After losing top spot in the division last weekend to Preston after going down 2-0 at North End it was back to Creighton on Saturday as the lads looked to find some good form again after two defeats in their last three matches. The prospect of that not helped before kick-off by the news that top scorer Alex Salmon was out with an ankle injury, while Danny Dixon was sidelined with a neck problem.
That meaning that Danny Hodgson (pictured), who played one or two games last season as under-16, was drafted in and made his first appearance this year with him in the Blues squad for the current campaign on non-contract terms. The Cumbrians though having the first chance of the game on three minutes down the slight slope as Kyle Dempsey and Pat Brough were involved in setting up Connor Thomson for a 12-yard shot from a tight angle on the right that was gathered in by Shrimps goalkeeper Jack Cookson.
Sixty seconds later however and it was Morecambe taking the lead in their first attack, Lewis Finney playing in Tom Woods down the right-hand channel for a well placed shot across Jordan Parker from 15 yards out and into the far corner of the United net. Parker then making what would turn out to be a very important save with seven minutes gone when he did well away to his right to push away another Woods drive, this time after he had been set up by Alex Naylor.
2-0 then and it could all have ended up so different, but in a hectic start to the match it was actually 1-1 with 13 minutes on the clock. Brandon Gwinnutt's cross in from the right breaking to Pat Brough eight yards out at the far-post, with Brough from there crashing a half-volley high into the roof of the Morecambe net. From 1-0 up the Shrimps then found themselves 2-1 down just two minutes later when Jack Lynch got himself on the scoresheet.
This time it was Dempsey's low ball in from the right flank, with Lynch the Blue now lurking at the back-stick to slide a nice 12-yard side-footer back across Cookson and accurately just inside the woodwork. You could almost see the visitors visibly deflate now and shortly afterwards they were almost 3-1 down when a bad back pass by Kyle Lewis set United's Thomson in on goal, Thomson though seeing his shot from just inside the box well blocked away by the legs of Cookson.
3-1 via the right boot of Thomson (pictured) did come though and it was in the 27th minute from a Hodgson ball in from the right, with Thomson running in at the back-post to finish from close range, although it wasn't the cleanest of contacts as the ball was scuffed home a little. Just three minutes later and it was 4-1 with yet another cross in from the right, this time from Lynch which found Hodgson heading firmly into the net beyond Cookson from ten yards out.
Hodgson then turned provider after 36 minutes when he sent Thomson away into the left of the box, Thomson then seeing his 15-yard drive parried behind by Cookson before Brad Staunch headed wide of the far-post from the middle of the box from Tom Berwick's resultant corner in. Lynch then this time playing Thomson through the middle only for the Cumbrians midfielder to fire narrowly over the top from just inside the Morecambe 'D'.
Five minutes before the break and it was Thomson playing in Hodgson for United with Hodgson finding himself one on one with Cookson, then slightly rounding him before somehow pushing his shot wide of an open goal from 15 yards out. Morecambe then having the last two chances of the half in a slight respite for themselves as following a 44th minute Brough foul and booking for a heavy challenge on Woods, Finney slammed the 30-yard free-kick well over the top, then almost on the whistle Naylor pulled a shot from distance well wide of the target.
During the interval and Morecambe boss Richard Danson took off left-back Michael Newton with all four Carlisle goals coming down that side, Luke Selby then coming on at centre-half as Matthew Knipe was pushed out wide from his initial central position. No doubt after a flea in the ear as well it was the Shrimps who had the opening chance of the second-half three minutes in when Ed Gate, eight yards out from a Chris Suthers cross in headed wide of Parker's right-hand upright.
Carlisle then responded shortly afterwards as Lynch fed skipper Berwick for a shot from distance which disappeared away over the top, then Gwinnutt (pictured) and Hodgson worked a neat-two only for Gwinnutt to drag his 57th minute 22-yarder across goal and well past the Morecambe right-hand post. Gwinnutt did find the net sixty seconds later though following an Aaron McGowan foul on Brough down the left, Lynch then curling the free-kick in for Gwinnutt to head home from almost on the Shrimps goal-line.
Gwinnutt then, who had been suffering with a knee injury coming into the game, being replaced at right-back by Evan McEvoy moments later. Yet another Carlisle chance then came after 61 minutes when a Dale Minor cross in was teed up on the edge of the box by Lynch, his resultant volley on his left foot going a little softly into the gloves of Cookson though. United boss Eric Kinder then making his second substitution of the game in the 72nd minute when Jamie Clarey replaced Brough.
Clarey was quickly into the action as he made it 6-1 just sixty seconds later. McEvoy's cross in from the right seeing Dempsey put in an excellent 15-yard overhead kick which a diving Cookson could only parry away to his left, with Clarey then able to slide the ball home from close range. Dempsey then going close again after 75 minutes when, from ten yards out, he headed Minor's cross in from the left narrowly over Cookson's crossbar.
Sadly for Clarey his goal was as good as it got for him as he eventually hobbled back to the changing room on crutches with a problematic looking leg injury, with his place along the frontline being taken by Greg Peel. With United now cruising a little too much Morecambe came back into it a bit in the closing stages and shortly after Clarey's substitution a Suthers cross in on the break found Naylor for a 15-yard drive that was easily held by Parker.
What would turn out to be Carlisle's last shot on goal then came and went in the 82nd minute when Berwick thumped a 30-yarder well over the top. The visitors then making a second change in personnel six minutes from time, although your guess is as good as mine as to who it was as they had no number 16 on the teamsheet but it was a number 16 shirt that entered the fray for Suthers, we'll have it down as Dan Dunleavey for now.
With 87 minutes on the clock Parker (pictured) fumbled a Woods corner over the top, with our unknown soldier 16 then playing the resultant corner short to Naylor for a wasted 12-yard shot into the side-netting at the Carlisle near-post. Parker then making a cracking save to close out the game shortly afterwards when he dived full stretch to push away a Woods 20-yard drive across goal after the Morecambe man had been played through by Shrimps skipper Kieran Sloan.
So, a good return to form for the Cumbrians against a visiting side who quickly caved once in Carlisle got their early equaliser. The margin of victory, coupled with Preston defeating Bury only 3-2 at home, means United are now back on the top of the table on goal difference, but I'd be very pleasantly surprised if that was the case come the Christmas break with four of Carlisle's five games before then being on the road, starting with a tough trip to Burnley next Saturday morning.
United line-up:
Jordan Parker, Brandon Gwinnutt (Evan McEvoy 60), Dale Minor, Brad Staunch, Dillon Morse, Kyle Dempsey, Tom Berwick (c), Connor Thomson, Jack Lynch, Danny Hodgson, Pat Brough (Jamie Clarey 62 (Greg Peel 78)).
Unused substitutes:
Lewis Brass (GK) and Jake Chisholm.
Morecambe line-up:
Jack Cookson, Aaron McGowan, Michael Newton (Luke Selby 46), Kyle Lewis, Matthew Knipe, Kieran Sloan (c), Chris Suthers (Dan Dunleavey 84), Lewis Finney, Tom Woods, Alex Naylor, Ed Gate.
Unused substitutes:
Sean Johnson (GK) and Simon Wearing.
Referee - S Taylor.
Assistants - D Lucker and D Sellers.
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