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Michael Bridges was left out through injury and Raphael Nade and Simon Hackney were left out after the 2-1 home victory over Rochdale. It was also Chris Billy’s final game before he sees out a one-match ban for picking up five bookings.
The Blues took to the pitch with a back five of Keiren Westwood, Paul Arnison, Peter Murphy, Danny Livesey and Kevin Gray. Lining up in midfield were Brendan McGill, Chris Billy, Chris Lumsdon and Zigor Aranalde – although the Spaniard had, up until today, looked disappointing in his unaccustomed midfield role. The omission of Bridges meant a renewal of the Derek Holmes-Karl Hawley partnership upfront that had proved so fruitful earlier in the season.
On the bench, and warming up along one of the narrowest touchlines going, were Anthony Williams, Simon Grand, Adam Murray, Glenn Murray and Simon Hackney.
The first five minutes started relatively quietly as both games settled down and the match certainly showed no signs of the sheer drama that would unfold, especially in the second-half.
In the sixth minute it was United who made the first opening foray as McGill played in Hawley down the right-hand side. Carlisle’s top scorer checked back and crossed in to the back-post where Aranalde was lurking but the ball was cleared away by Grimsby’s 24-hour old loan signing from Lincoln City, Matthew Bloomer.
Just like the Rochdale game though that early opportunity was a false dawn for the Blues as only two minutes later the home side took the lead. Aranalde gave a free-kick away for handball on the United left and ex-Leeds man Tom Newey lined up to swing the set-piece in. Westwood came racing off out to clear but only got a weak punch on the ball straight to the feet of Town midfielder Ciaran Toner who hit a spectacular first-time 30-yard half-volley straight back into the top corner, the ball taking a slight nick off Billy on it’s way in over the head of Murphy on the line.
It was another bad goal defensively for United who in the last three games have conceded three soft goals, two from set-pieces and one in open play, and improvement will probably be looked for in that area on the training ground this week.
United came back strongly and in the 12th minute Hawley, after he had been brought down, flicked a Murphy free-kick on but the 15-yard header went straight at Steve Mildenhall in the Grimsby goal.
Two minutes on and Carlisle found a quick equaliser through the unlikely source of Aranalde. A free-kick came off the head of Holmes to Hawley on the edge of the Town box who knocked the ball across to Aranalde 15 yards from goal in the left-hand channel. It fell invitingly for the Spaniard to hammer in a half-volley on his left foot which again took a tiny knick, this time off Bloomer, and flew straight across Mildenhall into the net via the far-post, a great response from the Cumbrians.
In the 17th minute ex-Sunderland striker Michael Reddy was unlucky not to receive the full 6.0 diving mark off referee Trevor Parkes from Birmingham. Running into the box past Livesey he crashed to the ground under zero contact but fortunately for United Parkes wasn’t fooled and signalled for a goal-kick, as did assistant referee Philip Bramley, although it was probably the only decision that the lamentable Bramley got right all afternoon.
Three minutes later Hawley chased down a Billy through ball but he could only he direct his effort from the left-angle low to Mildenhall’s near-post who saved easily. In the 24th minute Gray brought down Reddy 22 yards out from goal on the Carlisle left. Newey took the free-kick but curled it wide of the Blues’ near-post with his left foot although Westwood was beaten and his starting position for the set-piece was questionable.
On 27 minutes the Cumbrians made a good half-chance through some nice one-touch football. Murphy hit a long free-kick up which was played on well to Holmes via some slick passing by McGill and Hawley. Holmes tried a side-footer on his wrong boot from the edge of the Town box but sadly for the big Scot it went straight into the grateful arms of Mildenhall.
Two minutes after the half-hour and Hawley almost broke the Mariners’ woodwork with an absolute blockbuster. Picking the ball up on the left-edge of the Grimsby box he ran across the centre-half duo of Justin Whittle and Rob Jones before unleashing a 20-yard hammer that had Mildenhall beaten all ends up only to crash back off the face of the bar. Tough luck for the Blues but that crossbar would come to their rescue later in the game.
From then on though the home side had a concerted spell of pressure pretty much up to the half-time whistle. On 34 minutes Bloomer hit a deep cross in to the back-post which giant striker Rob Jones got on the end of but his header belied his height as it looped weakly into the chest of Westwood.
