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It was the Blues who had the first shot on goal in the second minute after Reds right-back Peter Murphy had fouled Andy Hardman 22 yards out, Joyce only firing the Cumbrians free-kick straight into the defensive wall though. That was as good as the result got all night for United however as the visitors took the lead three minutes later, an Andy Proctor ball across the middle from the right being cleverly dummied by David Brown into the path of Andy Smith on the edge of the box, Smith's left-footed effort leaving Blues keeper Grant Carson with no chance as it flew into the net off the base of the post.
After eight minutes Ferris was unable to control a good ball over the top by Joyce 20 yards out and the ball bounced through to Stanley's French ex-Kilmarnock glovesman Francois Dubourdeau. Two minutes later it was Shaun Vipond looking to take advantage of Accrington's high back-line, Matthew Wood racing through onto the deep through ball only to send his 18-yard right-footed lob over the advancing Dubourdeau wide of the far-post.
Carson made an easy save at his near-post in the 16th minute when Robert Grant cut in from the left and fired a soft shot on his weaker right foot straight at him from the angle of the Carlisle penalty area. Sixty seconds later Julien N'Da crossed in from the left for the visitors and the lanky Proctor missed a great chance as he headed wide of the United back-stick from just six yards out.
Shortly afterwards both sides nearly scored within the space of 20 seconds, Carlisle going close first when a Joyce free-kick in was headed back across by Stephen Hindmarch at the far-post, Vipond then getting on to the knockdown only to see his 18-yard effort blocked. Accrington then broke away quickly and a nice move forward ended in Carson making an excellent low one-handed save from a fierce drive in by Brown on the edge of the United box.
On 20 minutes a bad foul on Ferris by Jay Harris resulted in Joyce only hitting the 35-yard Carlisle free-kick too deep and out for a goal-kick at the far-post. Four minutes later Stanley missed another easy headed chance after Blues centre-half Dan Wordsworth was penalised for handball 20 yards out on the left-angle of the box. Grant curling the ball in left-footed for Reds centre-back Rikki Bains to get the end of, somehow though the unmarked Bains headed wide when it looked easier to score.
With 27 minutes gone Wood sent Ferris clear down the right-wing to cross in for Joyce, the Blues midfielder was unable to connect with a half-volley though and after a bit of pinball Bains hacked the ball clear. Just after the half-hour mark some bizarre refereeing by Mr Oliver saw Hardman flattened by Joel Byrom then Hindmarch hacked down by N'Da 40 yards out. The official seemingly judging the first bad challenge not to be a foul as he gave a free-kick for the second tackle and booked N'Da. Joyce put the set-piece in but Ferris was unable to create anything at the back-stick as the visitors defence crowded him out.
After 33 minutes a useful Matthew Blake ball down the left-hand channel looked to have found Vipond but he lost possession and Dubourdeau was able to pounce on the loose ball. Three minutes later Brown was allowed to run on unchallenged too far for Accrington, although hearts were in mouths a little bit more for the Blues as Carson made perhaps his only half-mistake of the night as it took him two attempts to keep hold of Brown's 25-yarder.
With five minutes to go before the break a good ball by Vipond found Hardman 28 yards out, Hardman's fantastic right-footed shot from there looking to be dipping under the crossbar all the way only for Dubourdeau to make a superb save as he managed to tip the ball over the top. Vipond stuck the resultant corner into the near-post area but sadly Hindmarch was unable to keep his header down from eight yards out and the chance was gone as the ball flew into the empty Waterworks End.
After 43 minutes some great work by Hindmarch on the left saw Joyce stick a cross in, Dubourdeau was quickly there though to take the ball in on the bounce. The last chance of the half came the way of the Cumbrians seconds before the half-time whistle after Byrom had brought down Ferris in the right-hand corner. Vipond's free-kick in breaking to Wordsworth at the far-post whose cross back in was headed out for a corner, Vipond's resultant flag-kick in being headed away by Ashley Foyle as the whistle blew for the interval.
Two minutes into the second-half some good interplay between Ferris and Hindmarch saw the latter stick a good cross in from the right, Hardman and Byrom challenged for the ball in the six-yard box and it looked like Byrom had got there first only for the official to signal a goal-kick. With 54 minutes gone a Brown pass found Smith down the United left-hand channel, Smith's 15-yard shot on his left foot was weak though and easy for Carson to save.
