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United Reserves 2-0 Preston Reserves
Paul Simpson, Dennis Booth and Billy Barr all returned to Brunton Park tonight for the first meeting of North End and Carlisle in the Pontin's Holiday League this season, the now Lilywhites coaching staff hoping to claim their first win of their second-string season at the third attempt. With the visitors out of the Carling Cup at the first round stage coach Barr was able to field a very strong line-up, while the Blues, having lost 1-0 to Charlton last night in the second round sent out a team of young pros, YTS players and skipper Simon Grand.
United still started very brightly though and they looked the more interested team throughout as they worked hard for the win against a visiting outfit of experienced professionals who seemed to be going through the motions at times. Carlisle signalling their attacking intentions as early as the fifth minute when Matthew Blake's long ball up from his left-back spot was just inches beyond the run of Shaun Vipond into the Preston box.
Three minutes later North End missed one of their better chances in the game when a ball in by the pacey Joe Anyinsah broke out to Andy Smith running in on the edge of the Blues penalty area. Smith's right-footed snap-shot from there flying inches over Adam Bradley's crossbar. Vipond ran on from distance in the 11th minute at a Lilywhites back-line that parted like the Red Sea, but after doing all the hard work he could only pull his 22-yard right-footed effort well wide of the target.
After 14 minutes Neale McDermott seemed to be clearly brought down by Alan McCormack only for the referee Mr Evans to wave play on. The ball being spread out to Smith down the left who crossed in for McCormack who had kept running into the Cumbrians penalty area. McCormack's header from ten yards out was poorly directed though as it flashed past the United far-post, that missed chance costing the visitors dearly as United took the lead just sixty seconds later.
The opportunity to score coming after Kelvin Wilson, who had a stinker of a match, fouled Stephen Hindmarch 35 yards out in the left-hand channel. Neale McDermott curling the free-kick in to the back-post where James Earl was brave to get up and win the header as Chris Neal came out looking to punch the ball clear, only to connect with the head of his own defender in Jason Jarrett. Earl's header flying straight into the unguarded net from six yards out to put the Cumbrians 1-0 up, Jarrett leaving the pitch with physiotherapist Steve Kemp for the changing rooms after receiving treatment on the pitch.
Five minutes later United tried to break away sharply after they had cleared a free-kick out of their own box, Wilson had other ideas though as he was penalised for pulling back the shirt of Hindmarch, the ex-Notts County centre-half being booked for his troubles. After 23 minutes Blues right-back Ashley Combe had fouled French trialist left-back Sofiane Zaaboub bang on the right-angle of the Carlisle box. McCormack driving a dire free-kick straight into the United defensive wall, the Irishman then pushing the rebound across for left-winger Lewis Neal 22 yards out, he could do no better though as he blazed a half-volley well over.
Jarrett never returned to action from the changing rooms and was eventually replaced by youngster Dylan Adams on 26 minutes. The Lilywhites were having a good spell of possession now as they looked for an equaliser and two minutes later United were caught out at a short corner for about the 1000th time this season. McCormack and Neal combining to push the ball into the path of Anyinsah, the one-time Bristol City midfielder working a shooting angle for himself 20 yards out only to drive his right-footed effort inches over the top.
The visitors strung a nice passing move together just after the half-hour mark, the chance wasted again though as Adams horrendously sliced a 22-yard shot miles wide. On 40 minutes Vipond was the first Blue to enter the referee's notebook as he was booked for a foul which the official had played advantage on moments earlier, Preston continuing their spell of keeping hold of the ball without ever looking like doing much with it.
Grand was the next Carlisle player yellow-carded a minute before the break when he brought down the free-running Anyinsah 25 yards out in the right-hand channel. North End going as close to scoring as they would do all night when Smith's resultant dead-ball shot crashed back off the face of the Cumbrians crossbar. Lewis Neal heading the rebound over the top of the United goal from six yards out at the back-post as the ball bounced across in his direction.
