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United lined up in a new 4-5-1 formation with Peter Murphy, Simon Hackney, Jamie McClen, Adam Murray and Raphael Nade across the middle with Glenn Murray employed as a lone striker. Zigor Aranalde, Danny Livesey, Simon Grand and Lee Andrews made up the back four with Keiren Westwood in goal.
Burnley started brightly in this Carling Cup first round tie at Turf Moor and quickly pegged back a United side who were adjusting to their new formation. It was the Blues though who created the first chance of the night in the 7th minute as Glenn Murray headed over from a far-post Adam Murray cross.
United’s pressure continued as Simon Hackney, who was eventually replaced with a calf injury, made some excellent runs down the left, the ex-Woodley Sports winger was impressive all evening for the Blues with his searing pace.
Burnley came back into the game in the 18th minute with a James O’Connor shot from the edge of the box that was deflected over his own bar by Danny Livesey. Another good chance came for the Clarets two minutes later as Ade Akinbiyi glanced a near-post header narrowly wide of Westwood’s goal.
In the 23rd minute Raphael Nade blazed high and wide with a left-foot half-volley from Adam Murray’s excellent through ball. Two minutes later Peter Murphy curled a left-foot effort wide after picking the ball up on the edge of the Burnley box.
The game started to quieten down over the next 15 minutes as both midfields battled for possession although Burnley had the better of it with some crisp passing in midfield while United struggled to keep hold of the ball in the final third.
The Clarets turned the screw at the end of the first half with some good chances. Firstly on 43 minutes Gifton Noel-Williams curled a shot over after Nade had given the ball away for United. In the last minute of the period United had two more scares as Akinbiyi headed a Michael Duff cross into the side netting and Chris McCann drilled a 25 yard rasper onto the underside of the bar, fortunately for United Akinbiyi could only head the rebound into the grateful arms of Westwood.
United, roared on throughout by a very healthy travelling contingent, needed to come out strong after the break and improve their forward play but it was Burnley who made the breakthrough in the 52nd minute.
Sponsors man-of-the-match Michael Duff hit a low cross from the right by-line which was deflected into his own goal by United centre-half Livesey to put the home side 1-0 up.
The Blues came back into the game after the disappointment of conceding and whilst possession was often squandered by Glenn Murray and Nade in forward areas of the pitch United still managed to carve out a good chance in the 60th minute. The ever-dangerous Hackney hit an excellent far-post cross in from the left-wing but Nade was only able to send his diving header wide of Danny Coyne’s goal.
James O’Connor hit a shot over the edge of the area for Burnley in the 67th minute but the game was mainly back to two strong midfields battling for the ball.
United fans were booing in the 69th minute as they were baffled by the substitution of Brendan McGill coming on for Hackney, although player-boss Paul Simpson later explained that Hackney had been taken off with a calf injury. Their jeers turned to cheers though five minutes later as Adam Murray equalised for the Blues.
Carlisle were awarded a free-kick on the right-hand edge of the box by referee Scott Mathieson. Murphy stepped up to take the set-piece and his curling left-foot effort looked to be heading for the top corner until it was parried up in the air by Burnley keeper Coyne. The ball fell down perfectly though for Adam Murray who buried his close-range header into the net to level the match and send the Blue Army into raptures.
The pace of the match seemed to fade in the last 15 minutes as both sides tired and the tie looked to be heading for extra-time, although the intervention of Burnley striker Akinbiyi was soon to change that.
As the clock ticked into the 90th minute Kyle Lafferty sent a ball from the right into the United box which was controlled by Akinbiyi who, despite the close attentions of three United defenders, was allowed time to turn and drive home a low shot into the bottom corner with his left-foot to break the hearts of the travelling Carlisle fans. It was a poor goal defensively for United who allowed a lapse of concentration at the back to cost them the game and give Burnley a 2-1 victory.
Simmo’s 4-5-1 formation seemed to work well and with a stronger striker toiling on his own upfront it could well be a tactic that is used a lot in the future. Simon Hackney and Jamie McClen were both impressive for the Blues in midfield and will be keen to retain their places in the team for the visit of Northampton to Brunton Park on Saturday.
Burnley :
Danny Coyne, Michael Duff (Kyle Lafferty 75), John McGreal, Wayne Thomas, Graham Branch, Garreth O’Connor, Micah Hyde, James O’Connor, Chris McCann, Gifton Noel-Williams, Ade Akinbiyi.
Subs not used : Mark Crossley (GK)(no not that one – this one is a youth-teamer), Marc Pugh, Martin Reilly, Mark Yates.
Carlisle : Keiren Westwood, Lee Andrews, Danny Livesey, Simon Grand, Zigor Aranalde, Simon Hackney (Brendan McGill 69), Glenn Murray (Karl Hawley 69), Jamie McClen, Peter Murphy, Raphael Nade, Adam Murray.
Subs not used : Anthony Williams (GK), Chris Billy, Derek Holmes.
Scorers : Burnley - Michael Duff 52, Ade Akinbiyi 90. United - Adam Murray 74.
Attendance : 5114.