After a fairly even first half, the Diamonds took control with two goals early in the second period although a late rally saw Carlisle pull back a goal through Stuart Green. Any hopes they had of snatching a point disappeared when midfielder Mark Summerbell received his third red card of the season in the closing minutes. With Richie Foran and Paul Raven unavailable because of suspension and injury respectively, United were again below full strength, although they were able to welcome back Mark Birch to the right-back slot. Jon McCarthy came back into midfield with Green the one to drop down to the bench. Up front Craig Farrell started the match with Brian Wake named as substitute. It was United who made the brighter start and they had some early forays into Rushden's penalty box, culminating in a sharp Craig Russell cross being drilled over the bar by Farrell when the goal was gaping. Rushden went close when ex-United frontman Dean Holdsworth fired over the bar after being cleverly set up by Duane Darby. Chances were at a premium though as both defences were pretty much on top of their game. United saw plenty of the ball but the final pass or cross tended to be lacking. It took a set-piece to give Carlisle another sniff of the target. Elusive Adam Rundle was brought down outside the box. Russell's free kick brought a sharp save low down to his left by Diamonds custodian Billy Turley. Holdsworth got a chorus of boos when he took down Lee Maddison with a late challenge on the Paddock side and was booked. In the second half it was the visitors who stepped up a gear. Holdsworth was close to waltzing through the United defence until Birch slid in to take the ball off his feet as he tried to shoot. But the respite was relatively brief. Diamonds played the ball across the box and it was only partially cleared as far as Stuart Wardley who fired an accurate left foot shot into the right corner past Glennon. The second goal which effectively sealed the points came from a free-kick which found Andy Edwards making a dart into the six-yard box and heading home with far too much comfort. Glennon then twisted to turn a Paul Hall effort over the bar as the visitors grew in confidence. Roddy Collins brought on Ryan Baldacchino to stretch the visiting defence and late on, he was involved in the move that led to Carlisle finally getting on the score-sheet. Baldacchino found Birch whose low cross into the box was parried out by Turley only as far as Green who side footed home to give the home supporters a degree of hope. That hope was practically extinguished in the last minute of normal time when Summerbell was late on Wardley and referee Scott Mathieson wielded a second yellow card to make a red and another early bath for the miscreant midfield man. Wardley needed extensive treatment and was stretchered off with his leg in splint - not a good sign. Al's verdict: Our penultimate home game brought the result we didn't want and it's now going to be down to how we fare on our travels to Wrexham, Torquay and the big one at Shrewsbury. All credit to Rushden who took their goals well and never looked that troubled by our neat but ultimately toothless passing game. Farrell's early miss proved costly and it's a pity he's rather lost his scoring form at a crucial stage of the season. Foran was missed up front where a cutting edge is desperately needed. Summerbell's costly lunges have proved very damaging and that poor challenge on Wardley means he will almost certainly sit out our closing games. It does look as though it may all come down to the trip to Gay Meadow. The good news is that the Shrews are in awful shape and our present away form should at least be good enough to get us a point. It's going to be another nail-biting end to the season. |
