After going down heavily 4-0 at Oldham last Saturday on the opening day of the season, Blues boss Eric Kinder was looking for a much better display today at a gloomy Creighton Rugby Club, and he certainly got it. United with Dan Jones (ankle), Brad Potts (foot) and Josh Todd (knee), giving a home debut upfront to recent signing Alex Salmon in a starting eleven that contained seven first years and only four second year YTS players.
After a slow start to a game which kicked off ten minutes early with everyone ready to go, Carlisle took the lead with pretty much the first attack of the match. Jack Lynch's corner in breaking out to Salmon whose jump at the ball in traffic saw it ping through for Will James six yards out, James then able to volley home with his right boot from there past the reach of visitors goalkeeper Jordan Andrews.
It then took 'Dale another eleven minutes to find a shot up the slope when Jamie Allan, with the wind at his back, fired in a 25-yard right-footed drive that flew away into the distance off the top of the United crossbar. Sixty seconds later in the 19th minute Joel Logan's right-footed shot from just inside the Blues box brought a good save out of Jordan Parker, the delivery in from Scott Tanser then flying about for a short while before an overhead kick from 'Dale skipper Luke Watson in the middle of the Carlisle penalty area looped softly into the gloves of Parker.
Three minutes on and it was 2-0 to the Cumbrians when Dave Symington broke away down the left flank before floating across a lovely ball on his weaker left foot onto which Mark Beck (pictured above) sent a thumping header down into the visitors net from close range. 'Dale then looking to get something going with 26 minutes on the clock when a throw-in from Sam Miniham fell nicely for Ola Rabiu to fire in a left-footed half-volley from 18 yards out which was well blocked away by James.
Bang on the half-hour mark and it could have been 2-1 but it was 3-0. Scott Tanser cutting from the left before thumping in a powerful 15-yard left-footed drive which was parried away by Parker. Blues skipper Lance McGlen then hammering the clearance over the top of a pushed up 'Dale back-line, that allowing Salmon to race away on a chance where he never really looked like missing, Salmon getting as close as 12 yards out before knocking a low right-footed shot across Andrews and into the far corner of the visitors net.
Carlisle then went close again after 34 minutes when Watson brought down Beck on the right-angle of the 'Dale penalty area 25 yards out, Symington then stepping up to thump the free-kick in right-footed only to see it be well saved by Andrews. Shortly afterwards and it was 4-0 to United when James put a good cross in from the right which Andrews flapped at, the ball then dropping for Salmon whose shot on goal from close range hit Darcy O'Connor then the upper body of Beck as it pinged around. Beck though the lucky recipient as that left him with a easy tap-in from six yards out for his second goal of the game.
After 37 minutes Tanser and Jay Mehmet combined well for the visitors with a nice passing move before Mehmet struck in a left-footed shot across goal and wide of Parker's left-hand post from 12 yards out. Rochdale were having a better spell in the game now and two minutes later Rabiu stuck a cross in from the right, from which Parker made a good save on a 12-yard header in from Mehmet.
Shortly afterwards and Symington was trying his luck from range as he cut in from the left only to fire a right-footed drive well over the top from distance. The last action of the first-half coming in the 44th minute when a loose ball in the visitors penalty area dropped nicely down for Jack Lynch for a goalbound left-footed half-volley from ten yards out which brought an excellent low diving save away to his right from Andrews.
Another quiet opening brought nothing of note in the first five minutes until Symington produced yet another of his blockbuster goals, Symington from nigh on 30 yards out, simply smashing a right-footed shot straight into the right-hand postage stamp of the 'Dale goal to make it 5-0 to the Cumbrians. With the game gone the visitors were now pretty much looking for consolation goals, but they were unable to get one of those in the 52nd minute when Mehmet headed a Miniham cross over the top from ten yards out.
