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The Blues lining up in a 4-4-2 formation as Peter Murphy continued his comeback from a knee injury with his first bit of competitive football, the Irishman playing in the middle of the back four, alongside Tom Aldred, with full-backs Jonny Blake and Darren Campion. Across the middle from left to right were Czech Republic trialist Jakub Hottek, Grant Smith, Chris Lumsdon and Chris Birchall, while Michael Bridges partnered Scott Dobie upfront.
Carlisle started brightly and Birchall put in a good low cross from the right which Dobie was just unable to finish off from close range at the near-post. Seven minutes later and it was Hottek who was looking to make an impact early on as he fired a left-footed drive from 25 yards out over the angle of near-post and bar.
After 14 minutes Grant Smith's ball down the left-hand channel found Hottek crossing in powerfully, Bridges though just unable to convert the chance, as stretching at the back-post, he sliced the ball wide with his right boot from six yards out.
Stanley's first opportunity came three minutes later when, following a Campion foul on Craig Mahon 40 yards out, Jay Bell thumped the free-kick up, Robert Grant then getting on the end of it only to hook it right-footed well over the top from just inside the United box. Mahon himself hitting a 22-yarder wide of Howarth's near-post four minutes later.
Grant Smith was looking to get forward at all opportunities for Carlisle and he did just that on 23 minutes before being fouled 25 yards out by Bell after he had played a good one-two with Hottek. Murphy stepping to take the free-kick only to dolly it left-footed straight into the arms of Stanley goalkeeper Jamie Speare.
United did take the lead two minutes later though when Aldred's ball up was chested down by Dobie to Bridges, who then sent Birchall running clear down the right. Birchall sticking in an excellent low cross from the far side which Grant Smith was able to half-volley home from close range with his left foot as he broke through deep into the visitors penalty area.
With 27 minutes gone Accrington's loanee striker from Blackburn, in Jamie Clarke, brought an easy save out of Howarth with a 20-yard drive. Just sixty seconds later though and Clarke was involved in a goal, his pacey run and cross in from the left seeing Howarth only able at full stretch to palm the ball straight onto the foot of the onrushing Andrew Procter six yards out, the Stanley skipper then left with the easy task of guiding his touch into an empty net.
Moments later and Speare had to be alert to make a good catch when Bell almost netted with a headed own goal from a Bridges cross. Dobie, Bridges and Grant Smith all seeming to combine well after 34 minutes, Smith shooting home from eight yards out only to find that the whistle had gone for an apparent handball by Bridges in the build up.
Campion and Bridges then working well shortly afterwards, Hottek though should have crossed when he was fed into the left-hand side of the box only for the Czech to shoot left-footed into the Stanley side-netting from ten yards out. The former under-21 international quality of the trialist coming in fits and starts, although you would think that he showed enough, especially technically, to be worthy of another look.
Hottek again involved in the 37th minute as he got on the end of an excellent Lumsdon ball over the top of Stanley right-back Danny Hutton. Hottek's low ball across looking inch-perfect for Dobie to convert at the back-stick only for the United striker to miss his kick. Birchall then setting the ball out to Bridges for a blocked shot before the Accrington defence were able to clear their lines.
Birchall, from a Lumsdon pass, looking to get on the scoresheet himself on 41 minutes as he beat two defenders before scooping the ball over the top with his left foot from 18 yards out. United did regain the lead two minutes later after Bridges had set Hottek away again down the left. The Czech left-winger sticking a low cross in which saw Speare make an excellent save from Dobie's ten-yard side-footed effort.
Bee Ami though spoiling things for Speare when he tripped Dobie up as the United man looked to get something from the rebound. Bridges stepping up to send Speare the wrong way from the penalty spot with a right-footed strike into the roof of the net after Ami had hoofed the ball unpunished into the distance following the awarding of the spot-kick.
Procter sixty seconds later almost scoring with an audacious right-footed shot from fully 40 yards out that flew over the top of Howarth and inches wide of the Carlisle far-post. Stanley though finding their second equaliser of the game in the final minute of the half when Campion had given away a daft free-kick for a foul on Clarke right in the Warwick/Paddock corner.
Grant sticking the ball in left-footed, and with Howarth glued to his line, United might a right mess of trying to clear their lines. Campion again at fault when taking far too long to hoof the ball away he only succeeded under pressure in knocking it towards the Carlisle goal straight to Clarke six yards out. Clarke not believing his luck as he was able to smack his shot home past a stationary Howarth.
It was a quiet start to the second-half after the end-to-end stuff in the opening period with the first chance coming eight minutes in when Chris Turner fired an 18-yard left-footer wide for the visitors. Grant Smith two minutes later hitting a powerful left-footed shot from just outside the box straight into the arms of Speare.
