Carluke Rovers 1-1 Lesmahagow: Rovers win 5-3 on penalties

Craig Grierson scores Rovers fifth penalty to seal victory (Pic by Kevin Ramage)

Rovers prevailed 5-3 on spot kicks at John Cumming Stadium after a 1-1 draw during the regulation 90 minutes, setting up a final against Lanark United at Moor Park next Monday night.

It was 30 minutes before the deadlock was broken in the Carluke-'Gow contest as Shaun Watson pounced on a loose ball in the box and stabbed it home to put the Rovers ahead.

The game threatened to boil over at various points as both sides put in some crunching challenges and certainly didn’t hold back in the tackles.

Falconer came close for ’Gow with around 10 to go in the half as he cut in from the right and hit a decent shot only for it to be saved by the legs of Terry in the Rovers goal.

Just before half-time, ’Gow got a lifeline as Chiedu handled in the box and the referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty.

Woodlock stepped up and calmly slotted home the penalty just on half-time.

Terry was on fine form and made several decent second half saves to keep the match all level.

Twenty minutes in and Rovers had a decent penalty claim as a Conor McDonald shot looked to have came off a defender’s hand but the referee waved the claims away.

With the game almost on 90 minutes Lesmahagow almost won it but for a last ditch goal line clearance from Mitchell.

The shootout saw Cassidy, Donaghy and MacNeill score the first three Rovers penalties and Whitefield and Schoneville net two for Lesmahagow.

The unfortunate Woodlock, having earlier scored from the penalty spot, saw his effort come off the post.

McDonald scored Rovers’ fourth and Clark slotted home for ’Gow’s third.

It was then down to Grierson to win the match for the Rovers.

A well placed penalty to the left gave the keeper no chance and resulted in the Rovers reaching the final.