It was always going to be an emotionally charged afternoon, but when your team is almost dead and buried with 20 minutes to go the excitement which built along with the unexpected comeback almost took the roof off the Victoria Park enclosure.

The dramatic late win, understandably, brought a tear to the departing gaffer who has been at the helm for the past six seasons. Graham told us: “I’m almost speechless. When the whistle went I went to bits.

“I am so proud of the players. Many teams would have rolled over and gave in when their third goal went in. The players just rolled up their sleeves and kept battling – that’s something I’ve instilled in them over the years and it’s something that has won us a lot of matches.

“I’ll miss this but I made my mind up a while ago.” Rovers have dominated the South Cup in recent seasons winning it on three of the last seven occasions.

But they faced a Carluke team packed with quality and full of confidence.

The Baptists dominated early play with Scott Murphy blasting an angled shot inches past the far post inside the opening two minutes.

The pressure deservedly led to the opener just four minutes later. The impressive Craig Stewart darted towards the byline and his cut back was lodged into the top corner of the net by the prowling Murphy.

Rovers struggled to gain any momentum as their forays into Carluke territory were easily broken down. The post came to Leithen’s rescue on 20 minutes after Murphy’s speculative chip from 30 yards sailed over keeper Chris Watson and struck the far upright.

It wasn’t turning into the farewell party that Graham had hoped for.

But on the half hour the match suddenly swung in Leithen’s favour. Space began to open up and the passes were finally finding their intended destinations.

Alan McMath sprinted into the area to cut the ball back to Peter Shearlaw on 31 minutes but his sweetly struck shot was spectacularly saved by the hand of Cameron Stewart at full stretch.

Hagen Steele and Simon Philbin also forced the Baps defence into desperate clearances as the Innerleithen side got the sniff of an equaliser before the break.

It came on 42 minutes from McMath. Shearlaw’s dink towards the back post was brilliantly trapped by the diminutive striker, who showed quick feet to dance round his marker and squeeze the ball over the line.

McMath was denied a second two minutes into the second half for a very tight offside decision.

But that was as good as it got for Leithen in the opening 20 minutes after the break. Carluke were back on top with Mustaf El-Zubaidi and Steven Clarke pulling the strings.

George McCall was fortunate to restore the Baps lead after his edge-of-the-box shot took a wicked deflection off Chris Borthwick and wrong footed Watson.

But it was Rovers who were riding their luck not to concede another before the hour as the Baps piled on the pressure.

Watson smothered a through ball at the feet of Stewart just a couple of minutes before the same striker fired a shot an inch past the post.

Full back Graeme Young shaved the Leithen cross bar with an effort from outside the area after storming through the Innerleithen defence.

The third eventually arrived on 65 minutes. El-Zubaidi’s freekick was flicked into the net by Stewart at the front post. The large Baps crowd thought it was all over...so did most of the home support.

But it only took a minute for the game to be turned on its head.

On 66 minutes the ever-eager Philbin was chopped down in the penalty area.

Carluke defender Ian Anderson was harshly shown a straight red card and Andy Hardie fired home the penalty.

Just three minutes later Shearlaw fired in a low cross from the left and McMath somehow poked the ball against the keeper and into the net to equalise.

Even with 10 men Carluke continued to look dangerous but the momentum had swung in favour of Rovers.

And with 10 minutes remaining Shearlaw again played in a low cross from the left for McMath to dart in front of his marker and convert to put Rovers in front for the first time.

There was still time for Carluke’s Clarke to be sent off for a second yellow and for Steele to harshly have a goal chalked off for Rovers.

But the Champagne, or rather crate of lager, had already been pulled out the fridge by this point.

And the farewell party began.

Carluke Baptists. Cam Stewart, G Young, I Anderson, C Lattimer (E Adamson 71), S Crowe, G McColl, Craig Stewart (R Durie 68), S Clarke, A Horton, S Murphy & M El-Zubaidi (D Robb 73).

Leithen Rovers. C Watson, D Paterosn, C Borthwick, C Smith, J Cooper, T Fleming (D Pryde 84), S Philbin, A Hardie, H Steele, A McMath & P Shearlaw ( J Almero 84).