After two minutes a free-kick up from the visitors was not cleared by the Carlisle defence, a 15-yard half-volley on the turn by the Monk Seaton forward then going well over. The Blues came back on six minutes when a long pass forward by left-back Matthew Blake broke to James Earl after Andy Hardman had challenged for the ball, Earl's 22-yard right-footed half-volley went well over though.
On nine minutes a Terry Stewart ball up was well controlled by Stephen Hindmarch, who in-turn laid a pass back to Hardman, although the United right-midfielder could only drag his 22-yard shot wide. Shortly afterwards a Monk Seaton goal-kick out was headed back towards goal by Earl to Richie Hoban, the Blues central midfielder pulling his shot wide from the edge of the box.
With 23 minutes gone a good Shaun Vipond tackle in midfield, although the visitors should have earlier had a free-kick for a foul by Earl, saw Earl play a ball through into Hardman down the right-hand channel. Hardman's cross-shot being pushed out for a corner, Vipond sending the flag-kick in to the near-post for Hindmarch to nod home easily from close range to put the Blues 1-0 up.
Monk Seaton were getting a few good crosses in from wide areas but United were defending well in clearing their lines. On 29 minutes they got a ball into the Carlisle box which was headed up into the air by Ashley Combe, a half-volley from one of their central midfielders then flying well over from 15 yards out.
After 32 minutes Hindmarch flicked a long ball on, Mike Stewardson showing some good skill on the left to send a low ball in across the box, but there was no-one there to get the finishing touch. With 39 minutes gone Matthew Brown went off with a head injury and was replaced by Jonny Blake, United now having brothers playing together at left and right-back.
Sixty seconds later the Blues doubled their lead when Earl made a good tackle in the opposition box, the ball breaking to Hindmarch who gleefully smashed home past the stricken Seaton keeper from 15 yards out.
After 43 minutes a blocked visitors free-kick saw a cross come back into the United area, although a weak header from eight yards out was easy for Grant Carson to collect on the bounce. Bang on half-time Matthew Blake hammered a long-range free-kick in, following a foul on Hardman, but his shot hit the defensive wall and the keeper was able to gather it in comfortably, to leave the score at the break at 2-0 to the Cumbrians.
Straight after the interval a Vipond corner came out to Earl in the middle of the visitors 'D', but his right-foot shot was pulled wide of the far-post. Seven minutes into the second period a long Matthew Blake throw-in was only cleared straight to Stewardson, the United forward's left-footed effort on the turn from 12 yards out going straight at the Seaton glovesman. Shortly afterwards, Vipond and Earl tried a "Sheringham corner", but Earl completely missed his kick on the volley.
On 56 minutes Carson made a good save for United as he did well to tip over a left-footed curler from the middle of the Cumbrians 'D'. Sixty seconds later it was 3-0 to the Blues through a nice goal from Earl. A good ball by Hindmarch saw Hardman get to the right-hand by-line and cut the ball back for Earl, who was left with the simple task of slotting home from six yards out.
Carlisle's three goal advantage didn't last long though as it was 3-1 just sixty seconds later, a 20-yard free-kick being driven powerfully into the bottom corner of the United net. After 64 minutes the Blues made their second change of the game, with Matthew Wood coming on for Stewardson.
Sixty seconds later a Vipond short corner to Hoban saw him tee up a volley across goal, Hardman putting a cross back in from the left which was easily cleared. Shortly afterwards it was 4-1 to Carlisle via a Hindmarch hat-trick, a great Earl volleyed cross to the back-post seeing Hindmarch head back across goal and into the net on the bounce from eight yards out.
In a busy spell in the game, the Seaton keeper made a good low save at his near-post to deny Hindmarch his fourth goal, Vipond's corner in coming to nothing. Hindmarch was again in the thick of the action moments later when an initial nice piece of skill saw him volley well over the visitors crossbar from 12 yards out.
Carlisle went 5-1 up in the 70th minute when a huge goal-kick up by Carson over the top was well controlled by Hindmarch. The young striker holding the ball up intelligently before firing in a low cross beyond the keeper to the back-post for Wood to easily sidefoot home into the unguarded Monk Seaton net.
After 73 minutes a good Hindmarch ball down the right-hand channel saw Hardman cut inside the centre-half and lay the ball across to Wood on the penalty spot. Wood's shot being expertly pushed round the post for a corner by the keeper, Hardman's 12-yard shot from the Vipond flag-kick in being well blocked again by the overworked visitors keeper.
Monk Seaton made it 5-2 on 77 minutes after some good work upfront saw the pull pushed in to the centre-forward 12 yards out. Wood came roaring in to make a great saving tackle, only to seemingly blaze the ball into the top right-hand corner of his own net for what looked like a crackerjack of an own goal.
With ten minutes to go Hoban made an excellent tackle and ran on well with the ball, eventually laying it into Hardman down the left-hand channel. Hardman stuck in a good ball across the visitors goalmouth, but Earl and Hindmarch were both just unable to reach it. Two minutes later some good skill by the Seaton forward saw him coast past Terry Stewart down the left-hand channel to the by-line and cut the ball back to the penalty spot area. Alex Williams, who had come on for Carson seven minutes earlier for his first appearance at this level, made a great save with his legs though to deny the Seaton player's shot on goal.
As time ticked down to the final whistle Monk Seaton made good headway down the left-wing, the ball being pulled back for a 22-yard right-footed shot which flew high, wide and not very handsome. The last chance of the game came the way of the visitors as well in injury time, after a long diagonal ball over the top of Matthew Blake from the left found the marauding Seaton right-winger. He drove in a shot from just inside the right-angle of the United box, which was going wide of the far-post, and his team-mate was just unable to score running in from a very tight angle as he put his effort into the side-netting.
The final whistle came seconds later on what had been a very useful pre-season runout, against a team which was well organised but sometimes struggled fitness-wise against United's full-time training. The actual League season starts for the Carlisle youngsters in two weeks time when they face Stockport at home on Saturday 12th August.
United line-up :
Grant Carson (Alex Williams 75), Matthew Brown (Jonny Blake 39), Matthew Blake, Shaun Vipond, Ashley Combe, Terry Stewart, Andy Hardman, Richie Hoban, Stephen Hindmarch, James Earl, Mike Stewardson (Matthew Wood 64).
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