The last chance of another goal in the first-half came the way of the visitors a minute into time added on. Ex-Liverpool striker Neil Mellor playing a ball across to Anyinsah who was running through into the United box, Anyinsah choosing to shoot early from 15 yards with the instep of his right boot. Bradley was more than equal to the effort though as he got down quickly to make an excellent one-handed save low down at his near-post, the United keeper then pouncing on the loose ball to preserve Carlisle's one goal half-time lead.
Anyinsah spent part of the interval doing sprints to see if he could run off the kick to the knee he had got from the Grand foul. It wasn't to be though and he was replaced at the break by Chris McGrail, North End also bringing on Brett Ormerod for Smith at the same time, that giving them a tasty looking second-half frontline of Mellor and Ormerod.
Two minutes in and the Blues were caught napping at yet another short corner, Lewis Neal cutting in to the right-angle of the box and firing a powerful left-footed shot across Bradley's goal that flew just past the far-post as it curled towards the bottom corner. Sixty seconds later McDermott tried to release Earl, playing out of position as a striker for the night, compared to his usual central midfield role, with a slide-rule pass into the Lilywhites box, young centre-half Mark Bloxam just getting across in time to clear the danger for the visitors.
Lewis Neal was again in the thick of the action for the visitors after 50 minutes when he made a good pacey run down the middle, only to waste his efforts by pulling a 20-yader wide of Bradley's near-post. Five minutes later as North End looked for an equaliser McDermott could only flick his attempted headed clearance from a McCormack corner in straight to Mellor at the United back-stick. The chance came quickly for the ex-Liverpool man though and his attempted volley from close range was badly sliced behind for a Blues goal-kick.
Cumbrians reserve team boss Greg Abbott made his one and only substitution of the night with 63 minutes gone when Andy Hardman came on for James Earl. Hardman going out onto the right of the front three with Pete Ferris swapping wings over to the left-hand flank. North End were still huffing and puffing with possession at this stage but were getting nothing upfront thanks to an excellent performance on the night from Carlisle's centre-half partnership of Grand and Dam Kirkup.
Infact it was Kirkup himself who was a danger up at the other end of the pitch as he went close to doubling United's lead in the 67th minute. McDermott sending in a corner which broke to Vipond 25 yards out, the young Blue seeing his shot deflected just over the top by Mellor. McDermott put the flag-kick across once more but this time it was Kirkup on the end of it, mis-timing a good headed chance six yards out which pinged behind off Wilson. In the corner came again from the overworked McDermott and this time Kirkup looked to finish the job with his feet at the near-post, only to volley a difficult opportunity wide under pressure from Wilson.
The visitors were failing to take chances themselves on 73 minutes when a left-footed Ormerod ball over from the right to the United back-post found the head of McCormack eight yards out. McCormack's direction on his effort was poor though and the ball sailed back across the face of Bradley's net and out for a goal-kick, that being one of the few clear-cut chances North End created in the second-half.
On 77 minutes it became the Grand show for Carlisle for sixty seconds, the ex-Rochdale man twice going close. Firstly, after Lewis Neal had fouled Combe on the half-way line on the right, Grand got a long-range header on the Kirkup free-kick up, the ball bouncing harmlessly through into the hands of Chris Neal. The Preston keeper was beaten all ends up though shortly afterwards when a McDermott corner found Grand completely unmarked six yards out. Grand's header from there was bulleting goalwards only for it to be straight at Zaaboub marking the far-post, the Frenchman nodding the ball away more in self-defence than anything, anywhere else and it would have been almost a certain goal.
With five minutes to go Mellor, who you could see was visibly getting more and more frustrated by the minute at the lack of opportunities upfront, was penalised for pushing Kirkup in the back as the two challenged for a goal-kick. Mellor's continual complaining about timewasting on United free-kicks, while actually partly starting it by standing about three yards away from the ball in the first place all the time, earning him a booking for dissent.
