United Reserves 5-2 Blackpool Reserves

The United side showing a few changes to it's starting eleven after last week's hammering at Manchester City, those being Jonny Blake in for trialist Stephen Maher at right-back, Andy Cook in for Michael Bridges upfront, and Connor Tinnion in place of Jennison Myrie-Williams. That meaning that the Blues lined up at kick-off as follows :


Andy Cook - Gary Madine

Connor Tinnion - Grant Smith - Luke Joyce - Jeff Smith

Darren Campion - Tom Aldred - Josh Gowling - Jonny Blake

Chris Howarth


Carlisle started brightly and as early as the fourth minute Cook fired in a right-footed half-volley from 20 yards out over the top of the visitors crossbar. Just sixty seconds later though and United did take the lead, when Seasiders goalkeeper Mark Halstead hit an awful goal-kick straight to the feet of Gary Madine. The Blues striker making no mistake as he advanced in on goal and slotted home a 12-yard right-footed effort under the body of Halstead.

There were times when you wondered if Halstead was wearing roller-skates, and he was at it again in the eighth minute when he slipped trying to hit a back-pass downfield. Cook being the beneficiary this time, but he couldn't produce the same result as Madine, as perhaps when he had more time, he shot straight away into the arms of Halstead.

With 17 minutes gone Connor Tinnion made a good run down the middle but on his weaker left foot he could only dribble in an 18-yard shot that Halstead, for once, fielded easily. The Seasiders having their first chance of the night two minutes later when Dominic Merella robbed Blake before running on down the right-hand channel and firing in a right-footed shot from 20 yards out which flew across the Carlisle goalmouth and inches wide of the far-post.



United though made it 2-0 after 22 minutes when Blues skipper Luke Joyce and Madine combined to set Jeff Smith free running in from his unfamiliar berth on the right flank. The ball though was sitting pretty just inside the Blackpool box for Smith to run onto and fire in a left-footed shot which top-spinned away off the body of Halstead and over the line with a couple of Seasiders defenders foiled in their hot pursuit.

Gary Madine

Moments later and Carlisle could have made it 3-0, a good run forward by Blake seeing the ball fed into Cook 12 yards out, Cook though didn't have his best game in a United shirt and his mis-hit shot was easily cleared by Blackpool centre-helf Zeshan Rehman. A busy spell for the Blues then seeing Tinnion pass to Joyce and Joyce fire a right-footed 30-yarder wide of Halstead's near-post.

The Seasiders quickly came back though and in the 25th minute Michael D'Agostino, who had a good game down the right, set up Merella 15 yards out for a right-footed shot which was well saved by Chris Howarth. The United goalkeeper had no chance sixty seconds later though when a D'Agostino cross in from the right found Ben Fishwick completely unmarked on the United six-yard line, Fishwick then left with the simple task of sending an unstoppable header beyond the reach of Howarth.

In the 27th minute Tinnion made a good run forward before firing a left-footed 18-yarder inches over the Blackpool crossbar, then eight minutes later Grant Smith made it 3-1 to United. Joyce's corner, after his earlier free-kick for a foul on Cook had been nodded behind by Matty Kay, seeing Smith ghost in unmarked to the near-post six yards out and head into the visitors net via the body of Ross Lloyd who was stationed on the goal-line.

The last action of an entertaining wet and windswept first-half at Brunton Park, seeing Madine and Cook show some of the combination from their old youth team days, as the former played in the latter for a right-footed 18-yarder which was well saved by an overworked Halstead in the Blackpool goal.



Two minutes after the interval and a good turn and pass by Cook fed Jeff Smith down the right-hand channel, Smith picking the wrong option as, instead of shooting, he tried to cut the ball across, only for his attempted centre to ping into the arms of Halstead off the legs of Seasiders left-back Joe Martin.

The visitors had a shooting opportunity in the 52nd minute, when Tom Aldred's poor pass across to Tinnion was intercepted by Stephen McPhee. The Seasiders midfielder though only able to fire an off-balance right-footed effort over the top of the United goal from 15 yards out. Blackpool youth team coach Gary Parkinson then making the first substitution of the match when he brought on Lewis Almond for Jake Hobbs upfront.

Just after the hour-mark and the Blues went close through relatively unintentional means after Tinnion's cross in from the left hit an unsighted Cook six yards out and went wide of the visitors far-post. Tinnion and Madine then combining well five minutes later to set up Joyce for a shooting opportunity 20 yards out, the United skipper though only able to fire wide of the Seasiders back-stick with his weaker left foot.

With 20 minutes left on the clock some nice approach play by Cook saw the ball fed into Grant Smith in the centre of the Blackpool 'D'. Smith shooting left-footed from there wide of the visitors near-post. The next effort on goal coming the way of Blackpool five minutes later when Fishwick's 22-yard right-footed effort was an easy one for Howarth to watch drift away beyond his back-stick. The Seasiders making their second change in personnel after 79 minutes when Billy McKenna came on for D'Agostino.

Jeff Smith

Sixty seconds later though and it was 4-1 to Carlisle. A lovely touch off by Madine to Jeff Smith seeing Smith cross in from the right in to the Blackpool back-stick. Tinnion's resultant six-yard header hitting the base of the near-post and then Halstead before Madine bundled it over the line. That though was apparently the second time the ball had crossed the line as the assistant referee later confirmed that Tinnion's header had already gone in before Madine appeared on the scene.

The 83rd minute saw both sides make a substitution when Blues youth team striker Ryan Bowman came on for Cook and Adam Foster replaced McPhee for Blackpool. Four minutes later and United made it 5-1, an excellent individual goal from Jeff Smith seeing him make a lovely turn 35 yards out before running on to the edge of the visitors penalty area and thumping a fierce left-footed drive low into the near-bottom corner of Halstead's net.

That wasn't the last goal in the game though as the Seasiders made it 5-2 with the final shot of the night. A 20-yard right-footed effort from Almond out to the right of the Carlisle 'D' seeing his shot loop up off the legs of Aldred and way over the head of Howarth on it's way into the far corner of the United net.


United line-up :

Chris Howarth, Jonny Blake, Darren Campion, Josh Gowling, Tom Aldred, Luke Joyce (c), Jeff Smith, Grant Smith, Gary Madine, Andy Cook (Ryan Bowman 83), Connor Tinnion.

Unused substitutes :

Alex Mitchell (GK), Liam Davison, Matt Duffy and Simon Lakeland.


Blackpool line-up :

Mark Halstead, Ross Lloyd, Joe Martin, Matty Kay, Ashley Eastham, Zeshan Rehman, Michael D'Agostino (Billy McKenna 79), Stephen McPhee (Adam Foster 83), Jake Hobbs (Lewis Almond 59), Ben Fishwick, Dominic Merella.

Unused substitutes :

Ben Breakell (GK) and Kieran D'Arcy.

Referee - Paul Curry (Morpeth, Northumberland).


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