With both Dan Jones and Josh Todd back in the Blues starting line-up it meant that only Kyle Dempsey and Brad Potts are now in the treatment room for Carlisle, both of them having long-term injuries. Jones and Todd both slotting into midfield berths for a United side who were kicking down the slope but into the wind against a Preston team who, like themselves, had started the season with a win and a defeat.
The teams and officials were ready in plenty of time this morning and that meant the game kicked off as much as 20 minutes early with the first chance of the match coming the way of the Blues at 10.45am. Dave Symington sticking a cross in from the left on which Alex Salmon made a good first touch before dragging a 15-yard left-footed effort wide of the North End far-post.
The visitors then responding in the 14th minute after a Will James foul on Matt Dudley 22 yards out dead central. Luke Clark though wastefully sticking a right-footed shot straight into the Carlisle defensive wall, play went on though and from the loose ball Sam Ade Osobe knocked a cross over from which Brandon Zibaka flicked a header wide of the Cumbrians back-post from eight yards out.
The Lilywhites then scored what would prove to be the only goal of the game after 19 minutes when Ryan Croasdale pushed a pass into Osobe, with the small but strong striker then rolling Brad Staunch (pictured) a little before hitting a low right-footed 12-yard shot across Blues goalkeeper Jordan Parker and into the far corner of the net. Preston then going close to grabbing a second six minutes later when, from Adam Thurston's right-wing cross, Zibaka sliced a left-footed effort badly wide of the back-stick from close range.
United then responded in the 26th minute when Jack Lynch knocked a corner across but under pressure in a ruck of players Dillon Morse could only head beyond the far-post from eight yards out. The Cumbrians then looking to the long throw of James two minutes later but from Mark Beck's flick on, Salmon's looping header across goal was just parried away by Preston glovesman Jordan Watson at his back-post.
It was a good spell for Carlisle in the game now and after 29 minutes Beck and Jones combined to set up Morse, but his right-footed drive from almost 30 yards out was always going well high and wide of Watson's goal. Preston came back into it though and four minutes later Parker missed a punch on Clark's corner in with Ade Osobe then seeing his right-footed effort on goal from close range hacked away off the line by James.
With 38 minutes on the clock Lynch stuck another Carlisle corner across but from this one Beck could only head wide of the near-post from eight yards out. Three minutes later and Staunch brought down Croasdale half-way into United territory but Clark sent his right-footed effort from the resultant set-piece zooming away high over Parker's crossbar. Staunch, still our commentary man of the match for his overall efforts, then a minute before the break fouling Dudley out on the right-wing, Clark this time curling a ball in from which Zibaka headed over the top from eight yards out at the Blues back-stick.
During the interval United boss Eric Kinder then made his first change in personnel as Tom Berwick replaced Jones. Berwick then having the opening chance of the second period in the 49th minute when Watson scuffed out a clearance straight to him 40 yards out, Watson though able to backpedal easily enough to catch Berwick's left-footed effort on goal from there. The visitors then responding three minutes later when Dudley set up Croasdale for a 25-yard right-footed effort that flew straight into the gloves of Parker.
The 54th minute then seeing Clark this time set up Naim El-Harrati for a long range right-footed drive that disappeared away miles over the top, before Beck then did the same thing for Carlisle sixty seconds later with a shot on his left foot. Lynch then shortly afterwards went into the referee's notebook for a late challenge on Croasdale, before after 62 minutes Todd played in Symington for a cross in onto which Beck under a good strong challenge from North End skipper and left-back James Reece, headed wide of the near-post from eight yards out.
Todd was starting to get on the ball a bit more for Carlisle now and two minutes later he and Salmon combined to put Symington away down the left-hand channel, Symington from 15 yards out then forcing an excellent save from Watson low down at his near-post. Both sides then making a change in their ranks as Ade Osobe went off with what looked like a minor arm injury for Preston to be replaced by Will Hayhurst, and United brought on Jamie Clarey for Salmon upfront.
North End were then attacking again in the 59th minute when Hayhurst stuck a left-footed corner in which Beck did well to head out of the area, the loose ball fell straight to Croasdale 25 yards out though, but fortunately for Carlisle his right-footed half-volley from there flew away well high and wide of the target. The visitors then having another flag-kick four minutes later with the delivery this time coming from Clark, but Dan Forbes was only able to head wide of the far-post from six yards out.
With 81 minutes on the clock Croasdale smacked a right-footed drive from just outside the Blues penalty area beyond Parker's left-hand post, with United then searching for an equaliser two minutes later, but, from a James cross in from the right, Beck headed over the top from eight yards out. Carlisle then going as close to finding a late leveller as they would do after 85 minutes when some good footwork from Lynch saw him eventually fire a left-footed drive inches above Watson's crossbar from the edge of the Preston box.
The last Cumbrians chance coming in the final minute when a long throw-in form Carlisle captain Lance McGlen was cleared out by Ben Davies to the feet of Berwick 30 yards out. His left-footed half-volley from there zooming well wide of Watson's right-hand post to signal a disappointing defeat in a tight encounter between two relatively evenly matched sides. The game itself though probably not one to linger too long in the minds of many in fairness.
United line-up :
Jordan Parker, Will James, Lance McGlen (c), Brad Staunch, Dillon Morse, Jack Lynch, Josh Todd, Dave Symington, Dan Jones (Tom Berwick 46), Mark Beck, Alex Salmon (Jamie Clarey 65).
Unused substitutes :
Adam Gill, Brandon Gwinnutt and Dale Minor.
Preston line-up :
Jordan Watson, Adam Thurston, James Reece (c), Luke Clark, Dan Forbes, Ben Davies, Brandon Zibaka, Ryan Croasdale, Sam Ade Osobe (Will Hayhurst 65), Naim El-Harrati, Matt Dudley.
Unused substitutes :
Jordan Bent, Steven James, Alan Scurry and Jack Sowerby.
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