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So, for Carlisle that meant a starting back five of Keiren Westwood, Paul Arnison, Zigor Aranalde, Kevin Gray and Danny Livesey. Across the centre of the park were Chris Billy and Peter Murphy, along with Adam Murray on the right and Hackney over on the left-wing, partnered upfront again were Glenn Murray and Karl Hawley. On the Cumbrians bench were Anthony Williams, Simon Grand, Brendan McGill, Raphael Nade and Simpson, all hoping for an end-of-season run-out before the long summer break ahead.
County went into the match in a perilous position at the wrong end of the table, being one of seven sides who could join Rushden and Diamonds in dropping down to the Nationwide Conference next season. Occupying the last safe place, the Hatters knew that even a defeat could see them survive though if Oxford United failed to beat promotion chasing Leyton Orient at home. Boss Jim Gannon played another ex-Woodley Sports man in Liam Dickinson in attack with one-time Southend man Tesfaye Bramble as the home side looked for goals to get those vital three points.
The Hatters were roared on throughout by a particularly vociferous contingent of 7800 home fans in the overall attendance of 10,006 at Edgeley Park, the Cheadle End being extremely loud for the whole of the ninety minutes. County came straight out on the back of that wall of noise and were up and at Carlisle from the start and had a chance just forty seconds into the game. A long goal-kick from James Spencer found Jason Taylor out on the left, his good cross in coming to the feet of James Ward, the Aston Villa loanee showed a poor first touch though and the ball ran straight through to a grateful Westwood.
On three minutes United were almost caught out, and not for the last time it would prove to be, by a County short corner routine, after Murphy had made a good tackle on another Hatters loanee, this time central midfielder Kevin O'Connor from Wolves. Ward and yet another temporary signing, left-winger Adam Griffin from Oldham, worked the flag-kick quickly but Ward could only scuff a 20-yarder from the right-angle of the Blues box wide of the Blues near-postwhen he seemed to have much more time.
Carlisle tried to come back into it quickly when Hackney was fouled by Ward out on the right. Adam Murray put the free-kick in to the County back-post but Dickinson was well placed to put it behind for a United corner, which came to nothing. The home side weren't to be stopped though and after six minutes a neat Dickinson pass sent the pacey Ward running through the middle, Westwood did well though to come off his line quickly and smother the diminutive right-winger's effort, Bramble blazing the resultant loose ball well over the Cumbrians crossbar with his right foot.
The home side went close again sixty seconds later when a poor Livesey clearance fell straight to O'Connor 20 yards out from the Carlisle goal, Gray doing well to block O'Connor's fierce drive out for a corner. Shortly afterwards, as the Hatters were all over United, Ward made an excellent run to the right-hand by-line, and was desperately unlucky to see his pull-back evade both Bramble and marauding right-back Keith Briggs. The quick move again coming from a short-corner routine which the Blues failed to see coming.
After 14 minutes a high cross into the Cumbrians box from Ward on the right saw Westwood flapping at the ball and punching it weakly straight to Taylor in the middle of the United ‘D'. Taylor showed no composure under pressure though as he could only send the loose ball way over the Carlisle woodwork on the half-volley. The game started to quieten down a little from then on as the Hatters began to run out of their early puff and the Blues crept their way back into the match, after managing to soak up some heavy early pressure.
Four minutes later a long Westwood goal-kick saw some hesistant defending in the County ranks as Hawley flicked the ball on into the path of Adam Murray. The ball dropped nicely for the ex-Derby man 28 yards out but his right-footed half-volley flew well over Spencer's crossbar. Two minutes on and Dickinson should really should have done better for the Hatters when Bramble touched on a Briggs throw-in, his header from just ten yards out was weak though and Westwood plucked it out of the air with ease.
Gray went off for treatment to what would turn out to be a broken nose in the 21st minute, changing his bloodied shirt in the process and coming back into the fray two minutes later. It looked all on as if the Blues had claimed the first goal of the game after 24 minutes only for Spencer to make an excellent save in the County goal. Some nice work on the Carlisle left by Aranalde and Murphy saw the ball fed in to the run of Hackney down that flank, Hackney putting in a wonderful cross in to the back-post straight to the head of Glenn Murray six yards out. Murray got a firm header in which looked destined for the top right-hand corner only for Spencer to athletically push the ball away for a United corner with his left hand. From the resultant Hackney corner in Gray could only send a close-range header over the top of the County crossbar.
Sixty seconds later Billy received the only yellow card of the game from referee Kevin Wright of Peterborough after the Blues enforcer had brought down Bramble with a poorly timed challenge. Shortly afterwards Adam Murray sent a header wide at the Hatters back-post after Hackney had again put a searching ball in from the left. Glenn Murray was another United player heading wide in the 32nd minute, this time from long range following an Adam Murray cross in from the right.