With two minutes to go Carlisle finally made all three points safe when they went 2-0 up through an opportunist Ferris goal, following a mistake by the trialist Zaaboub. A Hindmarch header looking for Ferris going straight to the feet of the Frenchman, only for the ex-Saint-Etienne and FC Brussels man to gift an awful blind back-pass to Ferris who was in behind him and clear on goal. Chris Neal had little time to react to the situation his defender had left him in, Ferris being able to easily slot the ball past him from 12 yards out and into the far bottom corner of the Preston net to cue some loud cheers and Billy Barr-baiting from the 150 or so strong crowd in the main stand.
Despite the game having now gone for North End, the impressive Lewis Neal was still looking to get himself on the visitors scoresheet in injury time. Firstly having his powerful 25-yarder parried out by Bradley, with Combe hacking the ball out for a throw-in, then sending a dire effort from fully 35 yards out slicing miles high and wide of the United near-post. The final whistle coming seconds later on an excellent performance by a very youthful Carlisle side, who, to put it simply, wanted the win much more than than their far more experienced opposition did.
United line-up:
Adam Bradley, Ashley Combe, Matthew Blake, Luke Joyce, Dan Kirkup, Simon Grand, Neale McDermott, Shaun Vipond, Stephen Hindmarch, James Earl (Andy Hardman 63), Pete Ferris.
Unused substitutes :
Grant Carson (GK), Richie Hoban, Matthew Wood and Terry Stewart.
Preston line-up :
Chris Neal, Warren Beattie, Sofiane Zaaboub, Mark Bloxam, Kelvin Wilson, Alan McCormack, Joe Anyinsah (Chris McGrail 46), Jason Jarrett (Dylan Adams 26), Andy Smith (Brett Ormerod 46), Neil Mellor, Lewis Neal.
Unused substitutes :
Andrew Murphy (GK) and Liam Moloney.
Referee : Mr KG Evans.
Results in the division this week :
Manchester City 1-3 Oldham (Tuesday)
Carlisle 2-0 Preston (Wednesday)
Chester 0-4 Blackpool (Wednesday)
Rochdale 1-2 Bury (Wednesday)
Wrexham 2-2 Accrington Stanley
Updated Reserve Team Table : Click here
United's Reserve Team Results : Click here
United still started very brightly though and they looked the more interested team throughout as they worked hard for the win against a visiting outfit of experienced professionals who seemed to be going through the motions at times. Carlisle signalling their attacking intentions as early as the fifth minute when Matthew Blake's long ball up from his left-back spot was just inches beyond the run of Shaun Vipond into the Preston box.
Three minutes later North End missed one of their better chances in the game when a ball in by the pacey Joe Anyinsah broke out to Andy Smith running in on the edge of the Blues penalty area. Smith's right-footed snap-shot from there flying inches over Adam Bradley's crossbar. Vipond ran on from distance in the 11th minute at a Lilywhites back-line that parted like the Red Sea, but after doing all the hard work he could only pull his 22-yard right-footed effort well wide of the target.
After 14 minutes Neale McDermott seemed to be clearly brought down by Alan McCormack only for the referee Mr Evans to wave play on. The ball being spread out to Smith down the left who crossed in for McCormack who had kept running into the Cumbrians penalty area. McCormack's header from ten yards out was poorly directed though as it flashed past the United far-post, that missed chance costing the visitors dearly as United took the lead just sixty seconds later.
The opportunity to score coming after Kelvin Wilson, who had a stinker of a match, fouled Stephen Hindmarch 35 yards out in the left-hand channel. Neale McDermott curling the free-kick in to the back-post where James Earl was brave to get up and win the header as Chris Neal came out looking to punch the ball clear, only to connect with the head of his own defender in Jason Jarrett. Earl's header flying straight into the unguarded net from six yards out to put the Cumbrians 1-0 up, Jarrett leaving the pitch with physiotherapist Steve Kemp for the changing rooms after receiving treatment on the pitch.