That break in play seeing both sides make a change in personnel as George Leigh came on for O'Connor for the visitors and 15-year old Carlisle-born left-winger Patrick Brough make his youth team debut in place of Tom Berwick. Referee Geoff Coleman's pencil having a busy time in his notebook for a short while as Rabiu was booked for a poor tackle on McGlen, 'Dale boss Chris Beech then instantly substituting Rabiu as Adam Wright was brought on in the right-winger's place.
Lynch then made a good run forward for Carlisle in the 57th minute but his left-footed shot from 15 yards out across goal was pulled wide of the target. Just sixty seconds later and Symington was looking to be the provider again with a cross from the right over to the back-post, Brough racing in at speed to meet that with a firm header from ten yards out only to see it bounce back away off the body of Andrews.
Bang on the hour-mark and Salmon then showed some neat footwork before playing a pass over to Brough in the left-hand channel, Brough though lashing a left-footed strike from 15 yards out away over the top of the 'Dale crossbar. Despite the scoreline being 5-0 to United it then became 1-1 on yellow cards in the 63rd minute when Symington was booked for a foul on Allan. McGlen then two minutes later trying to make it 6-0 but his right-footed shot from 28 yards out was always flying away too high over the top.
Midway through the second-half and it was still all action in the Rochdale penalty area when Lynch worked a short corner for McGlen's cross into the box, the ball then falling to Brough for a left-footed shot from 15 yards out which deflected behind for another Carlisle flag-kick. It was then short between Lynch and McGlen again but this time it was Symington who the ball broke to for a right-footed 25-yard drive which wasn't far off breaking the crossbar as it the face bang on and flew out for a throw-in.
With 69 minutes gone it was the visitors looking to pull a goal back but Logan's 18-yard left-footed shot deflected off the legs of Cumbrians centre-half Dillon Morse straight into the grateful gloves of Parker. Two minutes later and Symington was once more trying his luck from long range on the back of a Brough pass but his right-footed strike flew well away over the top. Blues boss Eric Kinder then making his second substitution of the game when first-year left-back Dale Minor came on in central midfield in place of Brandon Gwinnutt.
It was from a set-piece where the visitors had their next chance in the 75th minute but under a bit of pressure Watson could only head a Tanser corner wide of the Blues far-post from eight yards out. Then with ten minutes to go referee Coleman finally gave up on a twisted ankle as he swapped places with his assistant referee with the Battenburg flag for the closing stages. United then using that break in play to make a change upfront as Jamie Clarey came on for two-goal Beck.
After 82 minutes it was the visitors from a corner once more when this time Allan stuck the flag-kick in and Parker had to make a good low save from a close range downward header by Tanser. With five minutes to go 'Dale made their final substitution with it being a bit different to the norm as they only had three players on the bench to start with, under-14s goalkeeper Jonathan Dieber Musanga coming on for injured striker Logan, that seeing their number one stopper having to make a change in kit as he played the rest of the game upfront.
Just as we ticked into injury time Symington's corner in was played across to Salmon by James, Salmon then seeing his right-footed shot from 18 yards out going well wide before hitting Clarey and rolling across the floor to Andrews. The last action of a excellent win for Carlisle coming the way of the visitors when Watson sent a right-footed strike from fully 30 yards out well wide of Parker's right-hand post.
United line-up :
Jordan Parker, Lance McGlen (c), Will James, Jack Lynch, Brad Staunch, Dillon Morse, Dave Symington, Brandon Gwinnutt (Dale Minor 73), Mark Beck (Jamie Clarey 80), Alex Salmon, Tom Berwick (Patrick Brough 52).
Unused substitutes :
Jack Boyd (GK) and Adam Gill.
Rochdale line-up :
Jordan Andrews, Sam Miniham, Jordan Jacobs, Dimi Tuanzebe, Darcy O'Connor (George Leigh 52), Luke Watson (c), Ola Rabiu (Adam Wright 55), Jamie Allan, Joel Logan (Jonathan Dieber Musanga 85), Jay Mehmet, Scott Tanser.
Unused substitutes :
None.
Referee - Geoff Coleman (Kendal).
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