After 32 minutes left-back Mark Robinson stuck another high ball in to the Carlisle box which Westwood, having a poor game by his own high standards, flapped at again under pressure from Dickinson. Westwood only punching the ball straight out to Bramble on the edge of the United box, the big striker was unable to take the sharp chance though as he blazed his right-footed effort high, wide and not very handsome. Sixty seconds later Murphy pushed forward from his central midfield role and got a left-footed drive in after Adam Murray had played the ball across to him, the shot was powerful from distance but Spencer was able to gather it straight into his chest.
Aranalde survived a strong penalty appeal from County players and fans alike in the 36th minute when a long Spencer goal-kick bounded on into the United box and seemed to catch United's Basque left-back on the arm. Seconds later Robinson put a corner into the Carlisle box from the left but Bramble could only nod it wide of the Carlisle near-post from six yards out. The Hatters kept up the pressure and after a useful cross in from the right by Briggs found Ward, the winger was particularly wasteful as he could only send a ten-yard effort straight into the arms of Westwood on the half-volley.
Moments later the Blues almost conceded a bizarre opener when Gray's attempted clearance smashed straight off the back of Ward, fortunately for Carlisle though Westwood was on-hand to gather the loose ball. Seconds before half-time Griffin's cross flew straight over the head of Dickinson and Aranalde at the back-post, Dickinson won the race for the ball but Bramble could only head his clipped centre in over Westwood's crossbar from eight yards out. That was the last action of the first half after a sharp two minutes of injury time and both sides went down the tunnel, although especially Stockport, having had chances to take the lead.
The second half got off to a quieter start than the first one had with United seemingly having got a bit of a kick up the backside at half-time in order to close the ball down a bit quicker. It was the Blues who made the first chance of the period as well after 51 minutes when Glenn Murray won the ball well in midfield and laid it on to Hawley on the edge of the County box. Hawley, as usual, held the ball up well before laying it back to Murray, the big striker was unable to keep his right-footed shot down though from 25 yards out and Spencer was able to easily watch it sail over his crossbar.
Shortly afterwards an excellent reverse ball by Billy sent Arnison racing away down the right. The Blues right-back crossing in low for Hawley, only for United's top scorer to see his quick shot from 12 yards out well blocked by Hatters centre-half Ashley Williams. The Cumbrians were having a good spell in the game now as they started to boss the midfield but it was the home side who went desperately close to scoring the first goal of the match in the 56th minute.
Bramble picked the ball up 35 yards out from the Carlisle goal and was allowed far too much time to run in as the Blues back-line stood too far off him. The ex-Southend man raced on down the right-hand channel and held off a half-challenge from Billy before unleashing a ferocious drive across the United goal that looked destined for the far top corner all the way. Westwood had other ideas though and did fantastically well to make a full length aerial save as he got the top of his right hand to the ball, the touch sending Bramble's effort looping on to the top of the Carlisle net.
If you thought that was a close escape for the Cumbrians though, then they would go even nearer to going a goal behind from the resultant corner. Griffin swung the flag-kick in from the right to the Blues back-post where Briggs found himself unmarked to power a close-range header against the underside of the United crossbar, the effort bouncing down a good yard away from the goal-line. The ball flew out amongst a gaggle of players waiting for the rebound but Westwood was quickly alert to the danger and was able to pluck the bouncing ball out of the air, much to the relief of the massed ranks of the Blue Army.
After 59 minutes the Carlisle coaching staff made their first change of the afternoon, bringing on Nade in place of Glenn Murray to add some fresher legs into proceedings as the Cumbrians looked to defend better from the front. Seconds later Adam Murray tried a very speculative scissor kick from 15 yards out at the back-post after Hackney had sent a lovely deep ball in from the left, the effort was never under control from Murray though and screwed well wide of Spencer's goal.
County were storming right back into the game though, as United looked to make inroads on the break, and on the hour mark they wasted a good chance from a free-kick opportunity after Adam Murray had fouled Dickinson. Griffin lined the set-piece up 25 yards out from the Carlisle goal in a central position but his driven right-footed effort was weak and easy for Westwood to gather in low down on the bounce. Griffin was again in the thick of the action on 63 minutes when Dickinson flicked on a Ward cross from the right into the penalty spot area. Like Adam Murray minutes before Griffin tried a fancy overhead kick from there, he did better than the United midfielder though as he got the effort on target, although it was easy for Westwood to catch straight at him at chest height.
The game was beginning to open up a little bit more now, although a chance came for either side from free-kicks around the middle of the half. Firstly in the 66th minute County centre-half Michael Raynes fouled Nade 40 yards out from the Stockport goal, Murphy swinging the free-kick in which Aranalde could only head straight at Spencer from ten yards out. Then seconds later Arnison brought down Bramble on the Blues right-hand side, Ward curling the ball into the Carlisle box for Briggs to head wide of the Cumbrians far-post from 12 yards out.
