HARRY’S JUST TOO HOT TO HANDLE
THERE was no cup upset in East Dulwich as a Harry McKirdy double helped see Carlisle United through relatively unscathed.
The BBC cameras and a sell-out crowd arrived hopeful of a shock on Friday evening, but the struggling League Two club did enough against their sixth-tier opposition.
For Dulwich Hamlet, the night was a cause for celebration having returned to Champion Hill little under a year since they were kicked out by landlords Meadow Residential.
And on their well-kept pitch, the Non-League side played with confidence and controlled the majority of possession throughout the tie, earning praise from relieved Carlisle boss Steven Pressley.
He said: “We can’t take anything away from Dulwich. They were everything and more in terms of what we expected.
“They put us under a lot of pressure. We had to defend the basics of the game well, which I thought we did, and we always looked a threat on the counter. It was a professional job from ourselves but full credit to Dulwich.
“The most important thing with a game like this is that you get through and, in the end, to win 4-1 away from home with a televised game is a good and positive result for us.”
Even after Olufela Olomola coolly tucked home to put United ahead inside eight minutes, Dulwich were unfazed and right-back Marvin McCoy almost levelled when his strike clipped the top of Adam Collin’s crossbar.
Impressive forward McKirdy made it two with a tap-in against the run of play ten minutes before half-time, but the hosts’ endeavour was rewarded after the break when Christian Smith headed in from Dom Vose’s freekick.
Hamlet were deservedly within touching distance until Mike Jones’ unexpected, yet outstanding, longrange effort ten minutes later found the top corner.
It gave Carlisle the breathing space and confidence to demonstrate their Football League quality while controlling the threat posed by Dulwich’s powerful forward Danny Mills.
McKirdy, 22, made sure the Cumbrians would be heading into the second round and making it three games unbeaten with a well-taken finish when up against keeper Charlie Grainger two minutes from time.
“Maybe the emotion of the game probably got the better of the boys at times,” said boss Gavin Rose.
“I thought we were brave. We tried to have a go at the game. We lacked quality in the last third if we’re being honest – crossing and our final pass. Carlisle managed the game well and hit us on the break. I will learn something from this and hopefully the boys will learn too.”