Rochdale Reserves 3-1 United Reserves

United skipper Paul Arnison

With some of the younger lads playing their third game in five days it was always going to be a tough ask for the side to get anything tonight, although the loss does leave the Cumbrians staring down the barrel of picking up the wooden spoon this season. Once more though Carlisle took the lead in the match when Paul Arnison was brought down inside the Rochdale penalty area by Charlie Comyn-Platt on ten minutes, Arnison getting up and dusting himself down to coolly despatch the resultant spot-kick.

Just four minutes later though and Rochdale levelled when Dave Flitcroft and Kyle Lambert were involved in crossing the ball into the United box, Matty Ellis meeting the centre with a firm downward header that squirmed into the net just beyond the reach of the diving United goalkeeper Chris Howarth. Before the break 'Dale could have doubled their lead at Dark Lane, the home of Rossendale United FC, but Paul Derrick sent his header wide of the target following a cross in from Danny Reet.

After the interval the home side upped their game and started to dominate proceedings although the Blues did have a chance to regain the lead on 51 minutes, Gary Madine firing narrowly wide from 18 yards out after some good hold-up play by Matthew Brown. That was as close as the Cumbrians got to finding a second-half winner though as the 'Dale went 2-1 up just after the hour mark.

A lob into the Carlisle penalty area by Reet saw a mix-up between Arnison and Howarth as Arnison got a head on the ball, that allowing substitute Kyle Buckley to easily fire home into the United net. Salt was rubbed into the Cumbrians wounds only three minutes later as Rochdale went 3-1 ahead, the third goal coming only seconds after Howarth had been forced into making a good save from a well-struck effort by Buckley.

Buckley certainly wasn't to be denied though and once more it was the impressive Reet who was involved in the goal as he showed some skill in the centre of the park before sliding a nice pass into the run of Buckley 20 yards out. The young striker taking a quick touch and then dispatching a neat low finish into the back of the Carlisle net to complete the scoring on the night.


Rochdale line-up :

Lloyd Rigby, Kyle Buckley, Charlie Comyn-Platt, Reece Kelly, Mark Jackson, Kristian Liptrot, Dave Flitcroft, Kyle Lambert, Danny Reet, Matthew Ellis, Paul Derrick.

Substitutes :

Kristian Bowden, Will Buckley, Nathan Woods and Simon Williams.


United line-up :

Chris Howarth, Paul Arnison, Matthew Blake, Terry Stewart, Dan Kirkup, Matthew Krause, Matthew Wood (Richie Hoban 72), Tom Aldred, Matthew Brown, Shaun Vipond, Gary Madine.

Unused substitutes :

Adam Bradley, Ashley Combe and Dan Wordsworth.

Referee - Mr D Richardson.


Results in the division this week :

Wrexham 1-1 Carlisle (Mon)

Blackpool 1-0 Tranmere (Wed)
Bury 2-2 Preston North End (Wed)
Oldham 2-0 Chester (Wed)
Rochdale 3-1 Carlisle (Wed)


Updated Reserve Team Table : Click here


United's Reserve Team Results : Click here