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So, for Carlisle that meant a starting back five of Keiren Westwood, Paul Arnison, Zigor Aranalde, Kevin Gray and Livesey. Across the centre of the park were Chris Billy, Chris Lumsdon and Adam Murray on the right, with Peter Murphy moving up from centre-half to left-midfield, partnered upfront were Glenn Murray and Karl Hawley. On the Carlisle bench were Anthony Williams, Simon Grand, Brendan McGill – back from a dead leg injury, Raphael Nade and Simon Hackney, Nade returning to the squad after a very successful three-month loan spell with recently-crowned Conference South champions Weymouth.
‘Dale boss Steve Parkin made a few alterations to his team, now knowing that League Two safety had been assured for the Spotland club following a 2-0 win at home to Bristol Rovers on Saturday. Theo Coleman was the main surprise inclusion, the 16-year old making the step up from the youth team to the first team, as he fitted in on the left-wing. Carlisle knew that three points tonight would see them all but assured of the League Two title on goal difference, and that eagerness for victory saw them make an extremely bright start.
As early as the first minute the Rochdale back-line was under pressure when Adam Murray and Glenn Murray linked up quickly to force home left-back Alan Goodall into conceding a corner. ‘Dale came back strongly in the fourth minute though when dangerous striker Rickie Lambert won a corner off Aranalde, their only one of the night as it turned out. Coleman swung the flag-kick in and Goodall's close-range header was well blocked by Billy, central-midfielder John Doolan then hoisting the ball back in to the edge of the United box. Lumsdon was quick to react to the loose ball but he was a little fortunate to slice his attempted clearance straight off his toe and into the hands of Westwood.
Three minutes later Glenn Murray and Hawley showed that they were well on their game on the night, a low Arnison pass in from the right being cleverly left alone by Murray. Hawley took the ball on and fired in a shot from ten yards out in the right-hand channel which took a slight nick off the legs of centre-half Jon Boardman before ‘Dale keeper Matthew Gilks pushed the ball around his near-post. Murphy put the corner in but Livesey could only head over the bar from six yards out, although he did seem to be being hauled to the ground by veteran Rochdale centre-back Gareth Griffiths at the time.
Sixty seconds on and the lack of pace in the home defence was all too evident when a long Westwood goal-kick found it's way to Adam Murray 25 yards out in the right-hand channel, after a poor attempted clearance by Boardman. Murray tried a first-time half-volley on his right foot, the effort being powerful enough, only to slice away into Gilks' side-netting at his near-post. Two minutes later and free-kick specialist Lambert was given the chance of a shot on goal after Gray had fouled Rochdale's ex-Tranmere forward Chris Dagnall, the first of many dreadful decisions on the night by referee Mike Jones of Chester. Lambert didn't live up to his 21-goal reputation though as he blazed his right-footed effort straight into the Carlisle defensive wall.
In the 18th minute Aranalde's free-kick up, after a handball by Doolan, found the feet of the hugely impressive Billy. The ex-Bury enforcer managed to break though a couple of soft challenges by the ‘Dale players before the ball broke out to Murphy on the left-angle of the box. It came to the Dubliner on his weaker right foot though and his half-volley was scuffed straight at Gilks in the home goal. United looked much more up for the game on the night, perhaps realising that time was rapidly running out in their quest to secure the League Two title.
A minute later though some poor defending by the Blues saw Lambert gifted a good opportunity. Aranalde being guilty of thinking a long ball up was going out for a goal-kick only for right-winger Scott Warner to chase it down and hack it back into play, Warner going arse-over-tit as for his troubles as he disappeared over the advertising hoardings. Livesey was the first onto the ball in the middle of the area put his poor punt away only found Lambert 22 yards out on the right-angle of the Carlisle box. The ex-Macclesfield hitman cut in at pace before unleashing a poweful left-footed drive from the edge of the area which fairly flew across goal and inches wide of Westwood's far-post, the Blues keeper looking beaten by the speed of the effort.