Sixty seconds later the hearts were in the mouths of the 614 strong travelling Blue Army as Town midfielder Paul Bolland went very close on two ocassions after Gray had again brought down Reddy on the United left. Newey hit the free-kick in which ended up at the feet of Bolland on the penalty spot. The Town man’s initial effort was blocked by Livesey but the ball bounced straight back to him, this time though he smacked his shot straight into the ground and Westwood was able to expertly tip over as the ball arced towards the top of the United net.
From the resultant corner Grimsby’s height at set-pieces once more came into play as Gary Jones took the ball on his chest with his back to goal ten yards out. He tried to volley the ball towards the net straight away on the turn but he only succeeded in slicing it high and wide to the relief of the overworked Carlisle defence.
That was pretty much it for the first-half as surprisingly the closing ten minutes of the period was played out with no chances as the game changed from a more free-flowing encounter into a battle for possession in midfield. Two minutes of injury time was played out with both sides presumably happy going down the tunnel level after a relatively even 45 minutes.
United had a great chance in the 50th minute as the second half started off at a good pace. Billy played a good ball in down the left-channel which McGill looked like he would get to before Mildenhall. The diminutive Dubliner seemed to shirk out of going into a heavy challenge with the Town goalkeeper though and the ball was scrambled clear by Whittle.
Sixty seconds later Westwood made a great save from a Bolland curler as Town hit back in an end-to-end match. The ex-Notts County man picked the ball up centrally 22 yards out from the Carlisle goal and his right-footed effort was destined for the top corner until Westwood dived across and got both hands to the ball to push it away for a corner.
After 55 minutes Murphy hurled a long throw in which was touched on by Hawley to Holmes. The Lanark-born striker got past Whittle but was unable to control the ball the way he wanted to on the bobbly surface and his half-volley was sliced wide of Mildenhall’s near-post.
Six minutes on and the Blues again combined well as they worked their way down the pitch. McGill and Lumsdon linked up nicely to set Holmes away on the left but his low cross in was hoofed away into the distance by Town defender Rob Jones.
The game was really getting going as both sides looked to take the lead. In the 63rd minute Newey got away down the left and his cross went straight to the head of Bolland but he could only send his 15-yard header flying wide of the Carlisle goal. Shortly afterwards the impressive Bolland was again in the thick of the action but Westwood was able to hold on to his weak, bobbly effort low down at his far-post.
In the 66th minute Mariners boss Russell Slade brought on Terry Barwick and Martin Gritton for Gary Jones and Chris Cohen as the Town coaching staff looked to introduce some fresh legs following their fourth game in eight days over the festive period.
Two minutes later Hawley was put into a good position in the right-edge of the box after a McGill touch from an Arnison throw-in but he snatched at his shot and it sailed into the bank of Blues fans behind Mildenhall’s goal. Straight from there the Mariners were on the attack when a Newey corner was only part-cleared by Aranalde to one-time Tranmere man Andy Parkinson but his half-volley from the edge of the area was safely held by Westwood.
Chances were coming thick and fast now for both sides and shortly afterwards Bolland was booked by the official as he gave away a free-kick for a foul on Lumsdon. Murphy swung the set-piece in which Hawley got a header on under pressure from Whittle but it bounced straight into Mildenhall’s midriff.
In the 71st minute Reddy was the next the player to go into Trevor Parkes’ notebook as he received a yellow card for handball. Strictly speaking he should have been sent off at that point as a booking should have been given to the Town striker for his disgraceful dive in the first-half. It was the only thing the referee got wrong all afternoon but in fairness it would have made life a lot easier for United if Reddy had been justifiably sent off.
After 74 minutes Glenn Murray came on in a direct swap for Derek Holmes as the big Scot was beginning to tire upfront on the heavy pitch, Glenn Murray worked hard worked when he came on and it was one of his better performances in a Carlisle shirt.
For the final fifteen minutes the action was absolutely non-stop as United found a goal and had their skipper sent off, while Town missed a penalty and a host of good chances.
