The Cumbrians lining up as follows at the kick-off :
Simon Hackney - Danny Carlton - Martin Brittain
Neale McDermott - Chris Lumsdon - Luke Joyce
Darren Campion - Dan Kirkup - Chris Shanks - Shaun Vipond
Chris Howarth
Of the two trialists Darren Campion played at left-back while Chris Shanks featured as the righ-hand centre-half instead of in his normal right-back spot. There was also an old boy featuring for either side with ex-Blue Simon Grand playing at centre-back for Morecambe and one-time Shrimp Danny Carlton featuring in the middle of the Carlisle forward line.
It was Carlton himself who had the opening chance of the match in the fourth minute after being fouled by Grand 22 yards out in the middle. Carlton stepping up to fire a free-kick in which was well tipped over by visitors keeper Steven Drench. Kirkup saw a header deflected wide from the resultant McDermott corner with the next flag-kick in breaking to Hackney at the back-post only for the United man to slam a left-footed half-volley well over the top.
Six minutes later Jon Newby cut in from the left for Morecambe past Kirkup but his 15-yard effort flew straight into the arms of Howarth. After 18 minutes Joyce sent Hackney racing away down the left with Hackney's cross coming to McDermott at the far-post, McDermott's weak shot deflecting off a Morecambe leg for a corner. McDermott's ball in then saw Hackney having a shot blocked before the ball dropped to Kirkup, the big centre-half seeing his 12-yard shot from a tight angle well held by Drench.
It was all Carlisle in the opening period with Morecambe defending very deep under pressure and two minutes later McDermott set Carlton free in the area, Carlton's poor first touch meaning his resultant shot was blocked away behind. From the McDermott corner Kirkup's header down dropped to Carlton but again his half-volley from close range was deflected wide.
On 23 minutes Campion fed Hackney down the left with the United winger cutting in and firing a 18-yard right-footed effort straight at Drench. Shortly afterwards Shanks headed a McDermott corner over the top as Carlisle once more pressed forward in numbers but it was the visitors who grabbed the first goal of the game in the 29th minute.
Michael Howard's conservative looking ball in from the left was headed back across by Grand straight to the left-foot of the running-in Newby 15 yards out. Ex-Bury man Newby fairly hammering his half-volley across Howarth and into the back of the United net off the inside of the far-post to give the visitors the lead against the run of play.
Ten minutes before the break a Hackney ball in from the left was knocked into the path of Joyce ten yards out, Joyce's header pinging off a Morecambe back straight to Hackney on the by-line. The Blues flyer tried a shot from there on his weaker right-foot, and it showed as the ball sliced away for a Shrimps throw-in.
After 38 minutes Morecambe's ex-Manchester City trialist Carlos Logan fired in a left-footed 20-yarder which was deflected across Howarth and out for a corner. Then in the 41st minute Kirkup scythed down Newby near the half-way line with Newby not reappearing to the fold after a few minutes of treatment, Paul Lloyd coming on in place of the Shrimps frontman.
No changes were made to either side at half-time and it was the Blues again going forward three minutes in when Lumsdon's chipped ball in found Carlton 15 yards out down the right-hand channel. Carlton taking the ball on his chest and turning sharply before firing in a low right-footed drive which was easily held by Drench at his near-post.
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Sixty seconds later and the Cumbrians finally found the Morecambe net, Lumsdon sending Hackney away down the left with the winger, who put in some outstanding crosses to no avail on the night, pushing the ball across the Shrimps six-yard line. Carlton seemed to miss his kick but the ball flew out off his heel straight to Joyce on the penalty spot who made no mistake as he side-footed the loose ball home to restore parity.
Two minutes later Joyce was looking for a second goal but, depsite being unmarked, he was always stretching for a McDermott corner as his header flew over the top. In the 53rd minute Shanks got himself all of a muddle as he twice tried to clear a Morecambe attack away, with Jamie Burns eventually picking up possession only to slice his shot wide of the near-post from just inside the United box.
