Despite the traffic problems on the M6 and a rather lengthy detour on their way to Cumbria the Valiants still managed to arrive in time for a quick warm-up ahead of the scheduled 12noon kick-off. The long trip not deterring the visitors either as they started much the brighter, albeit in a patchy start to the game with a strong wind blowing up the Creighton slope making it difficult for both sides throughout, with the Blues also missing the suspended Jack Lynch a little in the midfield ranks.
The first chance then coming as late as the 11th minute when Vale's Elliot Osbourne put a cross in from the left, but Macauley Davies was only able to head it well wide of the target from ten yards out. Osbourne then taking matters into his own hands four minutes later but his shot from just outside of the box went past the United left-hand upright, with Davies then on 17 minutes trying his luck with a 22-yard curler which drifted away beyond Carlisle goalkeeper Jordan Parker's (pictured) near-post.
With 27 minutes on the clock Blues left-back Dale Minor was involved in a heavy challenge with Oliver Marland, which resulted in the Vale striker leaving the field through injury to be replaced by Luke Beesley. The resultant low inswinging free-kick in from by the corner flag courtesy of David Lander seeing Beesley straight into the action as his toe-poke from close range brought a pretty easy save out of Parker at his near-post.
Three minutes later and United finally forced Valiants goalkeeper Joseph Hemmings into some work following a foul by Matthew Warner on Kyle Dempsey out on the right 22 yards out. Tom Berwick's free-kick in from there pinging off the legs of Hemmings but sadly for Carlisle no-one was there to follow up on the rebound. United's next sniff on goal coming after 40 minutes when Jamie Clarey touched off to Alex Salmon for a 20-yard half-volley taken in comfortably by Hemmings.
Shortly afterwards a Dillon Morse challenge on Beesley brought Vale a free-kick 40 yards out, William Whieldon chipping the ball forward from there but Beesley's header from the edge of the box looped up off the top of his head as Parker was able to make an easy catch. The last opportunity of the half coming in the 43rd minute when a loose ball dropped as sweet as a nut 22 yards out for a half-volley, Jack Pryor wasting a great chance though as he could only hit his effort weakly and straight at Parker.
Into the second-half then and two minutes in Dempsey fed Clarey for a 22-yarder off his laces that whistled across goal but wide of the visitors left-hand post, then with 58 minutes gone United won a free-kick following a Warner foul on Connor Thomson, Blues skipper Berwick though seeing his shot from there fly into the gloves of Hemmings. Salmon for Carlisle then trying his luck moments later from 25 yards out but like most United efforts on the day it disappeared away off target.
Bang on the hour-mark and Salmon chipped a nice ball over the top for Dempsey to race onto down the left-hand channel, but from just inside the box Dempsey sliced his shot on goal narrowly wide of Vale's right-hand upright. The visitors though getting what proved to be the only goal of the game in the 65th minute when, albeit from an excellent Beesley cross in, Osbourne was left completely unmarked to head down and into the Cumbrians net from ten yards out.
The next action of note came in the 71st minute and was frankly shambolic from an officiating perspective as some, at best, non-existent communication between referee Gillon and his assistant Mark Backhouse saw Carlisle's Danny Dixon (pictured) booked for entering the field of play without permission in place of Thomson. Brandon Gwinnutt then for United three minutes later firing fiercely over the top of the visitors crossbar from 25 yards out.
With 15 minutes left to go an unmarked Brad Staunch missed a pretty good opportunity as he headed a Dempsey corner too high from ten yards out. Dixon then shortly afterwards sliding Salmon through down the right-hand channel but his shot from 15 yards out whistled across goal and wide of the Vale back-stick. United boss Eric Kinder then bringing on Greg Peel for Clarey after 77 minutes as he looked to introduce some fresh legs upfront.
Dempsey then, on the edge of the box from a Dixon lay-off, showed quick feet in the 83rd minute to get a well-hit shot in which was well parried away by Hemmings, while three minutes later Salmon went into the book for dissent after questioning the award of a free-kick against him on Davies. Salmon then after 88 minutes cutting in from the left before seeing his curler from 22 yards out disappear away over the top on the wind.
Salmon also having the last chance to grab a late United leveller with sixty seconds to go following a foul by Tom Morris on Peel 20 yards out and just to the right of the 'D', Salmon though curling the resultant free-kick over the wall but also over the visitors crossbar. That was that then as Carlisle fell to their first defeat of the season after six games with a disappointing performance all-round from the lads really against a well organised Vale side. At least they get the chance to get back on the horse quickly though as next Saturday they have another home game, this time against Blackpool in an 11am kick-off at Creighton.
United line-up:
Jordan Parker, Brandon Gwinnutt, Dale Minor, Dillon Morse, Brad Staunch, Kyle Dempsey, Tom Berwick (c), Connor Thomson (Danny Dixon 71), Alex Salmon, Jamie Clarey (Greg Peel 77), Pat Brough.
Unused substitutes:
Lewis Brass (GK), Jake Chisholm and Evan McEvoy.
Port Vale line-up:
Joseph Hemmings, Nathan Smith, Matthew Warner, William Whieldon, Dougie Price (c), Tom Morris, Elliot Osbourne, Jack Pryor, Oliver Marland (Luke Beesley 27), Macauley Davies, David Lander.
Unused substitutes:
Ryan Boot (GK), Joshua Croft and Luke Wright.
Referee - D Gillon.
Assistants - Mark Backhouse and Graham Kirkpatrick.
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