Carluke Rovers co-boss Paul Davies admits his first game in the hotseat proved to be one of his strangest in management – after the opposition goalkeeper scored to deny him a debut win.
Rovers’ new management team of Davies and Craig Gupwell were most recently with Newmains United and an entertaining 3-3 draw with Royal Albert in West of Scotland Football League Conference B provided an insight into their new team.
Christy Lawlor, Dillian Duddy and Michael Barton all struck for Carluke on Saturday after Adam Hill handed the home side the lead with a controversial penalty.
They looked to be hanging on, before Matthew Webb pulled one back for Royal Albert. Then, in a bizarre stoppage-time twist, goalkeeper Connor Blades netted his second of the season.
After scoring from 80 yards against Dalry earlier in the campaign, he came up for a corner, where he was left unmarked to head home and snatch a draw.
A clip of the goal has amassed over 94,000 views on Twitter as Carluke are left in 12th spot.
Davies said: “It was a bizarre game for us. In all the years I’ve been in football management, I don’t think I have witnessed one like it.
“Royal Albert get a penalty after six minutes and it was a cross into the box. It’s hit the arm at the side of our player, Taylor Jessimer. That rule is a grey area but they score from it.
“We dominated the game after that and played some really good football in spells. I was delighted with the way we were playing. We are then denied a stonewall penalty.
“Royal Albert were relentless and they could have chucked the towel in. They send their goalkeeper up and the clip is online, everyone watches him walking into the box and nobody picks him up.
“There was no numerical advantage either as they kept a man back! He’ll never have as free a header in his life.”
Davies and Gupwell now face their old side Newmains this weekend.
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