YEOVIL 0 CARLISLE UNITED 2 Blues finally find net to regain winning feeling
CARLISLE United put in a muchimproved performance to bring he curtain down on their seven-game wait for both a victory and a goal.
There is still much work to do before claims can be made the promotion push is back on track, but this was a muchneeded step in the right direction and a real boost to a squad which had been visibly lacking in confidence.
A week of behind-closed-doors training sessions and team-bonding activities did the trick with the Cumbrians first to almost every loose ball and decisive in the tackle. And they produced a ruthless edge to add to the mix as they hammered 10-man Yeovil into the ground with a decisive match-winning strike.
The Glovers showed first on the day when Zoko stepped away from a congested midfield area to play Dawson into space. He went for a long range shot but it rose high and angled over the bar.
Carlisle quickly got on the front foot and Lambe did well to shield possession before he played a through ball to Joyce. His initial effort was blocked at source but he reacted quickly to send Grainger on the overlap. The team captain rattled a low shot across the face of goal but it was just in front of Proctor and the alert Liam Shephard was able to hook it clear.
Yeovil enjoyed the bulk of the possession in a tight opening spell and they should have done better when Eaves pulled wide to send a hanging cross deep to the back stick. Shephard arrived late but he could only send his powerful header straight at Gillespie.
The Cumbrians came alive and they ended a 702-minute goal drought when Reggie Lambe took his time before picking his cross. He had a string of red shirts to aim for and John O’Sullivan stunned everyone when he jumped high to glance a stunning header, and his first goal for the club, past a desperate dive from Krysiak.
The only incident of note from a nipand-tuck remainder of the half came in time added on. Whitfield sent a stinging free-kick into the area and the deftest of headers from Eaves appeared to be going in until it skipped off the surface and edged past the upright.
A tight and pedestrian second half burst into life on 53 minutes when Ben Whitfield led with an elbow and left Tom Miller writhing in agony on the floor. The Glovers were reduced to 10 men as the red card was produced and Carlisle made immediate use of their one-man advantage with a perfect through ball from Michael Raynes. Wide man Lambe had his first volley saved by Krysiak but he took a touch on the rebound and left the stopper with no chance as he sent a piledriver into the empty net via the angle of post and bar.
Substitute Tom James almost caused a controversial moment when he kept a ball from keeper Mark Gillspie which was intended for touch, so that the stricken Raynes could receive treatment. He crossed as the red shirts remained static and it was felt that justice was served when Goodship headed wide. Northampton’s Marc Richards has a shot at goal during his side’s 1-1 draw with Rochdale in Sky Bet League One
The Cumbrians should have extended their lead when Grainger found Waring from a corner delivery. The big man had the width of the target to aim at but he sent a poor header into the stands.
Former Blue Francois Zoko flashed a late Yeovil chance just wide late in the game, but it was Carlisle who went for the jugular. Waring and Lambe had good efforts saved but Jamie Devitt was the unluckiest when his fierce shot was cleared off the line.
Chances came at both ends in time added on, with Waring missing from close range for Carlisle and Butcher having a shot saved by Gillespie for Yeovil, but it was a very good job done for the visitors as they got the points which took them back into the play-off places.