With Blackpool losing 2-0 at home to Wrexham and Macclesfield going down 2-1 at Wigan, United are now five points off second with a ridiculous four games in hand, the Seasiders and the Silkmen fortunate enough to only have one match left to play in their season.
Walsall are nine points ahead of Carlisle after losing 4-1 at Burnley, the bottom line being that if the Saddlers win their last two games then United need to win all their remaining five fixtures to have a chance of taking the title on goal difference. Although with Wigan at home and now Morecambe away still to rearrange in the last two and a half weeks that looks an extremely tough task.
Struggling Port Vale played twice this week, losing 3-0 at Preston and winning 2-1 at home to Tranmere, while Burnley's euphoria at thumping table-topping Walsall didn't last long when they lost 2-1 at home to Oldham at the weekend. The only other game on this week saw Morecambe actually manage to play a home fixture when they lost 2-0 against Rochdale on Monday.
Carlisle's next chance to play a game comes this weekend when they face Tranmere on Saturday morning at the Sheepmount in an 11am kick-off. Centre-half Dan Wordsworth is out as he serves an utterly farcical nine game suspension that has ended his season, but right-back Matthew Brown is available again after recovering from a knee injury while midfielder Matthew Wood should make his return from a nasty ankle injury.
Results in the division last week, Saturday morning unless stated:
Burnley 4-1 Walsall (Mon)
Morecambe 0-2 Rochdale (Mon)
Preston North End 3-0 Port Vale (Tue)
Wigan 2-1 Macclesfield (Fri)
Accrington Stanley P-P Preston North End
Blackpool 0-2 Wrexham
Burnley 1-2 Oldham
Morecambe P-P Carlisle United
Port Vale 2-1 Tranmere
Rochdale P-P Chester
Fixtures in the division this week, Saturday morning unless stated :
Accrington Stanley v Shrewsbury (Mon)
Blackpool v Port Vale
Burnley v Shrewsbury
Bury v Stockport
Carlisle United v Tranmere
Morecambe v Walsall
Oldham v Wigan
Preston North End v Wrexham
Rochdale v Chester
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