The visitors from Humberside were simply too slick for a Carlisle side that has looked shell-shocked and devoid of confidence in the past two displays. This was United's heaviest home defeat since Scunthorpe's near-neighbours Hull City inflicted a 5-1 hammering in March. Overall, since the start of last season, United's home league record is a disastrous 6 wins, 6 draws and 19 defeats. With Shaun Smith at left back and Peter Keen in goal coming into the side, manager Paul Simpson was hoping the nightmare of Saturday's shocking home loss to Macclesfield would be consigned to the history books but what he got was a display every bit as incompetent, if not more so. The result was rarely in doubt as Scunny looked a much classier outfit than the team from Cheshire had. The nightmare last night was on the cards from the early exchanges. While the Cumbrians pumped up hopeful balls to lone striker Richie Foran, the Iron passed it around and buzzed into the home box without much difficulty. Although Foran did manage a neat turn and shot after 10 minutes, it was Peter Keen, who was brought in to start in place of Matty Glennon who was the busier of the two custodians. It was no surprise when Brian Laws's men took the lead after 22 minutes. Steve McLean found plenty of space on the left of the United penalty area and drilled low across goal for experienced goal-poacher Steve Torpey to slot home past a stranded Keen. Carlisle tried to fight their way back into it and boss Paul Simpson decided to go back to two strikers by bringing on Craig Farrell, but the Cumbrians lacked the guile to break open the visitors defence. Foran wasted their best chance of the night when he arrived late to head over the bar near half-time. The second half simply got worse and worse for United as it went on. They had been showing some signs of a recovery when the game was taken totally away from them in the space of 12 minutes. First a hand-ball shout against Peter Beagrie was turned down near the centre circle and the former Everton and Bradford man turned away to set up McLean whose low drive scuttled past Keen's outstretched hand and into the bottom right corner. The third goal little more than an hour into the contest triggered the first of two mass walk-outs by disgruntled home supporters. Full back Kevin Sharp grabbed the goal of the night with a long range effort that flew over Keen into the same corner of the net. The game was now over and Carlisle's play was still badly disjointed, only speedy winger Brendan McGill causing anything like discomfort for the visitors' defence. The tactic of high balls to Foran and Farrell never looking like working as the Iron defence held steady. Salt was rubbed into the wound with 8 minutes to go when referee Mark Cowburn adjudged debutant Smith to have fouled Wayne Graves as the midfielder turned on the edge of the box. Beagrie happily obliged from the spot. United finally raised their game a little in the closing minutes and Farrell eventually brought them a speck of joy when he lobbed home a consolation with three minutes to go. But there was little to cheer about for the remaining spectators at the final whistle. Al's verdict: This has probably been the worst week in the club's recent history and rather worryingly, it's not over yet as we've still to go to Huddersfield. Normally I would be optimistic going into a game like that but you have to fear for what might happen to this group of players after two shocking home displays. We've shown no confidence, no guile, no movement and no real will to win. I'm sure the players are trying but what has happened is that collectively, they have nosedived and the league table is now like a millstone around their necks. Each time they go out to play, they are going to be under pressure to perform. Brendan McGill apart, nobody really looked to be playing their normal game last night. It was hurried, inconsistent and disjointed from the word go. Clearly we need two or three key signings and quickly to inject a bit of belief into the side. As soon as goals are conceded, heads are dropping alarmingly fast and the quality of our play disappears equally quickly. At the moment we are heading in only one direction and we are going to have to play 100% better than this if we are to turn it around. |
