The game wasn't the greatest but the Blues have often performed well in the league this season only to come away with nothing so a win today was much deserved. Striker Pete Ferris opened the scoring in the game for Carlisle when he raced clear on the end of a good ball forward, outstripping the Latics centre-half for pace, and then coolly slotting home under the body of the advancing Wigan keeper from eight yards out.
United were having the better of the first-half and deservedly went into the interval holding that 1-0 lead. The margin could have been bettered for the Cumbrians though when Andy Hardman, playing upfront with Ferris, drove a shot in from the left-hand channel which he was unlucky to see fly across the face of goal and past the far-post for a Latics goal-kick.
The home side, understandably, came roaring out after the break and equalised when a shot from their left-back deflected off Blues skipper Dan Kirkup and ran loose in front of goal. Unfortunately for United it was a Wigan player who was on-hand first to knock the ball home from close range to bring the score back level once more at a goal apiece.
Wigan began to boss the game now as they looked to take the lead but Carlisle defended well and often looked dangerous on the counter-attack. Infact it was from one of those rare United breaks that they took what would prove to be the winning lead in the game. Ferris once more used his speed to break away down the right and he crossed in low for Hardman who had to managed to get in behind the last defender to slot the ball home under the despairing dive of the Wigan keeper.
The Latics huffed and puffed in the last fifteen minutes as they looked for an equaliser but the Blues youngsters worked well as a unit to defend their lead and claim a good win on the road. That makes it only one defeat in the last seven games now for the United lads who are beginning to show a bit more consistency as a team after a poor start to the campaign.
United line-up :
Adam Bradley, Ashley Combe, Matthew Blake, Dan Kirkup, Dan Wordsworth, James Earl (Mike Stewardson 65), Shaun Vipond, Gary Baker, Richie Hoban (Martin Graham 70, Andy Hardman, Pete Ferris.
Results in the division this week :
Tuesday - Wigan 0-1 Stockport
Wednesday - Chester 2-4 Oldham
Friday - Wigan 1-2 Carlisle
Saturday :
Blackpool P-P Preston
Bury P-P Wrexham
Chester P-P Walsall
Oldham 4-1 Burnley
Port Vale 2-2 Shrewsbury
Rochdale 4-2 Stockport
Tranmere 1-1 Macclesfield
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