Shortly afterwards Adam Murray tried a quick pot-shot from 25 yards out in his right-midfield slot, he couldn't keep the ball down though and it sailed away over Gilks' bar and into the sparsely populated home terrace behind the goal. After 25 minutes Billy, considering some of the challenges that had gone before, was extremely harshly booked by the official for dissent after Arnison had given away a free-kick for a foul on ‘Dale central midfielder Gary Jones. You could hardly blame Billy for complaining after referee Jones had seemingly given the home side every free-kick going in the early stages, while denying the Blues two good-looking penalty shouts for claimed fouls on Hawley.
Some excellent work down the right by Lambert two minutes later saw him cross the ball low into the Cumbrians penalty area. Livesey's clearance was poor as his studs got stuck in the bobbly awkward pitch, the ball coming straight to Dagnall on the left. Dagnall cut in quickly past Arnison but Westwood raced off his line to close the angle down well, and the youngster could only drag his 15-yard right-footed shot across goal and out for a United by-kick.
Carlisle seemed to have the home defence all at sea every time a corner came into their box, with, for a change, some excellent set-piece delivery into the middle of the ‘Dale penalty area. Bang on the half-hour mark Lumsdon's ball in was well flicked on at the near-post by Glenn Murray, Gray trying to get to the header only to see Boardman hack it away for another flag-kick. This time Murphy sent it in from the other side with Aranalde leaving the ball alone as it came in, Livesey was the beneficiary of that clever play only for his eight-yard header to bounce down and straight into the arms of a grateful Gilks.
Six minutes later though and the Cumbrians finally did make their quality at set-pieces tell when they took the lead in the game and sent the huge contingent of travelling Blues fans into raptures. Murphy chased a long Aranalde ball well down the left and forced ‘Dale right-back Mark Jackson into giving away a corner, the Dubliner then putting the flag-kick in from the near-right corner. Jackson was again in the thick of the action as the ball came in, and it was he, although Livesey has been credited with the goal, who seemed to slide in and boot the ball straight into the top-corner of his own net. It was tough to work out who had scored it with both players falling to the ground but it did seem to be dropping behind Livesey as it came into the box.
Little did it matter as the scoreline was now 1-0 to the Blues and that was all that mattered in such an important game for United. Only seconds later, as Carlisle really got on top in the game, they almost went two goals to the good. Murphy and Hawley combining well as their good pressing saw Jackson shank his clearance straight to the marauding Aranalde, the Spaniard trying one of his typical left-footed pile-drivers from range only for it to fizz inches over Gilks' crossbar. Glenn Murray was having one of his best starts in a United shirt and it was he who laid the ball across well to Hawley in the right-hand channel in the 39th minute. The Blues top scorer struggled to control the bobbling ball in an awful area of the pitch though and could only scuff his right-footed effort from the edge of the ‘Dale penalty area straight at Gilks.
The next goal was always going to the big one against a side with little to play for and fortunately for Carlisle's title hopes it came at an excellent time, just one minute before the interval. Hawley ran on well to the edge of the ‘Dale box, only to find Griffiths blocking his path, the veteran defender making a good tackle, although unluckily for him the ball came straight to Adam Murray five yards outside the right-angle of the penalty area. Murray stuck a quick cross in on his right foot which Hawley flicked on as he looked for his strike-partner Glenn Murray at the back-stick. The ball flew over the head of the Maryport-born front-man, but it was still on for the Cumbrians as Murphy had run in untracked down the left-hand channel at the far-post, the Irishman smashing an unstoppable left-footed effort from just seven yards out into the roof of the Rochdale net.
The Blues weren't satisfied with just a two-goal lead though and they almost made it 3-0 just before the half-time whistle when a right-footed shot by Glenn Murray from 12 yards out in the right-hand channel was blocked out for a corner by Boardman. Murphy swung the corner in nicely and Boardman was lucky to hack the ball clear as the ball bobbled about between his feet with Glenn Murray and Livesey bearing down on him in the ‘Dale six-yard box. The two teams heading off down the tunnel for their half-time cup of tea just seconds later.
