Peter Keen dropped out of the side because his grandfather was taken ill. It meant a rapid return for Matty Glennon who had been dropped for the midweek home defeat to Scunthorpe. Paul Simpson started with three central defenders, bringing back Darren Kelly to partner Lee Andrews and Steve Livingstone. The occasion was United's first trip to the Alfred McAlpine Stadium, opened in 1994. The last league meeting of the two teams had been in March 1986 when Carlisle won an old Second Division match 2-0 at Brunton Park. Ex-United man Tony Carss hit the post with a shot in the 3rd minute and then Glennon made a great follow-up save from Jonathan Stead. He then saved again from Andy Booth as the Cumbrians somehow survived. Huddersfield attacked with menace again soon after and Jon Worthington fired wide. A deflected shot brought another save from Glennon as Carlisle's goal again came under pressure. Chris Billy, against one of his old sides, was getting through a load of work. Left back Shaun Smith fed Richie Foran with a free kick and the Irishman tried his luck from over 30 yards. The shot was blocked to earn United a throw-in. An Eftobore Sodje back pass almost caused grief for keeper Ian Gray, who had to head out from under his own bar. Then from a corner Craig Farrell fired across goal and narrowly wide. Carss dipped a free kick over the wall and narrowly wide of the near post. Stead tried his luck from another dead ball situation after 32 minutes but Glennon was again equal to the task, turning the ball aside for a corner. Yates then set up Sodje who brought another top save out of the United custodian with a downward header. All the home pressure paid off in 36 minutes when Andy Booth took advantage of a loose pass to turn and drive home the opening goal into the top corner. A back pass to the goalkeeper five minutes from half-time enabled Carlisle to get a free-kick inside the penalty area. Billy fed Kelly but the centre half's shot smashed into the wall and the danger passed. Another free kick against United near to the interval brought dissent from Billy and a yellow. The ball bounced off the bar as Carlisle almost paid a heavy price for the ball being marched forward. Glennon tipped over a header from the resulting corner kick. On the stroke of half-time, Stead gave the home side breathing space with a twist and shot beyond Glennon into the right hand corner. The half-time whistle followed immediately afterwards. A fracas in the tunnel at the break, unseen by the majority of fans, brought two red cards, one for Foran and one for Steve Yates of the home side. Neither man emerged for the second half which must have brought puzzlement for supporters with no announcement over the PA. The feeling of ill-will continued into the second half as Town's Lee Fowler thundered into Brendan McGill to receive a booking. Farrell was left isolated up front and United had little chance to build up any pressure. Paul Simpson decided enough was enough an hour in and sacrificed McGill for Brian Wake. Wake's first major contribution was to run through and get in a shot on target. It was one of United's few attempts to that point. Huddersfield looked subdued but Stead did get into space on 69 minutes only to curl his shot narrowly wide of the far post. Sure enough United's renewed spirit brought them reward. A corner came over and Kelly claimed the final touch from barely two yards out. Sixteen minutes remained and there was suddenly renewed hope. Carlisle surged forward again and Smith crossed for Farrell to head over. The last throw of the dice for United was young Michael Jack entering the fray for a limping Kelly. Smith's corner was flicked on by McDonagh and Farrell struck the cross-bar with a volley. Then Billy drilled in a shot that Gray saved, the ball going away for another corner. Stead tried to stem the tide but shot straight at Glennon. United came again and an Andrews cross fell invitingly to Smith who rammed the bar from six yards when it looked easier to score. Al's verdict: A game of two halves. The unsavoury incident in the tunnel at half-time seemed to change the whole balance of this match. The opening half was one-way traffic, with Glennon outstanding and keeping the score down to respectable limits. Once they were down to ten men, Town seemed to have settled for 2-0 and we slowly but surely battled our way back. The Kelly goal brought real belief and the closing minutes were all Carlisle. Smith's miss though, will go down alongside those chances missed at Kidderminster and against Orient as vital. A point could have been taken, but it's the same old story. Still deep in trouble. |
