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Carlisle started brightly in front of a crowd of 107 spectators and in only the second minute James Earl picked up on a loose ball 40 yards out and ran in to get a shot on goal from distance, it wasn't on target though and it was pulled wide of 'Dale keeper Lloyd Rigby's far-post. Shortly afterwards visitors right-back Gary Brown got a 22-yard shot in but it was easy fare for Adam Bradley to collect in the United goal.
After seven minutes 'Dale left-back Warren Goodhind sent a ball down the flank which 25-year old trialist striker Tom McManus (ex-Dundee) dummied cleverly past Dan Kirkup. The Scot's finish didn't match the turn though as he dragged his shot from 22 yards out miles wide of the target. Four minutes later experienced visitors centre-half Mark Jackson made a mess of a Brown pass to him, the ball rolling under his foot into the path of Earl, Jackson just able to get across in time to concede a corner.
In the 16th minute, as Carlisle struggled to retain possession, McManus's shot, after a Callum Warburton ball into him, was well saved by Bradley low down at his near-post. Sixty seconds later Warburton sent a free-kick in which was headed back into the danger area by Jackson, Clive Moyo-Modise and Kirkup then moving in on the loose ball before Bradley quickly mopped up as he dived in amongst the flying boots to collect the ball.
'Dale were having a good spell now and the pacey Joe Thompson fired wide of Bradley's far-post from a good position 15 yards out down the right-hand channel on 18 minutes. Then shortly afterwards a good Darrell Clarke ball inside the right of the Carlisle box found Moyo-Modise, the diminutive 'Dale youngster's shot well saved from close range by Bradley's feet though as the United glovesman came out sharply to narrow down the angle.
On 25 minutes a Warburton corner from the right was wasted when Kristian Bowden headed well wide after nicking the ball off the waiting Clarke who was well-placed behind him. Two minutes later Terry Stewart let a long ball up by Jackson bounce just outside the United box, Stewart's part-clearance then only going straight to McManus, the Scot missed the chance though as his attempted lob was easily caught by Bradley.
The Blues then took the lead, somewhat against the run of play, bang on the half-hour mark after Murray, Shaun Vipond, Stephen Hindmarch and Pete Ferris had all combined on the break to win a corner for United off the legs of 'Dale's Brown. Murray swung the flag-kick into the middle of the visitors penalty box eight yards out, and with Rigby undecided about whether to come off his line or not, it left Kirkup with an ideal opportunity to power a header down and into the back of the net to put Carlisle 1-0 up.
'Dale came back quickly though and on 35 minutes skipper Kyle Buckley was unlucky to see his powerful 25-yard right-footed effort whistle low inches past Bradley's far-post. Two minutes later Thompson played in McManus down the right, with the visitors trialist hammering in a dangerous looking ball across the face of the United goal, only for Rochdale to have no-one on-hand to run in and grab an equaliser with a finishing touch.
After 39 minutes it was all 'Dale looking for their leveller, but from a corner Bowden could only slice an effort from the middle of the United 'D' miles wide of the Carlisle goal, the ball almost going out for a Blues throw-in. Two minutes later the visitors broke quickly after the Cumbrians had conceded possession from a Matthew Blake throw-in, McManus hitting a powerful drive in from 25 yards out which went straight into the gloves of Bradley.
The last action of the half came just before the break and again it was a Rochdale chance after Luke Joyce had brought down Warburton 22 yards from the United goal on the left-angle of the box. Jackson tried a right-footed curler from the dead-ball situation but he got right under his effort and it sailed at least ten yards over Bradley's crossbar and into the empty Warwick Road End to leave Carlisle holding a 1-0 lead at the interval.
The second half got underway extremely quietly as both sides struggled to hold on to possession in the midfield, although two minutes after the break Rochdale did go close. Vipond fouled Moyo-Modise at a short corner, with the free-kick being quickly knocked over to the back-post by Warburton, Thompson was able to get on the end of it but his left-footed half-volley from 16 yards out went well over the Carlisle crossbar.