The first action of the second-half came with the opening substitution of the game as the Rochdale coaching staff replaced Boardman with Blair Sturrock, who took up a position on the right wing while Warner moved to right-back and Jackson to centre-half. It didn't make any difference to the Blues though who kept ploughing forward in search of a third goal, and in the 49th minute they went close when Jackson fouled Arnison out on the Carlisle right. Aranalde swung the free-kick in with his left foot which Griffiths was only able to head away to the right-hand angle of his own box. Glenn Murray picked up quickly on the loose clearance but his right-footed effort from 20 yards out flew way over Gilks' crossbar.
After 52 minutes United boss Paul Simpson made his first change of the game when he brought McGill on for Lumsdon, the ex-Sunderland schemer having twisted his ankle badly moments earlier. McGill went straight out onto the right flank with Adam Murray moving infield to take the place of the injured Lumsdon. The second-half was much more bittier fare than the first to be honest, as ‘Dale seemed all too content to see out a 2-0 defeat and the match was constantly broken up by a horrendously fussy referee who wanted every throw-in and free-kick taken from the exact blade of grass.
It was still the Blues having all the play though and in the 56th minute they almost bagged a third goal. Some good hold-up play by Hawley in the middle of the Rochdale ‘D' saw United's top scorer lay the ball sweetly into the path of the onrushing Billy, who was finding plenty of holes in the ‘Dale midfield. Billy absolutely leathered a drive in with his right foot only to see the ball disappear inches wide of Gilks' far-post at light speed to leave the Blues enforcer still searching for his first goal of the season.
Only sixty seconds later Murphy swung one of ten Carlisle corners on the night in, which Livesey got a firm header on from ten yards out, only for the big defender to see his effort fly straight into the gloves of the overworked Gilks. Then in the 61st minute the hard-working Glenn Murray set Hawley away nicely down the left-hand channel after Murray had robbed Jones of possession just inside the ‘Dale half. Hawley worked an opportunity for himself nicely as he tormented makeshift home right-back Warner, his final shot from 15 yards out with his left-foot was disappointing though as he dragged it across the six-yard box and out for a goal-kick.
In the 62nd minute Hawley was again causing the home defence plenty of problems when he picked up the ball 12 yards out in the left-hand channel after the ‘Dale back-line had failed to clear an Arnison cross in from the right. Hawley worked Gilks' this time with his left foot but he still couldn't find a goalscoring finish as the Rochdale custodian was able to dive down to his left quickly and hold onto the shot with both hands. Sixty seconds later Griffiths was the second player to go into Mr Jones' notebook after he went through the back of Glenn Murray in an aerial challenge, a bit of a harsh yellow card really.
Two minutes later ‘Dale made their second change of the game when ex-Crawley midfielder Ernie Cooksey replaced Doolan, who had been extremely ineffective in the middle of the park. It seemed to spark the home side into a little period of possession but they never really looked like testing Westwood and it was Carlisle who were making a chance again in the 70th minute, which almost led to a fantastic goal. Hawley held up a Billy ball into his feet before setting Murphy away down the left flank, the Dubliner sticking a lovely deep cross into the back-post area where Arnison had come charging in down the right-hand channel. United's right-back had to stretch a bit to hit the ball straight on the volley with his right foot though, and that was the problem as he wasn't able to control the 12-yard effort, sending it flashing over Gilks' bar, almost before the ‘Dale keeper had even seen it.
After 72 minutes Adam Murray's speculative right-footed effort from fully 25 yards out was well blocked by Cooksey, who had been thrown straight into the defensive fray from his central midfield position. Sixty seconds later Glenn Murray, who had been superb on the night for the Cumbrians, came off the field to be replaced by Nade, who you could immediately see was full of running and confidence after his excellent loan spell at Weymouth.