It was the last match of a long season for United but midfield enforcer Billy was still looking to register his first goal of the season. He did go close in the 70th minute however when he won possession well from O'Connor in the Hatters half of the centre-circle, the County back-line dropping off as Billy ran on with the ball. Looking up 25 yards out from the Stockport goal he hammered in a low drive on his left foot but it never looked to be on target and the effort whistled wide of Spencer's right-hand post.
After 71 minutes a nice one-two between Nade and Hawley sent the Ivorian-born striker running into the Hatters penalty area. Raynes was sharp to spot the danger though as he was able to get across quickly and make an excellent sliding tackle to send the ball flying out for a Cumbrians corner. Adam Murray curled the flag-kick in from the right to the near-post where Gray was able to get a good flick-on to send the ball zooming over to the back-post area. Livesey was unmarked there but he seemed to be unsighted as the ball just bounced straight off the side of his head and wide of Spencer's goal from close-range.
The game was really getting into top gear now with both sides pushing forward in search of a late winner. Ward showing his pace once more in the 72nd minute when he raced away down the right flank before hitting a cross in for Dickinson, the big County frontman only able to head it straight at a grateful Westwood though from ten yards out. Shortly afterwards a neat passing triangle between Hawley, Billy and Adam Murray saw double-title winner Nade released into the Hatters box to chase the through ball down. Spencer was quick off his line to sniff out the opportunity though and was able to dive down bravely to grab the ball at Nade's feet just as the Carlisle man was looking to get there first.
Ward showed the good and bad side to his game in the 75th minute when he made yet another pacey break down the Carlisle left. Bursting into the box he selfishly choose to blaze the ball in on goal, only succeeding in smashing it into Westwood's near-post side-netting when both Dickinson and Bramble had been ideally placed for a low cross pulled back across the face of the United goalmouth. That was the last chance gone for Bramble to bag a goal in the game as just sixty seconds later he was taken off, to be replaced by 19-year old Hatters striker Adam Le Fondre.
In the 80th minute Aranalde found himself in with a shout as the County defence failed to clear a Murphy 40-yard free-kick in following a foul by Dickinson on Arnison out on the right-hand side. United's Spanish left-back found himself alone on the left-hand angle of the Stockport box with the ball sitting up nicely for a half-volley on his favoured left foot. He got a cracking connection on the effort across the Hatters goal but Spencer was able to dive across and make an excellent one-handed save to push the goalbound shot away from danger, Robinson completing the clearance by hacking the loose ball clear.
Two minutes later Arnison, marauding down the right flank, tried a 30-yard thunderbolt as he looked for an end-of-season spectacular with his right foot but it flew well wide of Spencer's near-post. Seconds later Stockport made their second change of the game when the impressive Ward, who looks to have a bright future at Aston Villa, was replaced by Rob Clare who moved up a slot from his normal right-back position to the right-hand side of midfield. Sixty seconds later came the substitution that the Carlisle fans had been waiting for all afternoon as manager Paul Simpson entered the fray to make the 808th and final appearance of his illustrious career, Hackney making way as Simpson slotted into his traditional left-wing spot.
Simmo ends his playing career with his last appearance in a United shirt
Simpson had the chance to produce the fairytale ending to the afternoon as well with five minutes left when Williams fouled Hawley a good 30 yards out from the County goal in a central position. Sadly Simmo didn't get the best of connections though with his left foot as he tried to smash the set-piece into the County net, and Griffin was able to deflect the ball away from danger before Spencer was even troubled in the Hatters goal. The Blues, much to their credit with the League Two Championship sewn up and only four minutes of the season left, were still looking for the win and brought on Grand for Adam Murray in their quest for the three points. Grand going straight upfront to partner Nade and take the place of Hawley who dropped back into the right-hand side of midfield.
There was little action in the closing stages as Stockport held out easily from the minimal Carlisle pressure, United themselves also looking to protect a record-breaking 20th clean sheet of the season in the league. That record did come after three minutes of injury time when referee Wright, who had a good game throughout, blew the final whistle to end proceedings on a result which suited both sides. United winning the title by three points from Northampton Town and Stockport seeing the same margin keep them safe from relegation in 22nd place in the table as Oxford United dropped down into the Conference after a 44-year spell in the Football League.
Post-match quotes :
Stockport boss Jim Gannon was a relieved man after watching his side dramatically survive the drop into non-league football, saying :
"I've got to salute the performances of my players today. A lot of people in Stockport should be very proud of them. In fact the players, their families and these supporters should all be proud of what has been achieved.
"Looking back on the past four months, we have picked up results and matched a lot of the teams we've come up against. However, we all know that we've still got a lot of work to do, certainly if we were to start talking about being champions like Carlisle. But I'm determined to help get Stockport County back where they belong."