Five minutes later United tried to break away sharply after they had cleared a free-kick out of their own box, Wilson had other ideas though as he was penalised for pulling back the shirt of Hindmarch, the ex-Notts County centre-half being booked for his troubles. After 23 minutes Blues right-back Ashley Combe had fouled French trialist left-back Sofiane Zaaboub bang on the right-angle of the Carlisle box. McCormack driving a dire free-kick straight into the United defensive wall, the Irishman then pushing the rebound across for left-winger Lewis Neal 22 yards out, he could do no better though as he blazed a half-volley well over.
Jarrett never returned to action from the changing rooms and was eventually replaced by youngster Dylan Adams on 26 minutes. The Lilywhites were having a good spell of possession now as they looked for an equaliser and two minutes later United were caught out at a short corner for about the 1000th time this season. McCormack and Neal combining to push the ball into the path of Anyinsah, the one-time Bristol City midfielder working a shooting angle for himself 20 yards out only to drive his right-footed effort inches over the top.
The visitors strung a nice passing move together just after the half-hour mark, the chance wasted again though as Adams horrendously sliced a 22-yard shot miles wide. On 40 minutes Vipond was the first Blue to enter the referee's notebook as he was booked for a foul which the official had played advantage on moments earlier, Preston continuing their spell of keeping hold of the ball without ever looking like doing much with it.
Grand was the next Carlisle player yellow-carded a minute before the break when he brought down the free-running Anyinsah 25 yards out in the right-hand channel. North End going as close to scoring as they would do all night when Smith's resultant dead-ball shot crashed back off the face of the Cumbrians crossbar. Lewis Neal heading the rebound over the top of the United goal from six yards out at the back-post as the ball bounced across in his direction.
The last chance of another goal in the first-half came the way of the visitors a minute into time added on. Ex-Liverpool striker Neil Mellor playing a ball across to Anyinsah who was running through into the United box, Anyinsah choosing to shoot early from 15 yards with the instep of his right boot. Bradley was more than equal to the effort though as he got down quickly to make an excellent one-handed save low down at his near-post, the United keeper then pouncing on the loose ball to preserve Carlisle's one goal half-time lead.
Anyinsah spent part of the interval doing sprints to see if he could run off the kick to the knee he had got from the Grand foul. It wasn't to be though and he was replaced at the break by Chris McGrail, North End also bringing on Brett Ormerod for Smith at the same time, that giving them a tasty looking second-half frontline of Mellor and Ormerod.
Two minutes in and the Blues were caught napping at yet another short corner, Lewis Neal cutting in to the right-angle of the box and firing a powerful left-footed shot across Bradley's goal that flew just past the far-post as it curled towards the bottom corner. Sixty seconds later McDermott tried to release Earl, playing out of position as a striker for the night, compared to his usual central midfield role, with a slide-rule pass into the Lilywhites box, young centre-half Mark Bloxam just getting across in time to clear the danger for the visitors.
Lewis Neal was again in the thick of the action for the visitors after 50 minutes when he made a good pacey run down the middle, only to waste his efforts by pulling a 20-yader wide of Bradley's near-post. Five minutes later as North End looked for an equaliser McDermott could only flick his attempted headed clearance from a McCormack corner in straight to Mellor at the United back-stick. The chance came quickly for the ex-Liverpool man though and his attempted volley from close range was badly sliced behind for a Blues goal-kick.
Cumbrians reserve team boss Greg Abbott made his one and only substitution of the night with 63 minutes gone when Andy Hardman came on for James Earl. Hardman going out onto the right of the front three with Pete Ferris swapping wings over to the left-hand flank. North End were still huffing and puffing with possession at this stage but were getting nothing upfront thanks to an excellent performance on the night from Carlisle's centre-half partnership of Grand and Dam Kirkup.
