GREENOCK’S season ended on Saturday with a disappointing defeat at the hands of Carluke Rovers in the Central League Cup.

The match hinged on a disastrous 90-second spell right at the start of the second half.

Greenock had gone in at the break looking comfortable at 1-0 up and having had the bulk of the play in the opening 45.

They took the lead after just 16 minutes, when Jamie Cunning fired over a low cross into the box and Kenny Munro stooped to send a header past Rovers keeper Jonathan Grier.

And Grier pulled off a great stop to prevent Greenock from doubling their lead nine minutes later, when he dived full-length to parry away a Munro free-kick.

Craig Brown then missed a chance to put the visitors two ahead when he went round a home defender but sclaffed his shot wide.

Carluke had been battling hard but without seriously troubling the Greenock defence, although as the interval approached it took a fine sliding block tackle by Sean Doherty to prevent former Petershill and Kilbirnie striker Ryan Smillie from levelling the match.

Greenock were still looking the likely winners, but that all changed with a calamitous start to the second half. Less than a minute in, a slip-up at the back by Ryan Begley allowed Greig Cavanagh through to blast in a shot which Ryan McWilliams couldn’t hold, and Carluke’s top scorer, Ian Watt, pounced on the rebound to add to his tally of 30 for the season.

Greenock were shell-shocked, and doubly so when Carluke launched another attack just 60 seconds later and were awarded a penalty when Doherty brought Gordon Murphy down in the box, and referee Chris Gentles pointed to the spot.

Keeper McWilliams got a hand to Mark Weir’s spot-kick but couldn’t prevent it from going in to give the Rovers a shock lead.

Greenock responded to the wake-up call with the sense of urgency that had earlier been lacking.

They laid siege to the Carluke goal for the remainder of the match, and came close on a number of occasions to getting the goal which would at least have taken the tie to penalties.

Substitute Allan Docherty, back from suspension, was asking serious questions of the home defence with his probing play, and he set up a chance for Ryan Craig on 70 minutes, but keeper Grier again came to Carluke’s rescue.

Docherty himself then sent a shot just wide, as Greenock threw on John Boyd for the last 10 minutes.

And the club’s assistant manager almost made an immediate impact, getting in a netbound header with his first touch of the ball. But again Grier denied them with a diving save, and with the rebound bouncing off Boyd’s shin and trundling inches past the post, it seemed this was not going to be Greenock’s day.

Carluke then fended off some more late pressure to clinch a quarter-final tie against either Wishaw or Blantyre Vics, who meet tonight.

As for Greenock, it’s time for their summer break before regrouping for next season.

Manager Martin Campbell said: “Two mistakes at the start of that second half killed us. I said at half-time that another goal for us would clinch the game, but that just about sums up our season, pure Jekyll and Hyde. It’s a shame for it to end like that, but overall it has been a positive season for Greenock Juniors.” Greenock: McWilliams, Stanton, Cunning, McLaughlin, Begley, Doherty, Murray (A. Docherty 59), Scott (McQuilkin 65), Brown, Craig, Munro (Boyd 80). Subs not used: Gillan, Dow.

l Greenock Juniors are sponsored by SAVEHEAT, and the Lighthouse Bar.

GREENOCK’S season ended on Saturday with a disappointing defeat at the hands of Carluke Rovers in the Central League Cup.

The match hinged on a disastrous 90-second spell right at the start of the second half.

Greenock had gone in at the break looking comfortable at 1-0 up and having had the bulk of the play in the opening 45.

They took the lead after just 16 minutes, when Jamie Cunning fired over a low cross into the box and Kenny Munro stooped to send a header past Rovers keeper Jonathan Grier.

And Grier pulled off a great stop to prevent Greenock from doubling their lead nine minutes later, when he dived full-length to parry away a Munro free-kick.

Craig Brown then missed a chance to put the visitors two ahead when he went round a home defender but sclaffed his shot wide.

Carluke had been battling hard but without seriously troubling the Greenock defence, although as the interval approached it took a fine sliding block tackle by Sean Doherty to prevent former Petershill and Kilbirnie striker Ryan Smillie from levelling the match.

Greenock were still looking the likely winners, but that all changed with a calamitous start to the second half. Less than a minute in, a slip-up at the back by Ryan Begley allowed Greig Cavanagh through to blast in a shot which Ryan McWilliams couldn’t hold, and Carluke’s top scorer, Ian Watt, pounced on the rebound to add to his tally of 30 for the season.

Greenock were shell-shocked, and doubly so when Carluke launched another attack just 60 seconds later and were awarded a penalty when Doherty brought Gordon Murphy down in the box, and referee Chris Gentles pointed to the spot.

Keeper McWilliams got a hand to Mark Weir’s spot-kick but couldn’t prevent it from going in to give the Rovers a shock lead.

Greenock responded to the wake-up call with the sense of urgency that had earlier been lacking.

They laid siege to the Carluke goal for the remainder of the match, and came close on a number of occasions to getting the goal which would at least have taken the tie to penalties.

Substitute Allan Docherty, back from suspension, was asking serious questions of the home defence with his probing play, and he set up a chance for Ryan Craig on 70 minutes, but keeper Grier again came to Carluke’s rescue.

Docherty himself then sent a shot just wide, as Greenock threw on John Boyd for the last 10 minutes.

And the club’s assistant manager almost made an immediate impact, getting in a netbound header with his first touch of the ball. But again Grier denied them with a diving save, and with the rebound bouncing off Boyd’s shin and trundling inches past the post, it seemed this was not going to be Greenock’s day.

Carluke then fended off some more late pressure to clinch a quarter-final tie against either Wishaw or Blantyre Vics, who meet tonight.

As for Greenock, it’s time for their summer break before regrouping for next season.

Manager Martin Campbell said: “Two mistakes at the start of that second half killed us. I said at half-time that another goal for us would clinch the game, but that just about sums up our season, pure Jekyll and Hyde. It’s a shame for it to end like that, but overall it has been a positive season for Greenock Juniors.” Greenock: McWilliams, Stanton, Cunning, McLaughlin, Begley, Doherty, Murray (A. Docherty 59), Scott (McQuilkin 65), Brown, Craig, Munro (Boyd 80). Subs not used: Gillan, Dow.

l Greenock Juniors are sponsored by SAVEHEAT, and the Lighthouse Bar.