Rochdale made a rare break up the pitch in 79th minute as the speedy Coleman actually had a chance to get the ball at his feet and run at Arnison. The 16-year old tried to feed the ball through to Sturrock in the Carlisle penalty area but Westwood was alert to the danger as he dived in to take possession. The United keeper instantly hurled an excellent quick throw out straight down to the middle to Billy who suddenly found himself in acres of space and running in on the Rochdale back-line. He tried a series of step-overs to try and shake off the backtracking Jackson and make some room for a shot, he didn't succeed though and his 22-yard right-footed effort only bounced away off the legs of the ‘Dale centre-half.
In the 83rd minute came the final home substitution of the night when youth-teamer Joe Thompson came on upfront for his first-team debut in place of Dagnall. Two minutes later Billy, who was still striving hard for that elusive goal, couldn't have gone any closer to finding it as he just doesn't seem to be able to get any rub of the green in his quest. Murphy fed the ball from the left into Hawley just eight yards out from the ‘Dale goal, Hawley again showing his strength with his back to goal as he waited for Billy to make his run into the penalty area. It was just a little touch pass that fed the ball onto the right foot of Billy 14 yards out and his side-footed effort looked to be in the far top-corner all the way. It didn't end up there though as Gilks made an absolutely outstanding save to finger-tip the ball over the angle of his own bar and post.
That was pretty much the end of the action in the game, as for the first time I can ever remember, no injury time was put up on the electronic scoreboard, presumably to lessen any chance of a pitch invasion from the massed ranks of the Blue Army. The final whistle eventually came on what was a fantastic performance from United, that leaves them all but assured of being League Two champions, save for a mathematical miracle and a 17-goal differential in a defeat for Carlisle and a win for Northampton on Saturday.
Post-match quotes :
Carlisle United club owner, Fred Story said after the match:
"I think the lads played well and worked hard tonight. We got the three points we deserved and that more or less ensures that we get the Championship. We played some good football and the lads worked hard, not just tonight, but all season."
Rochdale's manager Steve Parkin said:
"Carlisle looked like a good side. We had two first-half chances to get on the scoresheet and went close with both, but not close enough to make them count. A goal early on could have made a difference and helped us to put up a more profitable performance against a very good side."
thetashkenttheory :
That's more like it, after the desperate disappointment of the Torquay game, the lads played tonight like we know they can play, and they got the three points that their performance fully deserved. Every player was on their game, and, more importantly, every one of them seemed to realise that they were now pretty much in a last chance saloon as far as securing the League Two title was concerned, which is now all but in the bag thanks to our huge goal difference advantage.
Danny Livesey in particular was outstanding throughout the 90 minutes, and made a real difference to the quality of defending, only making a couple of mistakes, and those were mainly down to the dire playing surface. The much-maligned Chris Billy was also a colossus in midfield, as he continually broke up the play of a weak Rochdale midfield, as well as finding the time to join with United attacks at the business end of the pitch, although he still couldn't net his first goal of the season.
The big difference for me was that the tactical change to 4-4-2, with Michael Bridges injured and Derek Holmes out of form, was a real success. Glenn Murray played as well from the start of a game as he has ever done in a Carlisle shirt, his constant running putting continual pressure on an all-at-sea 'Dale back-line. Add to that the ever-typical threat of Karl Hawley and his ability to hold the ball up so cleanly, and the Blues got all they could have asked for upfront, save for a goal from one of the two strikers.
In fairness the home side had to little to play for having secured their Football League status with a 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers three days earlier but it was still a great effort from Carlisle. The home side looked interested until United got those two quick goals, but from that point on they seemed pretty much resigned to their fate as the Blues coasted to a relatively easy victory. The Cumbrians could have had more goals too, save for an excellent performance by over-worked Rochdale goalkeeper Matthew Gilks.
The final whistle brought some wonderful celebrations both on the pitch and in the packed Wilbutts Lane stand. It's no more than the team deserves either having won a remarkable 25 games out of 45 to date in the league this season. It also takes the pressure off for Saturday now at a Stockport side who may need to win on the day to ensure their Football League survival, let's hope they stay up then we can all have a party at Edgeley Park.