Infact it was Kirkup himself who was a danger up at the other end of the pitch as he went close to doubling United's lead in the 67th minute. McDermott sending in a corner which broke to Vipond 25 yards out, the young Blue seeing his shot deflected just over the top by Mellor. McDermott put the flag-kick across once more but this time it was Kirkup on the end of it, mis-timing a good headed chance six yards out which pinged behind off Wilson. In the corner came again from the overworked McDermott and this time Kirkup looked to finish the job with his feet at the near-post, only to volley a difficult opportunity wide under pressure from Wilson.
The visitors were failing to take chances themselves on 73 minutes when a left-footed Ormerod ball over from the right to the United back-post found the head of McCormack eight yards out. McCormack's direction on his effort was poor though and the ball sailed back across the face of Bradley's net and out for a goal-kick, that being one of the few clear-cut chances North End created in the second-half.
On 77 minutes it became the Grand show for Carlisle for sixty seconds, the ex-Rochdale man twice going close. Firstly, after Lewis Neal had fouled Combe on the half-way line on the right, Grand got a long-range header on the Kirkup free-kick up, the ball bouncing harmlessly through into the hands of Chris Neal. The Preston keeper was beaten all ends up though shortly afterwards when a McDermott corner found Grand completely unmarked six yards out. Grand's header from there was bulleting goalwards only for it to be straight at Zaaboub marking the far-post, the Frenchman nodding the ball away more in self-defence than anything, anywhere else and it would have been almost a certain goal.
With five minutes to go Mellor, who you could see was visibly getting more and more frustrated by the minute at the lack of opportunities upfront, was penalised for pushing Kirkup in the back as the two challenged for a goal-kick. Mellor's continual complaining about timewasting on United free-kicks, while actually partly starting it by standing about three yards away from the ball in the first place all the time, earning him a booking for dissent.
With two minutes to go Carlisle finally made all three points safe when they went 2-0 up through an opportunist Ferris goal, following a mistake by the trialist Zaaboub. A Hindmarch header looking for Ferris going straight to the feet of the Frenchman, only for the ex-Saint-Etienne and FC Brussels man to gift an awful blind back-pass to Ferris who was in behind him and clear on goal. Chris Neal had little time to react to the situation his defender had left him in, Ferris being able to easily slot the ball past him from 12 yards out and into the far bottom corner of the Preston net to cue some loud cheers and Billy Barr-baiting from the 150 or so strong crowd in the main stand.
Despite the game having now gone for North End, the impressive Lewis Neal was still looking to get himself on the visitors scoresheet in injury time. Firstly having his powerful 25-yarder parried out by Bradley, with Combe hacking the ball out for a throw-in, then sending a dire effort from fully 35 yards out slicing miles high and wide of the United near-post. The final whistle coming seconds later on an excellent performance by a very youthful Carlisle side, who, to put it simply, wanted the win much more than than their far more experienced opposition did.
United line-up:
Adam Bradley, Ashley Combe, Matthew Blake, Luke Joyce, Dan Kirkup, Simon Grand, Neale McDermott, Shaun Vipond, Stephen Hindmarch, James Earl (Andy Hardman 63), Pete Ferris.
Unused substitutes :
Grant Carson (GK), Richie Hoban, Matthew Wood and Terry Stewart.
Preston line-up :
Chris Neal, Warren Beattie, Sofiane Zaaboub, Mark Bloxam, Kelvin Wilson, Alan McCormack, Joe Anyinsah (Chris McGrail 46), Jason Jarrett (Dylan Adams 26), Andy Smith (Brett Ormerod 46), Neil Mellor, Lewis Neal.
Unused substitutes :
Andrew Murphy (GK) and Liam Moloney.
Referee : Mr KG Evans.
Results in the division this week :
Manchester City 1-3 Oldham (Tuesday)
Carlisle 2-0 Preston (Wednesday)
Chester 0-4 Blackpool (Wednesday)
Rochdale 1-2 Bury (Wednesday)
Wrexham 2-2 Accrington Stanley
Updated Reserve Team Table : Click here
United's Reserve Team Results : Click here