Blackpool Easily Tower Over The Blues

Richard Keogh

The Tangerines fielding four trialists during the match as Emmerik De Vriese, Will Haining, Anthony Brann and Ishmael Demontagnac all look to win permanent deals at Bloomfield Road. As for United, well coach Graham Kavanagh was back in the engine room as he plays through a shoulder problem, the rest of the Carlisle squad remaining unchanged as yet again there was no pre-season place for a natural goalscorer in first year professional striker Andy Cook.

The Cumbrians may have had the majority of the possession on the evening but once more they never really looked like scoring from open play, some early United pressure producing nothing while the first chance of the match came Blackpool's way. That being a fourth minute free-kick from David Vaughan from outside the Carlisle penalty area that drifted well wide of Lenny Pidgeley's goal.

Some good delivery from a Marc Bridge-Wilkinson corner saw the Blues take the lead after ten minutes though, his well placed corner in being met by the head of Richard Keogh ten yards out, Keogh from there thumping his effort low into the unguarded near corner of the Blackpool net. That being one of numerous headers Keogh won on the evening, the former Bristol City man like last season once more showing the heart of a lion in the challenge.

Two minutes later and a Kavanagh cross to the back-post saw Matty Robson poorly head over from 15 yards out, Gary Madine then shortly afterwards hitting a 22-yard right-footer straight at Matt Gilks in the Seasiders goal. Madine again having to play on his own upfront in a 4-4-1-1 formation, as with just eleven days left until the start of the League One season Carlisle's attacking options continue to look as weak as a kitten.

With 24 minutes on the clock Robson cut in from the left on his weaker right foot only to curl a 22-yard effort across goal and well wide of the far-post. Blackpool's Stephen Crainey then perhaps a little lucky moments later not to be more heavily punished by Newcastle referee David Foster when he brought down Madine near the Tangerines box, the only result being a United free-kick which came to nothing from the boot of Ian Harte.

Just after the half-hour mark and the visitors found an equaliser to cheer up their following of about 100 fans, in a disappointing attendance of 1,697 - part produced by the poor weather and part produced by a feeling of complete apathy around the city. The goal coming from Jason Euell who finished easily from close range as, in the midst of some slack Carlisle defending, he got on the end of a lay-off from big Ben Burgess following a Vaughan ball up.

Shortly afterwards though and United were looking to retake the lead, Keogh again getting on the end of a Bridge-Wilkinson header, this time though Gilks was able to get across and smother his ten-yard header. Madine then unable to provide the finishing touch once more in the 38^th minute as he a pulled an 18-yard drive from a Kavanagh pass wide of the target.

Blackpool's Belgian trialist Emmerik De Vriese sixty seconds later hitting a shot from a tight six-yard angle into Pidgeley's side-netting following a low cross in from the right by Gary Taylor-Fletcher. The Seasiders then taking the lead as the clock ticked into injury time and the rain began to pour down, a Vaughan free-kick in from the right being nodded down by an unmarked Burgess for an also unmarked Brett Ormerod eight yards out. Ormerod from there coolly stroking the ball home as a sleeping Carlisle back-line appealed in vain for an offside flag.

The interval saw the Cumbrians make two changes in David Raven for Tony Kane at right-back and Joe Anyinsah for Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, Anyinsah going straight upfront alongside Dobie as the Blues switched to a 4-4-2 formation. Blackpool meanwhile swapping Joe Martin, Euell, Burgess and De Vriese respectively for Haining, Danny Mitchley, Billy Clarke and Keith Southern.

As often happens in pre-season matches the usual lump of second-half substitutions makes for a much more bitty game. Carlisle in particular, as has been the story of their three home games in the last week, looking very weak upfront, while also tonight, and against Middlesbrough, some slack defending has started to creep in - not exactly a recipe for success but perhaps the back five not helped by the inability of the forward players to hold onto the ball for any length of time.

Play starting to slow to a crawl in a second period that had most of us reaching for the snooze button meant that the opening chance came in the 50th minute and was as un-entertaining as a Taylor-Fletcher shot from distance for the Seasiders that almost tested the corner flag. Madine then zipping a low 22-yarder, from an Anyinsah pass, straight into the arms of a hardly tested Gilks six minutes later.

The only things to note in the next stage of the half up until the midway point in the period being four substitutions. Three of those coming for Carlisle as Scott Dobie and Tom Taiwo came on for Madine and Kavanagh just after the hour-mark and Peter Murphy replaced Danny Livesey on 65 minutes, all those being like for like changes for the Cumbrians. Blackpool then sixty seconds later bringing on unknown trialist Anthony Brann for Ian Evatt.

The next action thankfully coming in more normal circumstances moments afterwards as Cleveland Taylor charged away down the right and put in a cross to the near-post which Anyinsah, 12 yards out, could only smack wide of the Blackpool goal. The Seasiders then extending their lead to 3-1 after 70 minutes with a goal which reminded you a lot of the one Rhys Williams scored for Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Some more rotten defending from the Cumbrians, just like in the 'Boro game, seeing visiting skipper Euell allowed to run in completely unchallenged from deep before the Tangerines man was able to finish confidently 15 yards out past Pidgeley for his second goal of the game. Pidgeley incidentally featuring for the full 90 minutes tonight as Adam Collin sat out the whole of the game as Carlisle's only unsued substitute.

United then went as close to scoring a second goal as they would all night in the 73rd minute when Taylor, ten yards out, got a good header in on a Robson corner. Sadly for the Cumbrians though Craney was able to touch the ball onto the near-post and the Blues were unable to profit on the resultant goalmouth scramble, Alex Baptiste the Tangerine eventually hacking the ball away from danger.

The 76th minute saw Michael Burns replace Paul Thirlwell in the United engine room before Anyinsah two minutes later was unable to do anything with a good Keogh header down from a Robson corner, Keogh about the only Carlisle player able to head the ball on the night. Blues boss Greg Abbott using his last throw of the dice on 83 minutes when he brought on the left-footed Gavin Rothery for Taylor on the right and Tinnion for Robson down the left flank.

A last chance for the Cumbrians to get themselves on the scoresheet again coming sixty seconds later as Tinnion, who again did well in his short time on the pitch, put in a cross from the left which Dobie was unable to reach in front of Gilks as the 'Pool stopper slid out to grab the ball. The game then drifting away to a dull climax as both sides played out the remaining minutes with little interest in the scoreline.

So, three home pre-season games in a week all lost to higher league opposition and what have we learned. Firstly that we won't play sides like this every week in League One - unfortunately, secondly that the defence really needs to be switched on for the full 90 minutes and thirdly that our desperation for a new striker or two gets stronger with every day with that passes. Considering that has been the case since January when it was plainly evident that Danny Graham was on his way, well, you would think something would have been done about it by now.