Jabo nabs it for the revitalised Cumbrians
KEITH Curle couldn’t be happier to have his main marksman back firing, after Jabo Ibehre nodded in a decisive winner to down luckless Stevenage at Brunton Park.
It was the first goal of 2016 for the Cumbrians’ top scorer, and all the sweeter for the striker having had his controversial midweek red card against Accrington Stanley rescinded two days earlier.
The strike left his boss singing his praises, as Carlisle maintained their play-off tilt.
“We needed it and Jabo needed it,” explained Curle.
“Other players look up to him to be a focal point in our side, but ultimately he is there to score goals.
“After struggling in midweek without him for so long, it was a superb bit of marksmanship that made the difference.
“There was virtually no pace on the ball. I don’t think there’s anyone else on the pitch that would’ve scored that header.
“We would like to roll teams with over three or four goals, but realistically, we know we weren’t at our best and still grinded a win out - that is very satisfying.”
Visitors Boro could have been ahead inside five minutes when Blues keeper Mark Gillespie horribly undersold a pass, but Byron Harrison’s eventual strike was soft enough for the stopper to tip around the post.
And luck remained with the Cumbrians when Dean Parrett managed to break through their backline, his deflected effort looped past Gillespie but cannoned back off the crossbar for another home reprieve.
And after seeing a cluster of half-chances go begging after the break, Carlisle made them pay, full-back Alex McQueen did well to get to the byline before digging out a superb cross which was nodded home expertly by top scorer Ibehre.
The pattern of play didn’t alter however, with Tom Pett carving out two fantastic chances from the right.Yet somehow both Ryan Hedges and Luke Wilkinson failed to apply a finishing touch from point blank range.
Aaron O’Connor brought another fine save out of Gillespie late on, summing up a performance which left caretaker boss Darren Sarll with mixed emotions.
“We were outstanding,” Sarll insisted. “The players have come in devastated at full-time because they know how well they have done.
“For the first 20 minutes of the second half we’ve struggled to replicate our strong defending against their front two, and it has cost us. But other than that we have dominated the game, the result is hard to take.We have had the luxury of two wins coming into this, but it makes this one even more painful.”