In howling gales, sleet, snow, hail and driving rain, the bottom of the table Blues defeated the Shakers for the second time in six weeks to stay in touch at the foot of the Third Division. After falling behind to a well taken goal by Bury's Gareth Seddon, Carlisle came back with a cracking equaliser from player-manager Paul Simpson and claimed the winner early in the second half from defender Kevin Gray. It was United who dominated most of the first 45 minutes but they had to contend with very testing conditions. The game kicked off in a hailstorm and the pitch was slowly starting to cut up. Chris Billy fired over the bar with a right-foot effort on 10 minutes. Paul Arnison was quick to test Shakers keeper Glyn Garner with a long range effort that the Bury custodian did well to get down to it and smother. Then Simpson tried his luck from distance and got a deflection to wrongfoot Garner who was stranded and relieved to see the ball spin wide for a corner. Teenage striker Matt Fryatt wasted a great chance on 18 minutes when he ballooned over the bar from close range following some good work by Simpson. But it was the visitors from Lancashire who shocked United with the opening goal after 24 minutes. Simpson took the lion's share of the blame for being caught in possession inside the centre circle. Seddon sprinted clear and held off Lee Andrews before firing low and firmly into the left hand corner past Matty Glennon. Carlisle didn't panic and got back into the game within 10 minutes. Dave Challinor's foul on Andy Preece gave Simpson his chance to make amends from a free kick just outside the box. His trusty left foot took the ball over the wall but Garner looked like he might turn it wide. Instead the ball was just too powerful and his fingers simply deflected the ball into the top corner of the net. The hail and wind had abated briefly but the wintry conditions returned over half-time leaving the crowd to shelter from the elements, some no doubt taking advantage of the new in-house bookmaker P.Bell to place a bet on the Cumbrians to claim victory in the second period. The goal that won the game came after a corner on the left side in 53 minutes. Gray reacted quickest to a loose ball on the far side of the box and turned home from a testing angle, his second strike in two games against the Gigg Lane outfit. Bury saw this as a sign to finally put some pressure on United, having been mostly outplayed for the first hour of the game. Matty Glennon was quickly off his line to claim high balls into the box and both Gray and Andrews were again outstanding as the Cumbrians held firm. The burly keeper also did well to claim a 20-yard shot from Lee Duxbury. As the game moved into its latter stages, Simpson decided to bring on Craig Farrell for Fryatt. Farrell provided pace up front and a chance to hit Bury on the break and claim the clinching goal. However the Cumbrians were not able to make the game safe and this made for a very anxious finale. A foul by Chris Billy on the edge of the box gave the visitors a promising free kick position, but United's wall held firm. For Carlisle nippy Brendan McGill was hauled down on the edge of the box but the kick was rather wasted. Unpopular referee Cain who turned down loud appeals for a penalty after a possible push on Fryatt in the first half, played three minutes plus of stoppage time but as the snow tipped down in the dying moments, he finally blew up for time. Al's verdict: A tough old game, typical of what lower league footy is all about in the bleak winter oop North. I thought we bossed the match for long periods and deservedly fought back to go 2-1 in front. But after that there were anxious stretches as Bury took the game to us. However our defence has been transformed by the signing of Kevin Gray who was again immense in the heart of the back four. Andrews covered well for him and the two are developing a good understanding. McGill also did well, as did Simpson who recovered from his mistake to score a terrific equaliser. All in all, a much needed and much deserved victory in desperate conditions (for the fans at least) and one that keeps us in with a chance of survival. Still a seven-point gap - but it will definitely close if we keep on battling away like this. |
