United player-manager Paul Simpson kept faith with ten of the starting line-up that had hammered Stockport County 6-0 at Brunton Park the previous Saturday. The only change being Danny Livesey coming in at centre-back to replace Simon Grand with Peter Murphy switching to the left-back spot.
That meant a back five of Keiren Westwood, Paul Arnison, Danny Livesey, Kevin Gray and Peter Murphy. Simon Hackney, Raphael Nade, Chris Billy and Chris Lumsdon made up the midfield while Derek Holmes again partnered Karl Hawley upfront.
Carlisle came into this FA Cup first round tie on the back of a four game unbeaten run while Cheltenham had lost at home to lowly Mansfield town just seven days earlier.
However, the form book was turned on its head as Cheltenham produced a tenacious performance and a goal from Northern Ireland international Grant McCann that was enough to win the game.
McCann had been an injury doubt right until the eve of the game but he was back to his best and collected the man-of-the-match award.
It was the Blues who almost made the perfect start though when after just 30 seconds Hackney played in Holmes on the edge of the box but the big Scot saw his shot on the turn pushed away by Cheltenham keeper Shane Higgs.
After four minutes the Robins had their opening chance on goal when Arnison gave the ball away to Brian Wilson whose attempted lob from 30 yards out went just over Westwood’s bar.
Just two minutes later the home side were to go even closer. McCann swung in a good corner from the left which found it’s way to Jamie Victory but his header was cleared off the line by Murphy. The ball eventually rebounded back out to Shane Duff but his low drive was well held by Westwood.
Simon Hackney had two efforts on the home goal around the ten minute mark but the young winger couldn’t find the net with either effort. Firstly Hackney played a one-two with Holmes and hit a shot which was blocked by Cheltenham centre-half Gavin Caines and then shortly after he had another drive form a Hawley lay-off saved low down by Higgs.
On 16 minutes Kayode Odejayi went close for the Robins as he side-footed a Victory cross inches past the United near-post as both sides started to hold on to possession a bit more following a pacey opening to the game.
Eight minutes later Kevin Gray headed just wide for the Blues from a Lumsdon corner after he had climbed all over his own centre-half partner Livesey to gain a good position at the back-post.
Shortly afterwards Hawley blasted his effort straight into the arms of Higgs after Hackney and Hawley himself had combined well down the left-hand side for the Cumbrians.
Bang on the half-hour mark it was the home side who were again threatening as ex-Hereford striker Steve Guinan fed in Wilson but the midfield man curled his effort from the edge of the box marginally wide of Westwood’s goal.
On 42 minutes the hearts were in the mouths of the 395 travelling United fans as the Robins went close to registering the opening goal of the game on two occassions. JJ Melligan, who was a constant thorn in Carlisle’s side all afternoon, stood a good ball up to the back-post which McCann was inches away from connecting with as he rushed in on goal.
Then just sixty seconds later the home side were to hear the sound of the ball pinging off the woodwork. Guinan played a lovely pass down the channel for Wilson to run onto but the ex-Stoke City schemer held his head in his hands as his powerful drive flew behind off the outside of the United post.
So the sides went in level at half-time with the home side having the best of the play down the flanks as Hackney and Nade both struggled to make an impression on the game for the Cumbrians in which they had the advantage of a gusty wind in the opening period.
The home side came out fired up after the break and Odejayi had the first chance of the half but he could only shoot weakly straight at Westwood from just outside the United box following a part clearance by Livesey.
On 54 minutes Carlisle skipper Gray did well to snuff out a Cheltenham attack as he nicked the ball off the toes of Victory just as the Robins' left-back was about to pull the trigger.
United slowly crept back onto the game though and almost stole the lead three minutes later. Hawley and Hackney again worked well together in the left-hand channel and the ex-Woodley Sports winger crossed a sweet ball into the Cheltenham box. Holmes rose well 12 yards out to thump a header on target but Higgs showed his agility to tip the ball away over his own crossbar.
