Playing their first league game in five weeks this morning, but with striker Alex Salmon returning from his ankle injury, the young Blues struggled to get going early on at Hurst Cross, Ashton United FC, with the home side having quite a bit of early pressure and forcing Carlisle goalkeeper Jordan Parker to make some good saves. The home side though managing to take the lead in the eighth minute through Jay Mehmet following a mistake at the back from United's Brad Staunch.
It was soon 1-1 four minutes later however when 'Dale glovesman Danny Taberner failed to control a back-pass, that then allowing Dave Symington to tap the ball home into an empty net. Carlisle then quickly able to make it 2-1 in the 16th minute when Mark Beck netted with an excellent Marco van Basten-esque left-footed volley. Only three minutes on and things were back level again, at 2-2, as this time it was Dillon Morse conceding possession for the Cumbrians as Mehmet's shot was first saved by Parker, only for Godwin Abadaki to whack home the rebound.
After having another spell of good play at the end of the first-half Rochdale did finally manage to make it 3-2 after the break when Joel Logan, on the hour mark, turned well before lashing in an excellent shot from the edge of the box into the top corner of Parker's net. The young Blues managing to find another equaliser with 68 minutes gone though when Brad Potts broke forward before shooting into the Rochdale goal from the left-hand side of the penalty area.
It was the home side who managed to find the final goal of the game with 12 minutes to go however when Sam Miniham pushed on well from his right-back spot and hammered a low drive in past Parker. So, a disappointing return to action for Carlisle as they went down 4-3 on the road, things not getting any easier next Saturday morning either as they take on a top four Preston side in an 11am kick-off at North End's Springfields training complex.
Rochdale line-up :
Danny Taberner, Sam Miniham, Jordan Jacobs, Luke Watson (c), Jack Horan, Jordan Fagbola, Jay Mehmet, Jamie Allen, Joel Logan, Godwin Abadaki, Ola Rabiu.
Substitutes :
Jordan Andrews (GK), Kevin Masirika, Darcy O'Connor, Jonathan Spittle, Scott Tanser.
United line-up :
Jordan Parker, Lance McGlen (c), Dale Minor, Dillon Morse, Brad Staunch, Jack Lynch (Brandon Gwinnutt 70), Brad Potts, Josh Todd, Alex Salmon, Mark Beck, Dave Symington (Patrick Brough 85).
Unused substitutes :
Tom Berwick and Jamie Clarey.
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