It was a dramatic way to end the longest goal drought in the club's 100-year history. They had played 545 minutes without a strike when who else but Simpson broke the deadlock and with two other goals hitting the back of the net within 13 minutes, it was like an oasis in the middle of a desert for United. For 75 minutes they comfortably held their lead and looked just as likely to extend it. But the Dale stormed back in a nervous closing quarter of an hour as the visitors scored twice inside two minutes and were only denied an injury time leveller by Matt Glennon's substantial chest. Simpson brought himself back for his first start since taking over the manager's role. Debutant Kevin Henderson started up front with Richie Foran, Craig Farrell dropping down to the sub's bench. There was no room for Mark Summerbell in midfield, Simmo slotting in alongside Chris Billy. United looked to take the game to the opposition from the off, and it was nine minutes in that the nine hour, five minute nightmare ended for them. At the same end as Paul Raven had last found the net in a league game 35 days earlier, Simpson's low shot appeared to take a wicked deflection to take it past goalkeeper Matt Gilks. The second goal was not long in arriving. In the 17th minute a Simpson free kick had Rochdale in trouble again, Paul Raven's header almost seemed to roll along the cross bar before falling kindly for the onrushing Foran to hook home into the unguarded net. Five minutes on - and three-nil. In-form winger Brendan McGill was picked out by Foran's pass from the edge of the box and he needed no invitation to pile drive the ball home low and true into the opposite corner and put Carlisle seemingly on their way to a comfortable home victory. The new electronic scoreboard at the Waterworks End gleamed out in the September sunshine recording what was looking like the first home success for United since last March and amazingly the first at home on a Saturday since Leyton Orient were despatched 3-0 back on January 25. The second half saw United looking comfortable and the visitors barely threatening Glennon's goal - save for a couple of corners. For United, McGill saw two crosses almost provide goals and then Murphy centred for Henderson to nearly cap his debut with a goal but Gilks palmed away brilliantly. Craig Russell entered the fray for Adam Rundle. Then with about 20 minutes left Simpson decided he'd done enough and came off with Des Byrne replacing him. With their talisman for the day off, the home side seemed to take their finger off the trigger and the visitors came right back into it in the space of barely two minutes. Striker Paul Connor got clear of Murphy to collect Evans pass and finish spectacularly past Glennon into the right top corner. Within two minutes the visitors were right back into as a Bertos corner was headed home from close range by Kevin Townson to make it a nerve-jangling 3-2. The new scoreboard could barely cope, still showing 3-0 as the ball hit the net. With twelve minutes still remaining there was plenty still to do to keep the fifth-placed visitors out. Billy was released by a nice cross-field pass and drove narrowly over the top. United looked to have done just enough but in the closing minute a shot from Sean McClare was deflected on to Glennon's chest and bounced to safety as the relieved Cumbrians held on and gained their long-overdue first 3 points. Al's verdict: Putting aside the near-disastrous climax, this was in many ways a cracking advert for Third Division footy, with chances galore, some fine skill and a thrilling fightback by the visitors who almost stole a point out of nothing. It would have been a crying shame as we were outstanding in the first half with Simpson at the heart of most of our better moves and McGill and Rundle giving Dale a roasting down the flanks. It was refreshing to see genuine width in our game and the two wingers playing like real wingers are supposed to. A slight criticism would be that we should have made it 4-0 and totally finished them off but when Simmo came off, the door was still slightly ajar. For a team that has struggled so badly to win at home, it was no real surprise that the ending was a fingernail-biting sweat-fest. Fortunately thanks to Matty's meaty torso, their last chance was blocked and a deserved three points was the outcome. Still bottom, but hope now springing eternal. |
