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Things couldn't have gone much worse for the Cumbrians in the first-half either in the bottom of the table clash as Carlisle found themselves 3-0 down at half-time thanks to an Alex Meechan hat-trick for City. Ex-Forest Green frontman Meechan netting with a header and a shot that were both set up by his strike-partner Lee Steele, Meechan completing the scoring in the opening period with a spot-kick after Steele had been brought down in the United penalty area.
The Blues pulled a goal back after the break through Matthew Wood but the gap was soon restored to three goals again when Meechan scored his fourth of the afternoon when he headed home a Neil Carroll cross. Andy Hardman then made it 4-2 as he netted for Carlisle only for City to have the last word when Carroll scored late on to leave the final scoreline at a sorry looking 5-2 from a United perspective.
The result leaves the Blues probably needing to bag a couple of wins from their four remaining games in order not to finish bottom of the Pontin's Holiday League that they won so convicingly last season. Carlisle have two chances of a victory next week when they play away to Wrexham on Monday and then they face another game on the road just two days later, that coming at Rochdale.
City line-up :
Phil Palethorpe, Kevin Roberts (sub Wayne Morgan), Shaun Kelly, Sean Hessey, Sean Newton, Francis Smith, Neil Carroll, Glenn Cronin, ? Roddy (sub Glenn Rule), Lee Steele, Alex Meechan (sub Paul McManus).
Unused substitutes :
Craig Vernon (GK) and Jordan Barnes.
United line-up :
Chris Howarth (Adam Bradley 46), Paul Arnison, James Krause, Dan Kirkup, Terry Stewart, Neale McDermott (Matthew Brown 46), Matthew Wood, Shaun Vipond, Derek Holmes (Andy Hardman 46), Gary Madine, Stephen Hindmarch.
Results in the division this week :
Oldham 1-2 Preston North End (Tue)
Wrexham 1-0 Tranmere (Tue)
Accrington Stanley 1-3 Rochdale (Wed)
Chester 5-2 Carlisle (Wed)
Updated Reserve Team Table : Click here
United's Reserve Team Results : Click here