Carluke Rovers 1-2 Dalry Thistle: Smith has first half penalty saved then scores in second half of Rovers defeat

Rovers had an ideal first half chance to take the lead when they won a penalty for a foul on Dylan Dailly, but Marc Smith’s spot kick was saved.

Dalry then took a 59th minute lead before Rovers equalised on 76 minutes when Smith curled a left foot shot inside the far post.

James Frame spurned a great chance to put Carluke ahead when he shot wide and Rovers were to pay for this miss.

After the hosts had given the ball away, Dalry’s number 14 advanced and shot home the winner from 20 yards off the inside of the right hand post.

“It was a body blow missing the penalty,” Rovers gaffer Weir told the Carluke and Lanark Gazette.

"We created other chances and the game should have been out of sight in the first half.

"It was sod’s law that they then went up the park and before we knew it we were 1-0 down.

"To get back into the game at one each I thought we were going to go on and get the victory but unfortunately we never.

"There was a slack pass and they punished us for it.”

Rovers continue to be blighted by injuries and player unavailability, with Weir having to draft in players from the club’s under-20 side in order to field a starting XI.

"Trying to get a team on the park on a Saturday is a nightmare,” he said.

"We are down to the bare bones. If I didn’t have a 20s team I would be struggling to get a team on the park.

"I am constantly on the phone trying to get new players in and it’s a nightmare. It’s so hard.”

Rovers’ West of Scotland League Conference B defeat against Dalry came four days after they also lost 2-1 at home to Newmains United in another league clash, Douglas Frame scoring the Rovers goal.

"We should have taken six points out our last two games and unfortunately we’ve taken nothing,” Weir said.

Rovers, 11th with 16 points from 16 games, host Port Glasgow Juniors in the league this Saturday, KO 2pm.