It would take until the 64th minute for the next action of any note to come, a lovely ball through by Vipond just being hacked away from the feet of Hindmarch by Rigby charging off his line. Two minutes later Joyce brought down Clarke, with Warburton putting in the free-kick which Kirkup headed away to beyond the back-post, Bradley doing well to chase the ball down on the bounce.
On 67 minutes the visitors brought on Ben Wharton for Moyo-Modise, then almost immediately afterwards a free-kick in to the United far-post by Clarke saw Bowden get a poor connection on a good chance as he headed wide of the target from just eight yards out. Bowden got it right four minutes later though when he scored 'Dale's equaliser, the centre-half powering an unstoppable header from a Warburton free-kick on the left, after a foul by Blake on Thompson, into the back of the Carlisle net from close-range.
With fifteen minutes left in the match Murray's second corner in quick succession was picked up out on the left by Blake, the Blues full-back sticking in a good cross which Kirkup headed wide of Rigby's far-post from 15 yards out. The visitors were certainly still threatening going forward though and Thompson hit a powerful shot in from distance with his left-foot which was well held by Bradley at the second attempt.
'Dale made their second change of the night in the 76th minute when they brought on Reece Kelly for Warburton, as they looked to find a late winner in a game in which the Blues had looked strangely subdued at times, the quiet after the Carling Cup storm perhaps. Sixty seconds later Earl played the ball into the feet of Murray for United, but Murray's shot from at least 35 yards out was extremely wild and flew high and wide into the Warwick.
The Cumbrians did take the lead for the second time in the game in the 78th minute though when Hindmarch sent Ferris racing away down the middle with a nicely weighted ball. Ferris just getting to the pass before the advancing Rigby to push the ball home into the empty net from 20 yards out. Straight from the kick-off the Blues made their first substitution of the night when Andy Hardman replaced Earl. The next two bits of action both being replacements as well with Nathan Wood on for McManus for 'Dale and another Wood, in United's Matthew, coming on for Hindmarch.
The visitors equalised for the second time on 84 minutes when Wharton sent a nice ball down the right-hand channel for Thompson to run onto, the 'Dale winger keeping his cool as he chipped over the diving Bradley from 12 yards out to restore parity in the match. Sixty seconds later the Blues almost instantly regained the lead when Ferris chipped a ball into the 'Dale box for Kirkup, who had stayed forward after a Blake long throw-in. Kirkup's free header from eight yards out looked in the bottom corner all the way only for Rigby to dive to his left and make an oustanding Gordon Banks-esque save as he somehow palmed the ball away.
Shortly afterwards the visitors went up the other end with Clarke attempting to chip Bradley from 30 yards out, but it was an easy catch for the United keeper at his far-post. After being pegged back twice the Blues weren't to be denied though as they bagged a 90th minute winner, with Ferris claiming his brace. A long Blake free-kick up being headed back by Kirkup to Ferris just outside the edge of the Rochdale box, the Cumbrians frontman hammering an excellent right-footed half-volley into the top right-hand corner of Rigby's net to clinch victory. Referee Oliver blowing the final whistle after three minutes of injury time to signal a winning start to United's defence of their reserve team title.
United line-up :
Adam Bradley, Ashley Combe, Matthew Blake, Luke Joyce, Dan Kirkup, Terry Stewart, Adam Murray, Shaun Vipond, Stephen Hindmarch (Matthew Wood 82), James Earl (Andy Hardman 78), Pete Ferris.
Unused substitutes :
Grant Carson, Matthew Brown and Richie Hoban.
Rochdale line-up :
Lloyd Rigby, Gary Brown, Warren Goodhind, Kyle Buckley, Mark Jackson, Kristian Bowden, Darrell Clarke, Callum Warburton (Reece Kelly 76), Clive Moyo-Modise (Ben Wharton 67), Tom McManus (Nathan Wood 81), Joe Thompson.
Unused substitutes :
Kristian Liptrot and Paul Derrick.
Results in the division this week :
Wrexham 3-1 Blackpool (Monday)
Carlisle 3-2 Rochdale (Wednesday)
Chester 1-1 Manchester City (Wednesday)
Oldham 4-1 Accrington Stanley (Wednesday)
Updated Reserve Team Table : Click here
Updated Reserve Team Results : Click here