Blues hold off Oldham to secure place in draw
CARLISLE 3 OLDHAM 2
CARLISLE United’s FA Cup hopes and dreams are alive and kicking as they head into tomorrow’s second-round draw off the back of a very welcome home victory over a resurgent Oldham Athletic.
A run of just one defeat in eight games since the arrival of new manager Richie Wellens had seen the Latics climb out of the League One relegation places, but they were put to the sword by a much better performance from a confident-looking Cumbrian outfit.
However, the hosts were made to sweat as Oldham came close to completing an unlikely comeback having looked dead and buried with half an hour left to play.
Oldham looked like a side on the up as they came out of the blocks quickly and an early cross from Dummigan caught Bonham in two minds.
He left his decision to dive and punch it late, and he had to recover sharply as the ball dipped and fell kindly for Menig. A first-time volley from the alert midfielder wasn’t too far away as it whipped past the upright.
United responded with
some good pressure which eventually brought a lobbed cross from Joyce.
Bennett was up to meet it but his header back across the face of goal was hooked away by Hunt. The Latics broke and an unexpected gap opened up in front of Gardner as he carried it forward. He let fly with a thundering shot which crashed on to the bar and ricocheted away to safety.
Keeper Jack Bonham had to be at his best as Oldham came again with some genuine pace
on the right wing.
The cross from Dummigan was perfect for Davies to touch but the Carlisle stopper somehow got down to make the save before the ball could get over his line.
It proved to be a gamechanging stop as the Blues got forward with purpose. A deflection earned them a corner, which Grainger delivered, and Hill kept his eye on the ball before nodding it back into the mix. Richie Bennett did the rest as he made it two goals in two
games with a thumping closerange header into the net.
Carlisle extended their lead when a long free-kick from Bonham found Bennett in a good area.
He battled for it, and the loose ball was pounced on by Hope on the edge of the box. The in-form striker left Placide with no chance as he rifled a volley into the top corner to take his tally to six goals for the season.
The second half took a while to get going but Gardner sent a hopeful effort wide following a better spell for the visitors.
Carlisle should have scored again when Bennett put Hope into the box with a slide rule pass. The forward tried to return the favour, when he could have gone for goal himself, and Fane was there again to make a timely tackle.
United got their cushion when Lambe combined with Joyce to make room for a cross.
Richie Bennett got his reward when it bounced off his shoulder and bobbled over the line. But the Latics gave themselves a lifeline in what was a pulsating passage of play when Clarke dropped low to head a cross from Bryan in off the post.
It became a real contest when substitute Aaron Holloway pounced on a parried save from Bonham to leave the floored stopper with no chance with a finish from inside the six-yard box.
Bonham had more work to do as the clock ticked down, and Devitt missed a great chance to make the result, and it was a welcome final whistle which blew on an equally welcome victory.