-1.

Early in the second half, Carluke twice failed to hit the target with a McDonald shot and a Lafferty header.

The game turned in Carluke’s favour in the 66th minute when Gary Nicholson of Lesmahagow was red carded for a second bookable offence when he brought down Maxi Neossi in midfield.

Carluke then began to create several chances, with Lafferty flicking the ball through to Donaghy whose shot was deflected over.

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In the 80th minute, Neossi got on the end of a Shaun McKenna free-kick but again the header was wide.

A minute later a quick free-kick at the corner of the byline and six-yard box found its way to Van Nuil whose shot sailed over the bar.

Home substitute Dominic McMeekin then produced a mazy run, beating two Gow players before seeing his shot well saved by Brown.

Two minutes later Donaghy picked up the ball on the left and fed his strike partner Lafferty whose shot hit the outside of the post and went to safety.

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Just as it looked as if the 10 men of Lesmahagow were going to survive with a point Carluke got their winner in the 90th minute.

Craig Grierson picked the ball up in midfield and threaded a pass through to McMeekin.

He drove into the box and just as it looked as though he had run out of space he managed to cut the ball across the face of the goal where Donaghy was waiting to bundle the ball over the line to make the score 2-1.

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