With the first team further away in Cumbria at Barrow, the youth team had a shorter journey down the M6 to take on Northern League outfit Penrith, the second time the young Blues have faced such divisional opposition after drawing 2-2 against Celtic Nation earlier in the week. With Jack Lynch and Alex Salmon still sidelined with minor injuries, but Pat Brough back available after illness it meant that United, with trialists Greg Peel and Connor Thomson still on board, lined up in a diamond formation in the first-half as follows:
Greg Peel - Declan Watson
Connor Thomson
Pat Brough - Kyle Dempsey
Tom Berwick
Dale Minor - Brad Staunch - Dillon Morse - Brandon Gwinnutt
Jordan Parker
6 mins - Greg Peel 20-yard strike flies into the arms of Penrith goalkeeper James Holland.
9 mins - Martyn Coleman, Penrith's most dangerous player throughout, tries a left-footed shot on the turn from the edge of the Carlisle box which Jordan Parker saves.
14 mins - United skipper Tom Berwick sees his drive from 20 yards out easily held by Holland.
17 mins - Foul by Steven Rigg on Connor Thomson 22 yards from goal, Berwick thumps the free-kick in low but straight into the gloves of Holland.
18 mins - Declan Watson touch off to Kyle Dempsey for a rasping shot from distance which is well parried behind by Holland. Berwick corner in produces nothing for Carlisle.
20 mins - Berwick slides a quickly taken free-kick through for Brandon Gwinnutt down the right, Gwinnutt's low cross in sees Peel and Penrith's Willie Paul go to the floor challenging for the ball at the far-post but Peel manages to hook it in with an outstretched leg from close range, 0-1.
23 mins - Corner in from Scott Allinson for the home side, Paul header from 8 yards out cleared off the line by Dempsey who is covering the back-stick.
25 mins - Staunch clearing header out lands straight to Rigg for a 25-yard half-volley which Parker holds comfortably.
32 mins - Coleman down right-hand channel turns inside quickly before shooting left-footed from the edge of the box across goal and over Parker's crossbar.
34 mins - Peel away down right for United, cuts in, low drive from 20 yards out pushed out by Holland who does well to get up quickly and save Gwinnutt's close range side-footer on the rebound.
35 mins - Heavy touch by Dillon Morse as he looks to clear for Carlisle but Allinson is forced to rush his shot from the 'D' and it flies away over the top.
36 mins - Good run forward from United's Thomson, chips goalwards from a tight angle inside the box on the right, ball goes over Holland but Paul is able to head away from danger for Penrith.
40 mins - Peel breaks up play sharply, Thomson gets onto loose ball and plays Peel away through middle, tries to round Holland inside penalty area but Holland dives well away to his left to collect the ball.
43 mins - Peel returns favour for Thomson but deeper in the box Thomson only succeeds in running the ball out for a goal-kick as he rounds Holland.
46 mins - Danny Hodgson comes on upfront for Peel for Carlisle.
46 mins - Penrith replace Tom Barclay at the back with Alan Gray.
52 mins - Pat Brough picks up possession for United but his strike from distance goes into the midriff of a well-placed Holland.
53 mins - Coleman to Steven Ainsworth for Penrith, Parker saves skipper Ainsworth's 20-yard drive.
54 mins - Jake Chisholm and Evan McAvoy come on at left-back and right-back for Dale Minor and Gwinnutt respectively for Carlisle.
54 mins - Sean Willis comes on for Rigg for Penrith in central midfield.
58 mins - Coleman cuts in from the left but on his weaker right foot his shot from the United 'D; is always rising as it zooms over.
61 mins - Two Carlisle substitutions, Jamie Clarey on for Watson upfront, Danny Dixon for Thomson at the tip of the diamond.
61 mins - Penrith bring on Andy Murray-Jones for Coleman upfront and former Carlisle YTS player Adam Gill for Rick Faustino down the right.
66 mins - Dempsey heads away from the United penalty area, ball breaks to Ainsworth for a fiercely hit half-volley from distance which Parker does well to tip over the top. Allinson's corner then produces nothing for the home side.
69 mins - Gwinnutt comes back on for Carlisle and replaces Brough in central midfield.
69 mins - Lewis Gardner comes on for Allinson down the left for Penrith.
72 mins - Good run forward from his right-back spot by Paul, low shot from 15 yards out brings a good save and hold out of Parker.
73 mins - Dempsey goes off and Peel comes back on for United, Peel upfront and Watson drops back into midfield.
74 mins - Peter Johnston replaces Ben Jackson for the home side.
76 mins - Tricky run up by Hodgson for Carlisle but his shot from outside the box drifts across goal and wide of Holland's right-hand post.
76 mins - Before the restart Thomson replaces Berwick in midfield for United in the last substitution of the game.
81 mins - Dixon to Clarey to Peel down the right-hand channel, Peel's shot from 12 yards out flies behind off the body of Holland. Dixon's corner in sees Holland flapping a bit in traffic but referee John Mulligan awards Penrith a free-kick.
87 mins - Staunch header out of the Carlisle box, Willis sends half-volley from distance flying well wide of the target.
90 mins - Gardner corner in to United near-post, Parker doesn't get there for the punch, ball flies into the net from close range via a combination of Staunch and Murray-Jones, 1-1.
90+1 mins - Gardner corner in, Parker palms ball away over to far side of penalty area. Paul cracks in a half-volley from 15 yards out but it whistles away wide of the goal.
So, another day and another draw for Carlisle against Northern League opposition, although it looked like a win and a clean sheet until the final minute and a soft goal for Penrith. No time to think about for the lads though as from Monday to Thursday next week they visit Llanberis for a North Wales outdoor training camp, then on their return to Cumbria they face Warwick Wanderers at Creighton Rugby Club in an 11.30am kick-off on Saturday morning.
Penrith line-up :
James Holland, Willie Paul, Tom Barclay (Alan Gray 46), Martin Strong, David Nugent, Scott Allinson (Lewis Gardner 69), Rick Faustino (Adam Gill 61), Martyn Coleman (Andy Murray-Jones 61), Steven Ainsworth (c), Ben Jackson (Peter Johnston 74), Steven Rigg (Sean Willis 54).
United line-up :
Jordan Parker, Brandon Gwinnutt (Evan McEvoy 54), Dale Minor (Jake Chisholm 54), Dillon Morse, Brad Staunch, Tom Berwick (Connor Thomson 76), Kyle Dempsey (Greg Peel 73), Patrick Brough (Brandon Gwinnutt 69), Connor Thomson (Danny Dixon 61), Greg Peel (Danny Hodgson 46), Declan Watson (Jamie Clarey 61).
Unused substitute :
Lewis Brass (GK)
Referee - John Mulligan.
Attendance - 90.
Youth Team Results : Click here
Youth Team Squad : Click here
Youth Team Table : Click here