Shortly afterwards ex-Birmingham youngster Campion, who had an impressive game at left-back as he looked to get forward throughout the game, sent in a cross which Kirkup headed over Drench, over the crossbar and into the empty Warwick Road End from twelve yards out. The Shrimps taking advantage of that break in play to replace Matthew Blinkhorn with Paul Jarvis upfront.
In the 57th minute Vipond was somewhat harshly booked by the usual reserve team standards after bringing down Logan in full flight out on the left. Sixty seconds later a visitors corner was cleared out only for Burns and skipper Andy Langford to combine well to set the ball back to Jarvis, the substitute seeing his shot from the edge of the box well held by Howarth.
Bang on the hour-mark and Garry Hunter set up Wayne Curtis, who seems to get rounder every time I see him, for a fierce left-footed shot from 18 yards out which Howarth did well to push over the top. After 64 minutes Joyce, Hackney and McDermott all combined to feed the ball into the path of Carlton ten yards out, Carlton's side-footed effort was weak though and Drench was able to easily hold onto it.
With 20 minutes left on the clock a well placed left-footed shot from distance by Morecambe's Lloyd saw Howarth scrambling across his goal to make a save. Then sixty seconds later Hackney played in McDermott on the by-line with McDermott's low cross being deflected straight into the path of Carlton at the near-post. Once more though Carlton was unable to find the net against his old team as his flicked effort flew over the bar from only three yards out.
Campion went down with cramp in the 73rd minute and had to be replaced at left-back by youth team skipper and right-back Matthew Brown, meaning the Cumbrians only had one player playing in his correct position in the whole back-four. Two minutes on and a left-footed shot from 22 yards out in the right-hand channel was sliced across goal and well wide of Howarth's far-post.
Blues boss Eric Kinder made a double change in the 77th minute with youth-teamers Stephen Hindmarch and Gary Madine entering the fray in place of Lumsdon and Carlton, those changes meaning United now lined up as follows :
Simon Hackney - Gary Madine - Stephen Hindmarch
Neale McDermott - Luke Joyce - Martin Brittain
Matthew Brown - Dan Kirkup - Chris Shanks - Shaun Vipond
Chris Howarth
After 82 minutes a Curtis ball in from the right-hand by-line was set back to Jarvis by Hunter, Jarvis then pulling his left-footed effort from 15 yards out horribly wide of the target. Six minutes later and it was Carlisle looking for a winner when Madine, Joyce and Hackney all combined. The ball eventually finding it's way back from Hackney to Madine, sadly for the Blues though Madine could only scuff his ten-yard left-footed effort straight into the gloves of Drench.
The Cumbrians were again looking to nick all three points in the first minute of injury time as Brittain fired a right-footed shot wide from 22 yards out but it was the Shrimps who went away with a win after scoring with almost the last kick of the game. Lloyd picking the ball up 25 yards out and firing in a speculative left-footed shot which flew over the top of Howarth and into the far corner of the United net. The final whistle going just seconds later on yet another reverse team game at Brunton Park where Carlisle had failed to take their chances.
United line-up :
Chris Howarth, Shaun Vipond, Darren Campion (Matthew Brown 73), Dan Kirkup, Chris Shanks, Chris Lumsdon (Stephen Hindmarch 77), Martin Brittain, Luke Joyce, Neale McDermott, Simon Hackney, Danny Carlton (Gary Madine 77).
Unused substitutes :
Adam Bradley (GK) and Dan Wordsworth.
Morecambe line-up :
Steven Drench, Phil McLuckie, Michael Howard, Andy Langford, Simon Grand, Jamie Burns, Wayne Curtis, Garry Hunter, Matty Blinkhorn (Paul Jarvis 55), Jon Newby (Paul Lloyd 45), Carlos Logan.
Unused substitutes :
Scott Davies (GK), Danny Wisdom and Ashley Dunn.
Referee - Paul Curry (Northumberland).
Attendance - 120 approx.
Results in the division this week, all Wednesday :
Manchester City 1-2 Burnley (Tues)
Accrington Stanley 1-0 Chester
Blackpool 4-0 Wrexham
Bury 0-1 Tranmere
Carlisle 1-2 Morecambe
Rochdale 3-0 Preston
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