Smith then the beneficiary of a glorious reverse pass to him from Hottek into the right-hand side of the Stanley penalty area. Smith though on his weaker foot unable to get the power on his shot to get it beyond Speare from ten yards out, Bell then clearing the danger from the rebound. Clarke, the best player for the visitors, then cutting inside Aldred from the left moments later only to drag his 15-yard right-footed shot wide of the near-post.
With 64 minutes on the clock Carlisle went 3-2 up after, from a Lumsdon ball up to him, Bridges had laid the ball off into the path of Hottek who went charging on down the middle. Hottek then nicely drawing Speare to the ground before sliding the ball under him left-footed and into the net from the edge of the box.
Bridges then making a good run in from the left past two defenders sixty seconds later, his ball to Grant Smith though only seeing Smith pull his 20-yard left-footed shot wide of the target. Matt Duffy coming on to replace the returning Murphy at centre-half during the break in play, Murphy leaving the field to a round of applause from the 80 or so spectators present.
Midway through the half and it was Birchall coming in from the right flank as he hammered a right-footed cross-shot from 15 yards out into the Stanley side-netting. Blake in the 69th minute feeding the ball into Smith for a very powerfully struck left-foot shot from just beyond the 'D' which Speare could only parry back out before his defence cleared.
Five minutes later and Grant Smith was on-hand to head away an Accrington corner in from Turner, the ball fell straight to Grant on the edge of the box though, but fortunately for Carlisle his left-footed half-volley from there whistled wide of the near-post. Stanley making their one and only substitution in the game two minutes later when Tom Riley came on for Grant.
With 12 minutes to go some good United passing on the floor resulted in Bridges hitting a 20-yard left-footed shot straight at Speare, then shortly afterwards Hottek was given a gift that he was unable to take. Alan Burton's dreadful blind back-pass going straight to the Czech winger clear in on goal down the middle, sadly for Carlisle though he dallied far too long on any potential shot as Ami came back round him to nick the ball off his toes.
Blake almost found himself on the scoresheet with ten minutes to go after a neat one-two between himself and Dobie, his right-footed shot from 12 yards out drawing an excellent save out of Speare. Moments later a Clarke 15-yarder deflecting off the legs of Aldred for a corner that United were able to clear. Duffy then fouling Riley 25 yards out on the left as the ball broke free, only for Turner to waste the set-piece with a right-footed curler well over the top.
It was Lumsdon's turn to give away a free-kick when he brought down Turner 25 yards out in the middle on 83 minutes. Stanley left-back Adam Strode hitting a well-placed shot over the defensive wall but it lacked power as Howarth was able to make a relatively easy diving catch at his far-post.
The worst moment of the match for the Blues came on 85 minutes, when Lumsdon, stretching for a ball as Bell came in a little late, going over on his ankle badly with the force of the challenge. Lumsdon in clear pain and unable to put any weight on his right foot, having to be helped off the field by Carlisle physiotherapists Neil Dalton and Geoff Haugh. Connor Tinnion coming on for Lumsdon while Bridges was replaced by Andy Cook at the same time.
Tinnion straight into the action with a left-footed strike straight at Speare sixty seconds after entering the fray. After what looked like a handball by Clarke in the last minute he was then brought down by Grant Smith 25 yards out to the left of the Cumbrians 'D'. Howarth then only able to parry Clarke's right-footed shot out in front of goal, the pinball that ensued somehow seeing the ball not hit the net and only go out for what would prove to be a fruitless corner.
The last action of the match came two minutes into injury time when Mahon's 20-yard right-footed shot was pulled well wide of the near-post. So an unbeaten run of six matches now for the Blues second-string has seen them move four points clear at the top of the table, although it is worth noting that second-placed Burnley are unbeaten and now have three games in hand.
United line-up :
Chris Howarth, Jonny Blake, Darren Campion, Tom Aldred, Peter Murphy (Matt Duffy 65), Chris Lumsdon (Connor Tinnion 86), Chris Birchall, Grant Smith, Scott Dobie, Michael Bridges (Andy Cook 86), Jakub Hottek.
Unused substitutes :
Alex Mitchell and Simon Lakeland.
Accrington line-up :
Jamie Speare, Daniel Hutton, Adam Strode, Jay Bell, Bee Ami, Andrew Procter, Chris Turner, Craig Mahon, Jamie Clarke, Alan Burton, Robert Grant (Tom Riley 76).
Unused substitutes :
Matthew Ince (GK), Zak Riley, Danny Haworth and Bevan Burey.
Referee - Scott Duncan (Tyne and Wear).
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