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Strung across midfield were Chris Billy, Raphael Nade, Simon Hackney and Chris Lumsdon as Adam Murray again had to be left out of the side due to an infected blister on his foot. Derek Holmes partnered United top scorer Karl Hawley upfront.
The only change on the substitutes bench saw the on-loan Alan O’Brien take the place of Paul Arnison in a more attack-minded replacements line-up.
Disappointingly for Carlisle the match started in the way it would continue for the majority of the 90 minutes with the home side on top. As early as the second minute County could have taken the lead with Billy slicing a Kelvin Wilson cross towards his own goal, the ball was eventually smuggled away for a corner though.
It was a relatively quiet opening to the game with both sides seeming to lack confidence in the final third and only an off-target shot from Hawley and a Lewis McMahon effort for the Magpies well saved by Westwood were of interest.
In the 16th minute United had a half-chance to take the lead but Hawley could only get a toe-end on an excellent Hackney ball in and his effort want straight at Kevin Pilkington in the County goal. Five minutes later the 727 travelling Blues fans thought their side had taken the lead but the goal was disallowed by referee Dean Whitestone who was officiating in his first ever Football League match.
Nade made an great run down the right and his cross to the far-post reached Hackney who had run in from the left. Hackney challenged with Notts wing-back Jake Sheridan and the County player ended up in the net along with the ball but the official had already blown his whistle for a push by Hackney on the defender.
It was Nade again who was in the thick of things in the 27th minute as he wasted perhaps the best chance of the afternoon for the Cumbrians. Good work down the left between Hackney and Aranalde enabled the Basque left-back to swing a lovely ball in to the back-post where Nade was lurking. The Ivorian striker seemed to have too much time to think about his chance for glory though and could only head poorly wide.
Stacy Long had a couple of good chances for the home side shortly after, the first of which he blazed over the bar from the edge of the box. Then after a poor Westwood goal-kick ex-Charlton midfielder Long could only hit his low drive straight back in to the arms of the United keeper.
County were again making chances but not taking them two minutes later. Good work by McMahon and Ullathorne led to the ball being fed in to Steve Scoffham, the ex-Gedling Town striker getting a shot in on goal was deflected well over for a corner. From the set-piece Wilson could only get the faintest of flicked headers in and the ball flew into the side-netting.
The United players were appealing for a penalty moments after when a Lumsdon corner seemed to hit a County defender on the arm. It was the Notts men though who were to really vent their anger on the official a minute later in the talking point of the game.
Peter Murphy hit a woefully weak back-pass to Westwood which Scoffham latched on to as he looked for the opening goal of the game. The Notts striker played the ball past Westwood and the United keeper appeared to flatten him but referee Whitestone decided there was no contact and waved play on much to the chagrin of the County players and management.
Magpies boss Gudjon Thordarson was fuming at the decision while on the pitch Julien Baudet and Rob Ullathorne were booked for taking their protests at the decision too far and the United players breathed a huge sigh of relief at their fortunate escape. Scoffham would be substituted due to the injuries he received in the incident for David McGoldrick at half-time as the official presumably hid from the County coaching staff in his dressing-room.
The first ten minutes of the second period opened as quietly as the first half with both sides cancelling each other out a little due to the tactical changes enforced at the interval.
Nade shot wide under pressure when he could have done better and McGoldrick thought he had got on the end of a good McMahon ball but United skipper Gray got there first and the opening was gone.
Both managers made substitutions in the 64th minute as they looked to break open the stalemate and carve out some chances for a victory. Glenn Murray and Alan O’Brien came on for United as direct replacements for Derek Holmes and Simon Hackney respectively, whilst the home side brought on Matthew Gill for Sheridan.
County were still bossing the majority of the game with sustained spells of pressure and possession but like United they seem to lack a natural goalscorer in their forward line. In the 66th minute Hurst headed softly into the arms of Westwood and then five minutes later substitute Gill blazed over when well placed.
With fifteen minutes to go United player-manager Paul Simpson made his final change of the game bringing on Jamie McClen to replace the tiring Nade as the Blues looked to add a bit more steel to their play.
United had a good spell when McClen came on with O’Brien making some good runs down the left and Peter Murphy hitting a half-volley at goal which was well blocked by the County defence. It was short-lived though as once more the home side pushed forward looking for a late winner and their first win in ten outings.
With five minutes left Murphy did well to whip the ball off McGoldrick’s feet for a corner as County really upped the pace. Baudet also went close shortly after when, from an Ullathorne free-kick, his well-hit half-volley deflected off McClen and went inches over the woodwork.
Then in the last minute hearts were in United mouths as ex-Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Lewis McMahon raced in on goal but he dragged his shot horribly wide to the dismay of the noisy County fans.
Just as the travelling Blue Army were feeling happy that United had hung on to one point they became quickly disappointed they hadn’t taken all three as Hawley went close in injury time. The ex-Walsall striker hit a rasping drive from the edge of the County area that looked in all the way but the ball just flew wide of the target at the last minute to leave the result all-square at 0-0.
So another useful away point from a patchy performance with both defences performing well to cancel out two forward lines lacking confidence in front of goal. Stockport at home in the League next Saturday provides an ideal opportunity to keep the three game unbeaten run going against a side who have only won two League games all season.
Post-match quotes :
After the 0-0 home draw against Carlisle, Notts County boss Gudjon Thordarson said :
"I am inclined to think that in some respects this was our best footballing display of the season and a match we deserved to win. We certainly had the chances to do so but were not good enough to take them. It would certainly have been an injustice if Carlisle had got a late winner when a good chance presented itself."
Carlisle assistant manager Dennis Booth said :
"It was nice for me to come back to a ground where I used to be assistant manager and I am glad we got a point from it. We were on the back foot for much of the game, particularly in the first 45 minutes, but our players stood firm particularly at the back to earn us a point."