Five minutes later Harris played a good ball through the middle for Smith to chase down, Wordsworth was unable to get across to cover for United and it was left to Carson to make an excellent one-handed save as he pushed Smith's one-on-one ten-yard effort around the post for a corner. Bang on the hour-mark Wordsworth fouled Harris 30 yards out on the left, Harris getting up to stick the free-kick in to the back-post which Grant volleyed back across goal, Brown couldn't complete the move though as his shot from the penalty spot was badly scooped over Carson's crossbar.
Sixty seconds later Smith tried a very speculative shot from 40 yards out only to see the ball slice well wide of the Carlisle far-post. Shortly afterwards Hindmarch made a good run down the left and crossed in low, it wasn't a very well aimed centre though as with Ferris clear in front of goal Bains was able to hoof the ball away into the distance. It was Vipond who was looking to grab an equaliser for the Cumbrians in the 64th minute but his 25-yard right-footer only flew straight at Dubourdeau.
Midway through the second period Blues right-back Matthew Brown fouled Grant half-way down the left of the Cumbrians penalty area. That break in play for the free-kick seeing United's new Head of Youth Eric Kinder make his first change of the night as he brought on Mike Stewardson for Hardman. Byrom stuck the set-piece in for the Reds which Carlisle centre-half Terry Stewart did very well to clear out for a corner from almost under the crossbar. Byrom and Grant working a short corner with Foyle heading poorly over six yards out from Grant's resultant left-wing cross in.
With fifteen minutes to go in the game a Ferris ball found Hindmarch down the right flank, only for Hindmarch to find his low cross in cleared. Seconds later and United were pressing down that side again when this time the roles were reversed and Ferris cut a low ball back for Joyce, the Carlisle midfielder being unlucky to see his 15-yard effort across goal, which was destined for the top corner, expertly tipped away by the in-form Dubourdeau.
Shortly afterwards, as the Blues had a strong spell in the game, Ferris held play up well down the right-hand channel before laying the ball across to Vipond 22 yards out in the middle. Once more a right-footed shot was in all the way only for Dubourdeau again to make an excellent save as at full stretch he tipped the ball over his own crossbar. Three minutes later Stanley made their first substitution of the night when they brought on Jay Bell for Grant.
With six minutes to go Carlisle penalty appeals came and went in vain when Wood appeared to be pushed over at the back-post by Byrom as he challenged for a Ferris cross in, the official quickly waving away the United protests. Sixty seconds later the Blues were out of luck yet again when a low shot by Joyce from fully 22 yards out was well saved by Dubourdeau as he, once more, pushed the low drive around his post for a corner.
In the 87th minute Stewart brought down Brown just outside the middle of the Cumbrians 'D', the break in play seeing Dan Rayson come on for Wood for United and Joe Skelmedine replacing Smith for the Reds, the resultant free-kick by Proctor being wasted as he hit it left-footed miles over the top. That was the last chance for either side really with the final action of note being an awful late challenge on Brown, which saw Brown limp out the closing stages, by Skelmedine who was booked for the bad lunge. The final whistle coming seconds later on yet another game in which United had had by far the majority of the play without scoring, a problem seemingly endemic from first-team to youth-team at the moment.
United line-up :
Grant Carson, Matthew Brown, Matthew Blake, Terry Stewart, Dan Wordsworth, Matthew Wood (Dan Rayson 87), Pete Ferris, Luke Joyce, Stephen Hindmarch, Shaun Vipond, Andy Hardman (Mike Stewardson 67).
Unused substitutes :
Ashley Combe and Richie Hoban.
Accrington Stanley line-up :
Francois Dubourdeau, Peter Murphy, Julian N'Da, Joel Byrom, Rikki Bains, Ashley Foyle, Andy Proctor, Jay Harris, Andy Smith (Joe Skelmedine 87), David Brown, Robert Grant (Jay Bell 77).
Unused substitutes :
Martin Fearon, Chris Turner and Liam O'Connor.
Results in the division this week, all played Wednesday :
Bury 0-1 Chester
Carlisle 0-1 Accrington Stanley
Preston 2-1 Wrexham
Rochdale 0-6 Oldham
Tranmere 3-1 Manchester City
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