|
First-years Dan Jones (collarbone) and Lance McGlen (ankle) have both been sidelined for a good part of the pre-season now and they were missing again this evening against Annan's under-19 side, who play during the campaign proper in the catchily titled IRN-BRU Scottish Football League Under 19 Youth Division, a competition containing sides through Divisions One to Three of the SFL.
After a quiet start to the game, in which it took both teams a little while to settle down, Carlisle opened the scoring with the first chance of the match on eight minutes. A loose ball through the middle being completely missed by one of the Annan centre-halves, which allowed David Symington to run in clear on goal and lift a comfortable right-footed finish over the top of the advancing goalkeeper and into the net from 15 yards out.
Five minutes later and Ben McKenna made a good run in from the left before having his shot from just outside the box blocked. Then shortly afterwards James Bonner fed in Mark Beck for a curling 25-yard drive on his left foot which drifted away wide of the target on its way to crashing into the side of the clubhouse as United kicked down the slope in the first-half.
With 18 minutes on the clock Josh Todd recovered from standing on the ball and falling over to send possession into McKenna, the Blues winger then playing a nice one-two with Symington before sending a low ball in for Beck at the far-post. Beck though having his side-footed effort from close range well saved by the Athletic glovesman.
Beck then looked to turn provider three minutes later when his cross in from the left was headed over by Symington from the middle of the penalty area, Symington then thumping a right-footed 18-yard half-volley into the ground and up into the arms of the Annan goalkeeper sixty seconds later as he looked to pounce on a loose ball.
Todd then hit one over the top with a similar effort from slightly further out in a busy spell in the game, then in the 29th minute the home side had their first shot on the Carlisle goal, although from the edge of Jon Ball's box it deflected off the legs of Blues skipper Steven Swinglehurst and hardly even trickled into the gloves of Ball.
Bang on the half-hour mark and it was 2-0 to Carlisle when McKenna made a great run at pace down the left before smacking a low centre across the box. The Annan left-back Alexander then kindly completing the job for United as he lashed the ball past his startled goalkeeper from ten yards out for a beautifully finished own goal.
Symington then mishit a cross into the Athletic side-netting at the near post from a tight angle moments afterwards before on 33 minutes he produced a lovely turn on a Brad Potts pass down the right-hand channel to race away down the flank. His eventual low cross in though somehow seeing Beck at close range at the far-post steer his side-footer away from goal, Phil Towler then having a shot blocked in the ensuing goalmouth scramble before Annan cleared their lines.
Ball was then forced into a rare take sixty seconds later on a 20-yard right-footed half-volley, then six minutes later Matt Osmond stuck in a cross from his left-back berth for Carlisle, on which Beck sent up a looping header from the middle of the penalty area which was easily caught by the home goalkeeper just outside his far-post.
Athletic were then forced into a substitution four minutes before the break, that perhaps the legacy of a strong 50-50 challenge involving Bonner shortly before. The last opportunity of the half for a goal coming in the 43rd minute following a Bonner handball 22 yards out on the left-angle of the Carlisle penalty area. One of the Annan midfielders being very unlucky to see his right-footed curler across the box ping away to United safety off the face of the crossbar.
The home side made two changes in personnel during the break and Blues boss Eric Kinder made three as Osmond, Mark Sloan and McKenna were replaced by Kieran Cahill, Paddy O'Brien and Adam Gill respectively. Carlisle being the first out of the traps in the second-half in the 47th minute as Symington's deep cross to the back-post was knocked wide on the volley by the weaker right boot of O'Brien from eight yards out.
Bonner then put a nice ball through the middle for Gill sixty seconds later, but Gill's right-footed 15-yard drive was a little weak and easy for the Annan stopper to save. Symington then tried his luck from a long way out only for his shot to go well wide of the far-post before United did make it 3-0 with 50 minutes gone.
O'Brien picking up on a loose ball from a Bonner long throw to thread the eye of a needle with his left-footed daisy cutter from just to the left of the Annan 'D', his shot seemingly sneaking into the far corner of the home net in slow motion. O'Brien then gifting Athletic a chance three minutes later though as he conceded possession on the edge of the Carlisle box, one of the home substitutes though wasting the opportunity as he thumped his drive over the top.
A well on top United were attacking again on 57 minutes when Symington's corner in was only part-cleared out straight to Towler on the edge of the box, Towler though striking his right-footed drive too high and onto the five-a-side pitches behind the goal from there. Just after the hour-mark and Beck, O'Brien and Gill all combined in a nice move going forward with an under pressure Symington eventually shooting left-footed and over the top from 12 yards out.
With 64 minutes on the clock Towler was left a little disappointed to see no-one gambling on his low ball across the six-yard box which eventually whistled just inches wide of the far-post, Annan then making a change in personnel upfront two minutes later. Carlisle themselves bringing on a pair of substitutes in the 69th minute when Sloan and Osmond came back on, in place of Beck and Symington respectively.
Sloan quickly back into the action two minutes later with a left-footed strike from 18 yards out that was taken down low by the Athletic goalkeeper at his near-post. Symington's rest then became a short one as his six minute sit down ended as he came back onto the pitch in place of Towler with 75 minutes of the game gone.
Gill set up Osmond two minutes later for a fierce left-footed shot from the edge of the box that was well pushed over by the Annan stopper, the resultant Osmond corner through producing nothing for United. Goalkeepers being involved at the other end with ten minutes to go when Joe Clements replaced Ball between the sticks for Carlisle.
Bonner moments later trying his luck on a loose ball with a right-footed lob that drifted wide of the far-post, then two minutes later it was 4-0 to the young Blues with the final goal of the game. Sloan making a good pacey run to the right-hand by-line before cutting the ball back for Osmond, now playing on the left wing, 15 yards out. Osmond, in a rare moment, using his right foot to push an inch perfect finish across goal and into the net off the inside of the far-post.
With five minutes to go Annan had a mid-range chance from a free-kick that was easy for Clements to save, Clements then smacking the ball long upfield for Sloan to break away onto, Sloan though seeing his right-footed effort from just inside the Athletic penalty area well saved by the legs of the advancing goalkeeper, who had a pretty good, but busy, game.
The last chance of the game coming the way of United a minute from time when Sloan volleyed a loose ball wide of the near-post from 18 yards out. So, next up for Carlisle it is York City away on Saturday morning with the season proper still two and a half weeks away, maybe down in North Yorkshire there will be some assistant referees too, after Dan Jones and a man in a suit had to run, or more like stand still, the lines this evening to much amusement.
United line-up :
Jon Ball (Joe Clements 80), James Bonner, Matt Osmond (Kieran Cahill 46), Brad Potts, Steven Swinglehurst (c), Josh Todd, David Symington (Matt Osmond 69), Phil Towler (David Symington 75), Ben McKenna (Adam Gill 46), Mark Beck (Mark Sloan 69), Mark Sloan (Paddy O'Brien 46).
No unused substitutes.
Youth Team Results : Click here
Youth Team Squad : Click here
Youth Team Table : Click here