The Cumbrians had two debutants in their starting line-up with Paul Arnison and Steve Schumacher in blue shirts for the first time after their loan moves were completed yesterday. With Richie Foran and Lee Andrews suspended, in came Raven after injury and Brian Wake. Striker Kevin Henderson, out for a fortnight was on the bench. Francis Green fired over the bar and Gary Fletcher tested Glennon with an early shot as the home team made most of the running. United's first goal attempt was a shot from Craig Farrell that brought an easy save from Alan Marriott. Disaster struck just 20 minutes in when Steve Livingstone fouled Fletcher and the referee adjudged him to be the last man and sent him off. This was the third red card suffered by Carlisle in their last three away trips, and amazingly took them up to five red cards against Lincoln in four meetings. Ex-United full back Richard Liburd put in a cross that Richard Butcher met with his head on 33 minutes but directed narrowly wide of the far post. Then Glennon's goal kick was so poor it allowed the home team a clear break but the cross was a bit too high and United cleared. Arnison, fed by Billy, put in a dangerous cross shot that got United's following into good voice. Simon Yeo was booked for diving, joining Paul Mayo in the book who was also carded for play-acting. The Cumbrians looked like reaching half-time still at parity but a long throw in flicked across goal found Yeo who squeezed in a shot past Glennon with a minute of stoppage time elapsed. Raven went off at half-time, to be replaced by Brian Shelley as Carlisle were forced to re-group. Five minutes into the second half Liburd put in a deep cross, the ball was initially blocked but Fletcher got the final touch to make it 2-0. Mayo then brought a good save out of Glennon only for the rebound to fall to Futcher who put his effort just wide. Billy then conceded a corner as Lincoln looked to kill the game off. Niall McNamara volleyed over. United's first real chance was wasted when Arnison's cross found Wake who headed straight at the keeper from the edge of the six yard box. Wake entered the book for a seemingly innocuous infringement. The Imps missed a great chance of their own when Fletcher headed over the bar from barely 8 yards out. Liburd could have made it 3 with 12 minutes left but his shot hit the angle of post and cross-bar. Henderson returned to action as a sub for Wake. Farrell worked a decent position but sliced wide before Rundle became the final substitution, replacing Farrell. A rapid break saw Matt Bloomer fire over the bar as City tried to tie things up late in the game. Al's verdict: The nightmare goes on. Despite a long overdue influx of new signings, nothing much changed in this game. Lincoln's direct style didn't seem to be causing us too many problems but being down to 10 men, there was always the chance their dead ball drill would undo us, and so it proved on the stroke of half-time. The only real chance we carved out was wasted, yet again. What we urgently need is a natural goalscorer as we don't seem to have anyone right now who can bust the net at the vital moment. At least other results went our way so the gap is still a mere 10 points. Thank goodness for small mercies. We now have a fortnight's break from league action to sort out some more new players and it looks like we'll need them with more suspensions and injuries on the slate. |