With an hour of the game gone Guinan went close as he got on the end of a Melligan cross but he could only mis-time his volley tamely into the clutches of Westwood.
Four minutes later the Robins finally took the lead from a goal United player-manager Paul Simpson will have been very disappointed to concede. Caines crossed a deep ball into the Carlisle box which Odejayi headed straight up in the air. Wilson managed to get a head on the loose ball and put it back into the danger area and as the ball dropped the Blues defence stood and watched as McCann ran in to hit a low shot which looked like it took a flick off Livesey before nestling in the back of the United net to put the Robins one goal to the good.
It was the first goal the home side had scored in over 300 minutes of football at Whaddon Road and the relief was evident amongst 2000 of the 2405 supporters in attendance.
The United management team brought on Brendan McGill three minutes later, who was returning from injury, for the ineffectual Nade as the Blues looked to find a way back into the tie. It was a tough task for United though as they struggled to get above second gear throughout and find a way through a resolute Cheltenham rearguard.
On 74 minutes Billy tried his luck for the Cumbrians with a well-hit pot-shot from 20 yards out but the ball was always drifting wide of Higgs' far-post.
Just two minutes later Glenn Murray entered the fray for the tiring Hackney as United went to three upfront in a desperate effort to bag an equaliser and a replay at Brunton Park.
It was the home side though who were again having the balance of play as after 79 minutes the ever-dangerous McCann ran forward and hit a cracking 25-yard strike which flew just wide of Westwood's post with the United keeper looking well beaten.
On 84 minutes United nearly got their leveller when Holmes scored with a similiar effort to his second goal against Stockport seven days ago. Murphy hit a good ball in for Glenn Murray to nod towards the Scot but this time Holmes could only blaze his volley narrowly over the Cheltenham bar.
Simon Grand took the place of Holmes two minutes later and the ex-Rochdale centre-half went straight into Holmes' striking role as Carlisle looked to push everyone forwards to claim the all important equaliser.
In the 89th minute Robins substitute Dave Bird made use of the now plentiful space in the Cumbrians back-line as he went past Murphy but the Gloucester-born midfielder wasted his own good work by firing well wide of the United goal.
The Blues finally thought they had nicked a replay as time expired but Hawley's effort was ruled out for offside after a bout of head tennis. Billy swung a ball in from the right-wing which was flicked on by Grand to the back-post where Livesey was lurking. The ex-Bolton centre-half headed back across goal to Glenn Murray who nodded the ball on into the path of Hawley. Carlisle's top scorer turned and smashed his shot home into the roof of the net in one motion but the flag was raised to cut short the Blue Army's celebrations and leave United on the end of another First Round exit from the FA Cup.
So a disappointing day for Carlisle after the fantastic 6-0 win over Stockport in the League last Saturday. United still struggle to put two good performances together but the opportunity is definitely there to get back quickly to winning ways with a visit to Devon and bottom of the table Torquay in seven days time.
Post-match quotes :
Cheltenham boss John Ward said:
"I am delighted with the spirit of my team but I have never doubted it's been there. We've only lost a couple of games on the trot and we've just said "let's get on with it."
"It's a big win for us because it re-instates the confidence we have in the club and more importantly it re-instates a bit of confidence in the supporters. They haven't seen how hard we have worked over the last couple of weeks but I thought they were terrific. We've competed well on and off the pitch with Carlisle and I'd like to thank the supporters for doing that today."
Carlisle player-manager Paul Simpson said:
"This was always going to be a difficult game but I thought we had the better chances in the first half and deserved something out of it. Their goal came from a long ball into our box that we didn't deal with and that was really the only difference between the two teams.
"I can't fault the way the players played today. They worked their socks off but we couldn't quite get that quality in around the front players. It's very rare you have a goal disallowed when there are so many players in the box but there is no point in moaning about it. We will go to Torquay next week and look to start off on another run now."