Frustrated Sheridan may make changes
CARLISLE manager John Sheridan called on his players to show greater consistency after they slipped to successive home defeats against Stevenage.
The visitors extended their unbeaten run to four games when a second half goal from Ben Kennedy enabled them to edge past a below par Carlisle.
“Every game in this division is hard and you can’t predict results. We get a good result one week then we go and do this to ourselves,” said Sheridan.
“The work ethic was there but we should have scored two or three in the first half.
“There are one or two players knocking on the door and I might have a look at a few different players in midweek.”
It was a second successive home defeat without scoring for the Cumbrians, whose late pressure failed to find a way through the visitors’ defensive ranks.
Stevenage had the best early opportunity when Danny Newton was inches from making contact with Emmanuel Sonupe’s ball from the right.
Luther Wildin came to Stevenage’s rescue with a magnificent block which prevented Richie Bennett from giving Carlisle an 18th-minute lead. Adam Collin had to look sharp in the 32nd minute, diving to get an outstretched hand to foil Newton’s driven, low 20-yarder, and when Alex Revell was put in the clear by Joel Byrom just before the break, the Carlisle goalkeeper brought his feet into play to deny a clear scoring chance.
The game was crying out for a goal and it arrived in the 56th minute, with a fine effort by Kennedy, who left Collin helpless from the edge of the box.
Carlisle almost levelled two minutes later when sub Adam Campbell hit a post with his header.
Stevenage boss Dino Maamria dedicated the win to fans who were held up in traffic problems en route to Brunton Park.
He said: “We were very good, especially in possession where we were magnificent. Some of our football was brilliant today and I think we should have scored more.
“They put us under pressure in the last 10 minutes, but we controlled a large part of the game.
“We’ve done a lot of work on possession of the ball. We prepared really well and the three points are for the fans who didn’t make it.”