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The game couldn't have started any worse for United as they went 1-0 down on four minutes and Chris Howarth left the pitch with an ankle injury. The goal coming after a hospital back header from Tony Kane, featuring at left-back, saw Preston's Rob Turner and Howarth challenge for possession 25 yards out. Turner winning the battle and then walking the ball on into an empty net.
Howarth was in agony as the net bulged though and he had to be shouldered from the park by Geoff Haugh and Jamie Cleary, Alex Mitchell then entering the fray as Howarth hopped away down the tunnel. A 13th minute foul by Grant Smith on Jamie Douglas over in the East Stand/Warwick corner saw a free-kick floated in by Adam Barton, George Miller, with a header from eight yards out then forcing Kane into a hacked clearance off the line.
Three minutes later Douglas sent a left-footed 22-yarder wide of the near-post. A 25-yard Jeff Smith free-kick with his left boot then being easily caught by North End goalkeeper Jack Cudworth on 18 minutes. Details being sketchy at this stage as we were trying to fathom out the visitors starting eleven with them seemingly changing their team and shirt numbers around before the kick-off as compared to the teamsheet.
All eyes were on the playing surface after 22 minutes though, the Cumbrians equalising when Jeff Smith curled a 35-yard left-footed free-kick in from the right. Grant Smith the Blue ghosting in at the back-post to flick an unmarked header easily past Cudworth from six yards out. Preston responding on 24 minutes with an Adam Barton right-footed shot straight from just outside the United box that went straight at Mitchell.
It was North End again sixty seconds later when a Jamie Proctor cross in from the right saw Turner's flicked eight-yard header looping up into the air for Mitchell to catch. Tom Smyth for the visitors then hitting a left-footed half-volley from 20 yards out well wide of Mitchell's far-post after 28 minutes, Mahon for Carlisle also trying his luck sixty seconds later with a left-footed 20-yarder that went straight into the gloves of Cudworth.
United then picked up two bookings in quick succession as Kane was yellow-carded for a foul on Adam Barton with 37 minutes gone, Gavin Rothery then going into fussy referee Geoff Eltringham's notebook two minutes later when he brought down North End skipper Dean Stott.
With 41 minutes on the clock a cross in from the right by Proctor again found Douglas left over at the back-stick, Douglas bringing an excellent save out of Mitchell with a powerfully hit left-footed half-volley from 15 yards out. The last effort of the half coming the way of United a minute into injury time when Mahon set up Jeff Smith for a 20-yard shot on his left foot which was easily taken by Cudworth.
Three minutes after the interval and it was Preston's turn for a yellow card when Phil Appiah was booked for a shirt pull on Chris Lumsdon. Two minutes later and Rothery made a good run in from the left flank but his right-footed strike from 15 yards out rebounded away off the body of centre-half Miller.
Some poor defending by Hughton on 53 minutes allowed Douglas to run in at the Carlisle back-stick from a long diagonal pass, Douglas though seeing his ten-yard effort with the inside of his right boot well saved by the legs of Mitchell. The visitors then making a substitution sixty seconds later when Appiah was replaced in central midfield by Ciaran Barton.
The 56th minute saw a Lumsdon free-kick quickly pushed in from 30 yards out on the right, following a foul on Rothery. Scott Dobie's first touch on his chest was heavy though and he closed the angle down on his himself for a 12-yard right-footed drive that sliced away wide of the North End near-post.
Three minutes after the hour-mark and Stott hit a right-footed 20-yarder straight at Mitchell, Jonny Blake then replacing the ineffective Mahon on the right with 20 minutes left. Hughton was caught out again after 73 minutes by Douglas in a similar move to the first one. Mitchell once more having to make a good stop on the Preston winger's right-footed half-volley from 12 yards out.
Shortly afterwards Grant Smith sent a lovely long ball over the top for Dobie to race onto down the right-hand channel, again though Dobie took it on too far and his 15-yard right-footer was an easy one for Cudworth to block at his near-post. With 74 minutes gone Carlisle fans and players alike were screaming for either a free-kick or a penalty.
Tinnion the unlucky United man as he was clearly pulled back down the middle, and right on the edge of the visitors box by Liam Chilvers. The referee then giving a corner, without even signalling for a foul and an advantage - of which there wasn't one anyway, when Chilvers slid the ball behind. Tinnion again in the action from the Rothery flag-kick when, under pressure, he headed wide of the target from 12 yards out.
After 81 minutes Proctor was replaced by Scott Davidson for North End, then two minutes later Mitchell had to save a well-hit left-footed 25-yarder from Douglas for the visitors. Given the bookings Mr Eltringham had earlier given out, Hughton should really have seen red with 85 minutes gone, the Carlisle trialist booting the back of Davidson's legs as the Preston man shepherded the ball out for a goal-kick.
The last chance for a late winner in the match coming the way of Carlisle with three minutes to go when Kane sent a right-footed shot from 25 yards out wide of Cudworth's far-post. Neither side really deserving all three points in a pretty uninspiring encounter, with United's next opportunity for a win at this level coming a week on Wednesday when they are on the road at Rochdale.
United line-up :
Chris Howarth (Alex Mitchell 4), Cian Hughton, Tony Kane, Grant Smith, Matt Duffy, Gavin Rothery, Craig Mahon (Jonny Blake 70), Chris Lumsdon, Scott Dobie, Jeff Smith, Conor Tinnion.
Unused substitutes :
Jamie Cleary, Liam Davison and Simon Lakeland.
Preston line-up :
Jack Cudworth, Dean Stott, Michael Hart, Tom Smyth, Liam Chilvers, George Miller, Adam Barton, Phil Appiah (Ciaron Barton 54), Rob Turner, Jamie Proctor (Scott Davidson 81), Jamie Douglas.
Unused substitutes :
Michael Conchie and Tom Owens.
Referee - Geoff Eltringham (Sunderland).
Attendance - 43.
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