Loss of concentration costs Carluke in nine-goal thriller

Feb 14 2008

CARELESS Carluke Rovers switched off for five minutes either side of the interval and it cost them a place in the Whyte and Mackay West of Scotland Cup third round.

Beith ran out 5-4 winners, but manager Whitey Moffat said: “Apart from that five-minute spell when we lost our concentration my players were superb, against a Beith team lying third in the Super Premier League.

“I’m disappointed for the lads, for we played some good football.”

Skipper Mark Weir hammered in a 12-yard drive, Beith equalised, but Stephen Ferguson headed in a Weir cross in 25 minutes.

Five minutes later Stewart Arnott made it 3-1 from an acute angle, but then a lapse in concentration saw Beith score in 43 minutes, equalise a minute into the second half, and go 4-3 ahead two minutes later.

Arnott rounded off good work by Barry McGowan to slam in an equalising fourth goal before Gary Fleming was sent off but 10-man Rovers fought back and Mark Haddow saw a header graze the bar, before Arnott went close with a drive.

But as Rovers surged forward, Beith hit them on the counter-attack.

Thorniewood United also crashed out, as Largs Thistle ran out 3-1 winners, Chris Queen scoring.

Raging Wishaw boss Alex Young claimed two refereeing decisions cost his side both goals in their 2-0 defeat at Cumbernauld United.

He explained: “We claimed a corner but they took a quick bye-kick as our players appealed, and broke up the park to score.

“Then, with three minutes to go, we felt that Kevin Duddy was fouled but again they broke to score.”