United ran out in black tops, the youth team kit of Bury due to what was thought to be a mix-up over colours. Richie Foran played his last game before starting a two-match ban. United fielded the same starting line-up as played at the Millennium Stadium last week. Bury forced a free kick after 3 minutes which saw Glennon push a dangerous looking cross away for a corner. Stuart Green went very close for United after 11 minutes before Glennon made a good save when George Clegg got in a header. With some scrappy football, neither team were taking charge but Dave Nugent fired well wide after 25 minutes after shrugging off Darren Kelly. Shelley was booked for a late challenge on 28 minutes as Bury got another free kick in a dangerous position. Danny Swailes missed a glorious chance as he spooned over the bar from an unmarked far-post position. Carlisle continued to give away needless free kicks as Chris Billy was clattered by Mark Summerbell. The home team made the breakthrough on 34 minutes as Nugent got on the end of a flick on by Cramb to head home low past Glennon. The goal was the penalty Carlisle paid for some ill-disciplined play. Foran collected a Green pass and crossed for Paul Raven to fire over with his left foot, a rare chance created by United. A good run into the box by Shelley helped force a corner. Raven got a header in but Bury cleared their lines. United came so close to equalising when Green's free kick was met by Kelly and the ball came back off the underside of the bar. United appealed for handball as a scramble saw the ball go out for a corner. Almost immediately the referee's whistle signalled half-time. Roddy Collins made an early change in the second half, bringing on Brian Wake for Craig Farrell. Murphy swung in a corner that Wake got to first with his head but the ball went wide. Brendan McGill then came on to give the Cumbrians a bit more width, replacing McCarthy. Bury made a quick break after a poor piece of play by Foran and Cramb volleyed narrowly wide. Chris Billy then played in a telling ball that Rundle did well to hook out for a corner. Clegg's kick was well claimed by Glennon. With 14 minutes to go Green was hauled off to be replaced by Will McDonagh. Andy Preece the Bury player-manager came on and within two minutes Kelly denied him with a timely tackle as the boss was preparing to shoot. Foran then turned the game on its head with a superb left foot volley past Garner to level things up. Foran then chested down for McDonagh but his shot was poor and wide of the target. United looked the stronger side at the end as they claimed a valuable point. Al's verdict: Not our best display of the season but thanks in no small part to a fine strike by Foran, we claimed a valuable point. With other results going in our favour, victory at home to York on Tuesday night will give us breathing space. We didn't really play for an hour, but got our act together after McDonagh came on as substitute. Foran had been having a poor game but in the last 20 minutes or so he really was the target man for all the balls into the box and was a colossus. Unfortunately it was another disappointing display by Green who is failing to live up to his billing at the moment. |