In the 76th minute came the goal for the Blues that would turn out to be the matchwinner as Aranalde bagged the first brace of his career. Murphy hit the ball into the Grimsby box where the Mariners defenders had dropped much too deep allowing the Blues to flood the area. Glenn Murray and Lumsdon seemed to get in each others way as the ball dropped from the head of Rob Jones and it eventually came off to Murray to McGill on the right by-line. Carlisle’s right-winger chipped a sweet cross in to the back-post where Aranalde was stationed six yards out to head down and into the bottom corner of the net despite the best efforts of Bloomer to clear.
The Blue Army went understandably wild after that goal but just two minutes later the cheers got stuck in their throats as the Cumbrians conceded a penalty and Gray was sent-off. Under heavy Town pressure the ball eventually found it’s way in from a Bloomer cross to Rob Jones who headed across goal under a challenge from Livesey. Parkinson then headed back across to the far-post, where Reddy was waiting and poised to head goalwards. Westwood had come out a little for the earlier ball and it looked like Reddy would be able to get a clear header in on goal from close range. Gray, coming across to challenge, sacrificed himself for the cause though by blocking the ball with his arm, the inevitable sending-off and spot-kick following on from his intervention.
With regular penalty taker, and Scrabble jackpot, Jean-Paul Kamudimba Kalala on the bench, left-back Newey stepped up to take the spot-kick. He went for total power as Westwood dived to his left but the effort was too well struck as it hit the underside of the bar at light speed and bounced back out a yard or so from the line. Bolland was the first player on to the rebound but under pressure from Arnison his header looped wide of the Carlisle goal. It was Town’s first penalty miss of the season, but it wasn’t to be their last chance of grabbing an equaliser by a long way.
The sending off for Gray will cost the United captain just a one game suspension according to the Football Association website and that means he will miss the Bury game at home this coming Saturday.
Tom Newey's penalty hits the bar - picture courtesy of Adam Sheridan
With United now down to men and missing a centre-half Grand immediately came on in there to replace McGill with Hawley dropping into midfield and Glenn Murray now playing as the lone striker. The last ten minutes ended up like Zulu as Grimsby threw everything they had at the Blues but a combination of good defending, the woodwork and some poor finishing meant Carlisle hung on for a precious three points.
In the 81st minute ex-Torquay man Gritton spurned another great opportunity to grab an equaliser for the home side. Parkinson got past Murphy down the Carlisle left and crossed in deep to the back-post, over the head of Arnison and straight to Gritton. The substitute got a poor header in however from only six yards as he nodded the ball against outside of the post and out for a goal-kick.
With six minutes to go Reddy went off, seemingly hobbling, to be replaced by young winger Nick Hegarty. The Cumbrians were really clinging on now and in the 86th minute Newey put a corner in for Rob Jones to get a header on from eight yards out. The Town man got underneath it though and the ball took a flick off the top of the crossbar on it’s way over.
Shortly afterwards a goalmouth scramble from another deep ball in saw Westwood fumble a Bolland drive from the edge of the box, the United keeper managing to dive on the ball at the second attempt. Gritton seemed to his leave his foot in a bit as he went for the loose ball which resulted in some handbags between the two teams but none of the players were carded as referee Parkes quickly broke up the melee.
The ball was never out of the Cumbrians half now and two minutes before the end Bloomer hurled a long throw into the Carlisle box. Hegarty tried a cracking first-time effort on goal with the inside of his right-foot as he touched the ball on towards the United net but the Blues were again saved by the bar, with Westwood beaten, as the ball bounced off the bar and out for another Carlisle goal-kick.
In the last minute Rob Jones tried a rasping drive from the edge of the United box but about three United players flung themselves at the ball to block the goalbound effort, the ball eventually seeming to fly away to safety off Livesey.
Adam Murray then came on for Hawley as the Blues looked to run down the clock but this was where trying to keep track of the amount of injury time allotted became difficult.
We were in the 47th minute of the half and wondering what had happened to the fourth official when the board went up to reveal two minutes of time to be added on. At the time it felt like we had got away with murder at only two minutes injury time but on reflection it was obviously a correct four minutes with the board going up two minutes late – most confusing.
Those two minutes soon passed however when even more confusingly the official blew the final whistle after what was only just over a minute of the two played. It was justice for Carlisle though when the three points were made certain after the way they had scrapped for everything over the course of the 93 and a bit minutes, a fantastic effort against a promotion rival.
Post-match quotes :
Grimsby boss Russell Slade put on a brave face after his side's 1-2 home defeat against Carlisle, saying :