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The match got off to a relatively quiet start with both defences heavily on top, and neither forward line able to make any kind of breakthrough. The first half-chance came the way of United in the eighth minute as Hawley sent Bridges racing clear into the left-hand edge of the Iron box. It was a surprisingly poor touch from the ex-Leeds man though as the ball pinged off his boot and straight into the arms of Scunthorpe keeper Joe Murphy.
Carlisle put more pressure on five minutes later following a quick Aranalde long throw which sent Bridges clear down the left. Bridges stroking a deep ball into the back-post which saw a 12-yard Adam Murray shot blocked out for a corner. The one-time Derby midfielder stuck the flag-kick in himself, Bridges this time seeing his effort fly behind off the legs of Iron defender Richard Hinds. Aranalde got on the end of Murray´s corner this time only to see his header cleared off the line by Cliff Byrne, the Blues unable to get any more action in on goal from their resultant possession.
Scunthorpe came back into the game from then, and United were forced to change personnel in the 22nd minute when Raven went off with a tight groin problem, to be replaced by Arnison. After 28 minutes Hawley was fouled by Jim Goodwin 30 yards out, Bridges firing wide of the far-post with his right foot following the quickly taken Adam Murray free-kick.
Three minutes later the Iron had their best chance of the match so far. Byrne and Matt Sparrow combining down the right-wing as Sparrow cut in and fired a 22-yard left-footed effort wide of Williams´s far-post. United had a spell of pressure in the 30th minute when Marcus Williams fouled Arnison on the very right-angle of the Iron box. Adam Murray´s free-kick in being cleared, only for Bridges to feed the loose ball into Glenn Murray. The Maryport-born frontman having his well-hit left-footed shot pushed out by Murphy for a corner. Adam Murray´s flag-kick in only seeing Scunthorpe fly out on the break, Williams´s ball across the Cumbrians box seeing Ramon Calliste waste a good opportunity as he blazed well over the Blues crossbar from 20 yards out.
With eight minutes left to go to half-time Adam Murray brought down Sparrow in full flight 35 yards out on the left. Dave Mulligan´s left-footed free-kick in seeing the ball bounce of the leg of the flapping Williams, who had got himself into no-mans land, and loop up on to the head of Steve Torpey six yards out. Aranalde being the saviour for United as he headed Torpey´s goalbound effort away from the Cumbrians line. Three minutes later Williams was again struggling after Billy had fouled Calliste. The free-kick from 30 yards was pushed on by Goodwin to Mulligan for a quick shot, Mulligan´s effort bouncing up and off the chest of Williams straight to Torpey, only for the ex-Bradford man to put the rebound wide from just eight yards out.
On 42 minutes some good work by Bridges, Hawley and Adam Murray created an opportunity, the left-footed half-volley from Murray 20 yards out only going straight down the throat of Murphy though. Shortly before the interval an Arnison ball in was chested down by Hawley, the touch was just too strong however, as it flew inches beyond the reach of Adam Murray and out for an Iron goal-kick.
Scunthorpe made six changes at the break with renowned strike pair Billy Sharp and Andy Keogh part of the new Iron personnel. After 51 minutes there were appeals for a penalty from the Lincolnshire outfit when Gray appeared to bring down Keogh in the box, only for referee Edward Sweeney to wave away the protests. Sixty seconds later Scunthorpe were again putting pressure on when a Neil MacKenzie corner broke out to the pacey Cleveland Taylor on the edge of the Carlisle box. Taylor´s shot being hammered poorly straight into the ground, with Keogh then slamming a right-footed half-volley on the turn well over the Cumbrians bar from 12 yards out.
On 55 minutes it was United´s turn to appeal for a spot-kick, after Bridges went to ground when he cut inside Iron left-back Lee Ridley. Bridges tumbling to the astroturf surface only to see referee Sweeney again wave off the penalty appeals. The Blues stuck to their initial gameplan when on the hour-mark they made wholesale changes. Arnison now having to stay on for the injured Raven, and Aranalde being the only Blue to see out the full 90 minutes. The Carlisle team for the last half-hour being : Westwood ; Aranalde, Murphy, Grand, Arnison ; Hackney, Joyce and Lumsdon ; with Nade pushed up on the right-wing to support Gall and Holmes upfront.
