Defeat all too familiar as lapses prove costly
CARLISLE picked up where they left off last season by looking good going forward but extremely suspect at the back and they have only themselves to blame for falling to the Swindon sword on the season’s opening day.
Defensive lapses gifted the Robins a two-goal lead and it was uphill from there as United battled hard without quite managing to close the gap.
First-day nerves brought a cagey opening as the combatants sized each other up with heavy rain battering down. Swindon looked more composed as they worked the ball in midfield and Mullin found space as his initial cross was blocked. The quickly returned clearance was nodded down by the wide man but Liddle got in the way to make it an easy save for Bonham to make.
The Robins came again when Brophy skipped through a challenge wide on the right. He spotted Morris on the move and the front man brought a diving save from the Carlisle stopper.
The away side went close again when Jones upended Mullin on the edge of the area. JACK BONHAM .............. 6 Did the basics well and could do nothing about the goals TOM MILLER .................. 6 Gave Swindon plenty to think about as he dug deep GARY LIDDLE ................. 6 Looked assured in the centre back role TOM PARKES.................. 5 Lost his man for the first-half goal and picked up an injury DANNY GRAINGER ........ 6
REGGIE LAMBE .............. 5 Hussey smashed the free-kick into the wall but Dunne was on hand to pick up the pieces as he found unexpected space. Bonham saw the volley late and did well to drop low and gather it in.
The Cumbrians worked their way into the game and went close when a deep cross found Adams on the run. He jumped high and headed it towards the back post but Vigoroux showed good feet as he scampered periods LUKE JOYCE.................... 6 Had to stay central for the most part but scored a beauty of a goal MIKE JONES ................... 6 Covered a lot of ground but couldn’t assert full authority NICKY ADAMS ............... 6 Showed in flashes but was largely well marshalled JAMIE DEVITT ................ 7 Gave everything and was unlucky not to bag a goal HALLAM HOPE .............. 5 A frustrating afternoon as he was left to plough a lone
back to tip it over. Swindon were almost undone when a quickly taken corner rolled into Joyce’s path. He struck a first-time shot into the mix and a touch from Parkes sent it just past the post.
Carlisle thought they’d grabbed the lead when Devitt burst out of his own half with two defenders in his wake. He angled his run into the area and was disappointed to see a thunderbolt of a shot rattle furrow Subs: George, Devitt, Bennett (for T Miller, 65), Ellis (for Parkes, 75), S Miller (for Hope, 76), Salkeld, Egan.
Swindon Town: Vigoroux, Purkiss, Hussey, Lancashire, Mullin, Dunne, Morris (H Smith 31), Goddard, Brophy (Iandolo 60 (Thomas 82)), Linganzi, Conroy. Subs: Henry, Robertson, T Smith, Twine. back off the upright.
The much better spell for the hosts was brought to an abrupt end when they failed to defend a regulation 35-yard free-kick. Striker Luke Morris was left completely unmarked and he thundered a blistering header into the net from close range.
The visitors should have doubled their lead when Lancashire arrived late for an outswinging corner. The defender got something on it but it wasn’t enough to squeeze past Bonham.
An already difficult job became a mountain to climb with just three minutes on the second-half clock when a mix up in midfield left Goddard with a clear run at goal. His fierce shot was parried by Bonham but Paul Mullin reacted first to power the loose ball over the line as the defenders looked on in anguish.
United gave themselves a lifeline as they got forward with purpose before the hour. Luke Joyce checked his run and waited as Hope fed the ball into his path and a firm shot into the bottom corner brought the Cumbrians right back into it.
Substitute Richie Bennett had a great chance to write his name into the history books just moments after he came on as his first touch was a header from just eight yards out. He got there in time but he put it too close to the keeper.
Carlisle created half chances, and one very good opening which was spurned by Bennett, but Swindon held their shape to leave the home side with much to ponder from a disappointing opening day showing. it