Cumbrians drought is finally at an end
CARLISLE revived their push for the playoffs as they ended a 702-minute goal drought to beat struggling Yeovil and move up to seventh spot.
The Cumbrians had earned just one point from seven games before heading to Somerset, a run that saw them slip outside the all-important top seven.
But John O’Sullivan’s headed goal on 16 minutes visibly lifted their confidence and Reggie Lambe made sure of victory after the home side had Ben Whitfield sent off.
Boss Keith Curle said: “Let’s be honest, it wasn’t a great game.
“I don't think in any way, shape, or form it was a classic. You could tell there was a nervousness and tentativeness in some of the play.
“Goals change games and I thought we professionally saw the game out and we had opportunities to perhaps go on and make it four or five.
“A clean sheet and a win away from home was what we needed. I had a feeling our first victory was going to be a scruffy one.”
Yeovil have won just once in their last 12 games but are still ten points above the League Two relegation zone.
Manager Darren Way said: “We have to take collective responsibility for that because we are very disappointed with what happened.
“Goals from set-plays are costing us at the moment and I’ve lost count of how many goals Carlisle have scored against us like that.
“We worked hard all week on stopping it but when that header went in, it gave them a huge boost and lifted a team that was low on confidence.
“We had possession after that but we didn’t do enough with it, we didn’t have enough quality and quite rightly the crowd weren’t happy with what they were seeing.”
Carlisle went ahead on 16 minutes when a quick free-kick freed Lambe to send over a cross which was headed in at the near post by O’Sullivan.
Tom Eaves came close to an equaliser just before half-time when he flicked a cross from Whitfield just wide, but Carlisle took control of proceedings after the break.
Whitfield was sent off on 54 minutes for an elbow on Cumbrians defender Tom Miller and just a minute later the visitors doubled their lead.
Lambe’s powerful drive was beaten away by Yeovil keeper Artur Krysiak, but the winger reacted quickest to score from the rebound.
And that sealed the victory for Carlisle as they climbed back into the play-off spots.