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The Cumbrians prepare to welcome the Seasiders for their short journey up the M6 on Tuesday evening, holding a slight advantage on previous meetings between the two at Brunton Park. Of the 20 games played, United have recorded nine wins, while Blackpool have come away with a relatively healthy six victories, five of the games ending up with the points shared.
The most recent encounter was just over ten months ago, in November 2005, the Blues carving out a narrow 2-1 victory in an LDV Northern Section second round match. All three goals that night, in front of 2,989 spectators, coming in the space of five second-half minutes. The visitors taking the lead on 62 minutes through Tommy Wright, only for Carlisle to equalise just sixty seconds later courtesy of a fierce Karl Hawley strike. Derek Holmes sending the Cumbrians into the LDV Vans quarter-final with a chipped finish over Australian goalkeeper Les Pogliacomi in the 67th minute.
The last time the two sides met in the league at Brunton Park was back in the 2000-01 season, Carlisle running out 1-0 winners in the mid-April game, Carl Heggs grabbing the only goal of the game for the Blues in the 84th minute as 6,096 fans watched on. That season seeing United surviving the drop into non-league football by their biggest margin for a few campaigns, the Cumbrians eventually finishing three points ahead of rock-bottom Barnet, the Bees having lost their Football League status in a winner stays up 3-2 defeat at home to Torquay on the last day of the season.
For a detailed analysis of the head-to-head between the two sides, click here
| Recent encounters between the teams: | |||||
| 2005/2006 | Tue 22 Nov | Carlisle | 2 - 1 | Blackpool | ASSM |
| 2000/2001 | Sat 14 Apr | Carlisle | 1 - 0 | Blackpool | LGE2 |
| 2000/2001 | Tue 24 Oct | Blackpool | 3 - 2 | Carlisle | LGE2 |
| 1997/1998 | Fri 26 Dec | Carlisle | 1 - 1 | Blackpool | LGE1 |
| 1997/1998 | Sun 07 Sep | Blackpool | 2 - 1 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 1995/1996 | Sat 23 Mar | Blackpool | 3 - 1 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 1995/1996 | Mon 01 Jan | Carlisle | 1 - 2 | Blackpool | LGE1 |
Recent respective form guides
Carlisle are in decent form at home, having won four and drawn two of their last six games, those draws coming against Northampton Town and Bradford City in the Carling Cup. These high-scoring games have yielded a total of eleven goals for the Cumbrians, with just four against.
In complete contrast to the Blues, Blackpool are having a torrid time on their travels, seeing them win just one and draw two of the last six. Only five goals have been registered in this time, but just six have been leaked at the wrong end as well, although most of those goals came in the Tangerines one victory on the road, that being a surprise 4-2 victory at Bristol City.
Carlisle's total of 17 points from their ten games played sees them sitting in the play-off places in League One, four points off first-placed Nottingham Forest.
Blackpool are stuck down in the relegation zone in fourth bottom with a return of just eight points from their ten games thus far. Like United the Seasiders have drawn five games, but unlike United they have lost four matches.
For a detailed analysis of team form guides throughout the leagues, click here
| Current home and away form guides: | P | W | D | L | F | A | P |
| Carlisle | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 9 |
| Blackpool | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
FootyMad's prediction ...
Its good news for Carlisle fans, because, with them being in such great nick at home, I just can't see any further than an emphatic home win for the Cumbrians. Home win
| Sequence statistics: | |
| Carlisle | Unbeaten in the last six home games. |
| Blackpool | Drawn each of the last three matches. Not won in previous three away games. No win in the seven most recent matches. |