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Kicking against a wind and rain that would only get stronger as the game went on Tranmere had the first chance of the match on six minutes. A ball over the top from right-back Danny Holmes catching Grant Smith pushed up way out of position as Josh Macauley profited. Macauley though denied as his left-footed shot from eight yards out was well blocked behind by Aldred, the resultant corner in from Aaron Cresswell seeing Mitchell fouled as he came out and punched the ball up in the air.
United though took the lead from their first attack of the game after nine minutes, Lumsdon feeding the ball into Bridges who took a couple of quick touches before firing a 20-yard left-footed shot beyond the reach of veteran Rovers goalkeeper John Achterberg low into the far corner of the net. Madine then sending a right-footed half-volley over the top from 25 yards out three minutes later.
Madine going close again moments afterwards as, at the back-post, he sent an eight-yard header over Achterberg's crossbar from a chipped ball in by Bridges. Two minutes later and Carlton managed to dummy himself as his pirouette 20 yards out fooled not only him but the Rovers defenders as well, his left-footed shot from there though easily saved by Achterberg.
After 18 minutes Tranmere gave the ball away in the middle of the park, Madine then feeding Bridges down the right-hand channel, with his lack of pace in mind however Bridges tried a 35-yard right-footed chip which went well wide of the target. Sixty seconds later and Cresswell's ball in from left was only parried by Mitchell, Jay Ashcroft then somehow knocking the rebound wide from close range as Rovers heads went into hands.
During a quiet spell in the game there was still time for Thirlwell to give Bridges a tirade of abuse as the United striker gave the ball away a couple of times in quick succession. The visitors then finding an equaliser moments afterwards on the half-hour mark when some neat passing between Holmes and Ashcroft allowed Macauley the space to fire a 15-yard right-footed shot under the body of Mitchell and into the Carlisle net.
Almost straight from the kick-off and a Madine shot from 25 yards out, following a pass from Bridges, flew up into the air off Luke Denson as Achterberg was then able to make an easy catch. Taylor, in a busy period, then sending a cross in to the Tranmere back-post which saw Carlton's eight-yard header go over the top.
The visitors looked to have taken the lead on 33 minutes but the assistant referee on the near side was having none of it. The incident coming when a Jeff Smith backpass saw a poor Mitchell clearance thump off the back of Macauley and fly goalwards. The ball seemingly crossing the line before the backspin on it had seen it bounce out and up into the air for Mitchell to take.
Despite the Tranmere protestations play went on though and from Mitchell's boot upfield Bridges hit a right-footed half-volley from 18 yards out over the top of Achterberg's crossbar. Carlton trying a similar effort moments later that went behind off Gerwyn Jones, the resultant Jeff Smith corner for United coming to nothing.
On 36 minutes Rovers were pressing again when, after a Lumsdon foul on Denson, a 40-yard free-kick up from Holmes saw a looping header by Ryan Fraughan 15 yards out at the back-post plucked out of the air by Mitchell. Six minutes later and Joyce put a good cross in from the right but Carlton could only send an eight-yard header straight at the feet of a falling Achterberg.
The last chance of a half that had seen Taylor and Carlton swapping flanks at various stages, coming the way of Carlisle a minute before the break. A Jeff Smith cross in from the left seeing Paul Henry's header up into the night sky well taken down by Bridges in the middle of the Rovers 'D'. The left-footed shot from Bridges didn't match his first touch though as it was weak, low and straight into the gloves of Achterberg.
The visitors really should have taken the lead four minutes after the interval when Louis Corrigan's ball in from the left was somehow glanced wide of Mitchell's far-post from no more than three yards out by the head of Macauley. That missed chance being punished by the Cumbrians just sixty seconds later when Madine got on the end of a Jeff Smith left-wing cross to plant a firm eight-yard header beyond Achterberg and make the score 2-1 to United.
After 54 minutes Madine's left-footed shot from 15 yards out deflected off Jones and into the side-netting, with Jeff Smith's corner then producing nothing. Tranmere then going as close as they would to scoring in the second-half two minutes later when, after Grant Smith had given the ball away, Macauley rounded Mitchell only to see Aldred slide goalwards on the wet turf and prevent his shot from crossing the line.
Aldred then shortly afterwards deflecting a 25-yard right-footed shot from Holmes up into the air, with Mitchell then clutching the loose ball as it came down. The pinball machine was well and truly in action on the hour-mark in the Tranmere goalmouth as Carlisle threw everything at it only to, and who knows how, not find the back of the Rovers net.
The action unfolding as follows, Carlton ball in, Taylor shot, brilliant save Achterberg, Madine shot, another brilliant save Achterberg, Lumsdon shot, blocked by Henry, Bridges smashes shot, bounces off the crossbar at light speed and away to safety. Fans and players alike no doubt still wondering how the Tranmere goal had escaped unscathed when Ross Rule came on for Ashcroft sixty seconds later as the visitors made the first substitution of the match.
With 64 minutes on the clock, Bridges dusted himself down after being fouled by Henry 25 yards out to curl a right-footed free-kick in that Achterberg easily watched go wide of his left-hand post. United then making their first two personnel changes two minutes later when Jonny Blake came on in the engine room for Thirlwell, and Connor Tinnion replaced Bridges, that seeing Tinnion go out on the left and Carlton now join Madine upfront.
Jack Mackreth cut in well from the right for Rovers on 70 minutes as his 22-yard left-footed shot brought an excellent full-length one-handed save from Mitchell low down at his far-post. Mackreth then turning provider from a short corner shortly afterwards, only for an under pressure Henry to head over the top of the United crossbar from close range.
The next moment of note coming after 74 minutes when Simon Lakeland came on for Lumsdon, that change seeing Lakeland slot in at right-back and Joyce move up into central midfield. Rovers then on the attack three minutes later when Henry's pass to Corrigan saw the Tranmere left-winger fire an 18-yard left-footer wide of Mitchell's right-hand post.
With 84 minutes gone Cresswell tried a ridiculous shot from 40 yards out on the left which Mitchell was able to watch almost go out for a throw-in as it pulled across his box. Madine and Tinnion then combined for Carlisle two minutes later, Tinnion's cross in from the left falling for Taylor 15 yards out at the back-post. Taylor though seeing his right-footed shot zoom over the top off the head of Cresswell, the resultant Taylor corner coming to nothing.
The final action of the game coming three minutes before time when Madine's pass to Tinnion saw a left-footed shot come in from 18 yards out that looped up into the air off the leg of Holmes. Carlton then hitting a half-volley with his right foot from the dropping ball on the turn well over the Rovers crossbar. The match coming to a close after two minutes of injury time to signal another good win for the Carlisle second-string and a useful fitness workout for Lumsdon, Bridges and Thirlwell.
United line-up :
Alex Mitchell, Luke Joyce, Jeff Smith, Tom Aldred, Grant Smith, Paul Thirlwell (Jonny Blake 66), Cleveland Taylor, Chris Lumsdon (Simon Lakeland 74), Gary Madine, Michael Bridges (Connor Tinnion 66), Danny Carlton.
Unused substitutes :
Mark Gillespie (GK) and Andy Cook.
Tranmere line-up :
John Achterberg, Danny Holmes, Aaron Cresswell, Luke Denson, Gerwyn Jones, Paul Henry, Jack Mackreth, Ryan Fraughan, Josh Macauley, Jay Ashcroft (Ross Rule 61), Louis Corrigan.
Unused substitutes :
Joel Richardson, Tom Baker and Alex Pursehouse.
Referee - Billy Khatib (Sunderland).
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