Despite having more than half of the attendance of 4,775, with United fans filling an entire stand at Spotland, the Cumbrians were consistently second best on the day. However their cause wasn't helped by a controversial sending off of keeper Matty Glennon in the first half. United gave a debut to midweek signing Mark Boyd, whilst 'Dale unveiled the massively experienced Neil Redfearn in the No.38 shirt, appropriate enough for a man aged 38. It was Redfearn who made the more significant impact on the game. His influence was felt only two minutes in when he cynically fouled Craig Farrell near the touchline and was booked. Later it was Redfearn who went sprawling theatrically to earn Boyd a yellow card. Although United had plenty of the early possession, they never used it cleverly enough. They did have a sniff though when Peter Duffield brought a stop out of 'Dale keeper Neil Edwards. As the ball spilled from Edwards grasp, Farrell followed up, but hampered by his own team-mate Duffield, he failed to trouble Edwards who saved again. The home side had come close when a deep cross found Grant Holt lurking at the far post but he couldn't turn the ball home. On 31 minutes though, the game swung dramatically in the home team's favour. A through ball found Holt looking suspiciously offside. The flag stayed down and Holt, a former United trainee and a trialist at Brunton Park last season, charged through on Glennon. The burly stopper brought Holt down inside the box. The result was a penalty for the Dale and an inevitable red card for Glennon. On came Peter Keen to replace Glennon with Duffield sacrificed. Gary Jones stepped up and despatched the spot kick into the bottom left hand corner past Keen. With United a man short, they were going to leave gaps at the back as they chased the game. However Carlisle's attacks lacked the necessary penetration. Brendan McGill had a busy first half but his final cross consistently let him down. When crosses did come over to the far post, there was no-one on hand to convert the chance. The second half saw a lot more from the Cumbrians but off-form Andy Preece and Farrell failed to get much change out of the home defenders. Farrell did manage a long-range effort on target but he was too far out to make Edwards work too hard. The game was effectively killed off in the 64th minute when United were caught short at the back and the pacy Holt ran through to go past Keen and slot home into the corner. It was finishing of a quality that United had been lacking. With the game almost out of reach Carlisle finally began to play some decent football as Kelvin Langmead and Adam Rundle entered the fray for Preece and Paul Arnison. A Farrell free kick was tipped over the bar by Edwards when it was heading for the top corner. However it was obvious they were not going to get back into it. Al's verdict: Well it looks like for all the valiant efforts of Simmo and the players, we are now heading downwards and out of the league. Clearly it's not over yet but we are relying on two of the teams above us having a total collapse during the run-in. History tells us that doesn't happen too often so it looks like the game is finally up. I felt we failed to gain any control in midfield where for all his many detractors amongst the huge travelling support Redfearn dominated an ineffective Billy. Preece was totally off-form and only Shelley and Farrell seemed to raise their game significantly. All season we have struggled to win away and this looks like being the crucial defeat. We just have to pick ourselves up and beat Scunthorpe on Tuesday night. At least Rochdale won't have it easy as their next two are against Hull and Doncaster. |
