From hero to villain for keeper Garratt

DANNY Grainger’s first-half penalty miss didn’t come back to haunt Carlisle, who benefited from another error from Crewe keeper Ben Garratt to book their place in the second round draw.

Garratt was adjudged to have tripped Cumbrians striker Richie Bennett while the keeper was floored saving a close-range effort from Hallam Hope in the first half.

Garratt guessed correctly to push out the Carlisle skipper’s 24th-minute spot-kick. But his judgment let him down in the last minute as, with the tie heading for a replay at Brunton Park, he lashed Kevin O’Connor’s poor backpass against Jamie Devitt and the ball rebounded off the midfielder into the net.

Carlisle boss John Sheridan admitted: “Sometimes you’ll just take a goal. Obviously, it is a lucky goal and very disappointing on Crewe’s part, but I’ll take it and the way you win it doesn’t matter as it gets us into the next round and there is a little financial reward for us.”

Crewe boss Dave Artell described the penalty decision by referee Mark Griffiths as “extremely dubious” while bemoaning his side’s finishing, in particular a first-half chance Chris Porter spurned by dragging past the post.

“We were the better team throughout and they were restricted to shots from 25 yards,” insisted Artell. “We had numerous chances and we had the ball around the box numerous times in the second half without pulling the trigger.

“We didn’t deserve that, but if you don’t take your chances and you make a catastrophic mistake you get what you deserve. You can’t legislate for mistakes like that.”

In the first half, Carlisle went close through a Devitt volley which flew just over and a thunderous drive from Regan Slater which Garratt helped around his post before the disputed penalty was wasted by Grainger.

Crewe were better after the restart, but even though Artell shuffled his pack up front replacing the misfiring Porter and Alex Nicholls with leading scorer Jordan Bowery and Shaun Miller his side could not carve out a clear opening.

The closest they came was when Charlie Kirk’s curling shot soon after half-time was turned around by Adam Collin.