On 71 minutes Scunthorpe made another change as Mulligan came back onto the pitch to replace Byrne. Sixty seconds later Mulligan was straight in the thick of the action when Grand brought down Andy Butler. Mulligan stepped up to take the 22-yard set-piece but the New Zealand international could only drive it straight into United´s three-man wall.
After a particularly quiet period in the game things sprang into life again on 76 minutes. A good one-two between Taylor and Sparrow seeing Taylor stick a pacey low ball in from the right. The predatory Sharp was first there at the near-post but he was only able to pull his side-footed finish across the six-yard box and past Westwood´s far-post for a United goal-kick. Two minutes later Carlisle had a half-chance when they were awarded an indirect free-kick for Hinds holding the ball between his feet under a firm challenge from Gall. The set-piece was 25 yards out away on the left but Lumsdon´s driven ball in was quickly hacked away by the right boot of Byrne.
On 81 minutes Calliste cut in from the left for the Iron and went flying into the box over the top of a good Arnison block tackle, Scunthorpe appealling for a penalty in vain. Referee Sweeney officiating averagely throughout the tournament, showing some good communication with the players, only to give some bizarre, at times, decisions on the field. A minute later Lumsdon stuck a corner in to the far-post which Murphy headed back across goal, only to see Hinds once more in the right place at the right time to nod the ball away from danger.
The game seemed to be running down a bit as penalties began to loom on the horizon, with attacks at a premium, never mind the minimal amount of chances that had come before. Carlisle still had pretty much the last attack of the game though in the 88th minute when Lumsdon played in Gall down hte right-hand channel. The ex-Yeovil man powered clear with his pace but the grandstand finish was lacking as he blazed his 15-yard finish from the right-angle of the Iron box well over Murphy´s crossbar.
No more action came from then to the final whistle, although Scunthorpe did make two late substitutions, obviously with penalty taking in mind. The 88th minute seeing Calliste come off to be replaced by the returning Crosby, and Goodwin once more taking to the field in favour of the departing Sparrow. So, spot-kicks it was, and you can´t really argue with Scunthorpe´s victory on penalties as they took their efforts much more confidenty, with United getting off to the worst start possible. The penalties being taken as follows with Joe Murphy for the Iron and Keiren Westwood for the Cumbrians hoping to become the San-An final hero :
Carlisle 0-0 Chris Lumsdon, low right-footed penalty, saved by Murphy to his left
Scunthorpe 0-1 Andrew Crosby, low into the far-right corner, with Westwood diving the wrong way.
Carlisle 1-1 Zigor Aranalde, low to Murphy´s left, the keeper getting a firm hand to it but the spot-kick just sneaks in
Scunthorpe 1-2 Billy Sharp, good penalty into the top-left corner, with Westwood diving the right way but having no chance.
Carlisle 2-2 Kevin Gall, excellent penalty into the top-right corner which sends Murphy the wrong way
Scunthorpe 2-3 Andy Keogh, hit pretty much straight down the middle, with Westwood diving away to his right.
Carlisle 2-3 Luke Joyce, poorly hit penalty away to the keeper´s left, easily saved by Murphy
Scunthorpe 2-3 Dave Mulligan, low and hard to the right, sends Westwood the wrong way but pings, at pace, off the outside of the far-post for the first Iron failure.
Carlisle 2-3 Simon Grand, chipped softly down the middle, hits the underneath of the crossbar and bounces out to seal San-An spot-kick success for Scunthorpe.
A sad finish in the end really to the tournament from a Carlisle perspective, but it certainly made a pleasant change to a July trip to Barrow or Tow Law Town. A little bit naughty of the Scunthorpe players to "do the disco" in front of the Carlisle fans in a friendly tournament at the end as well, I hope the United boys remember to do that one ad infinitum if we win at Glanford Park in the league. The players, and the United management, certainly seemed to take their training seriously in their time in Ibiza, only about 36 hours to Kendal on Saturday afternoon though, it´s certainly a quick turnaround for the lads that´s for sure.