PRESSLEY PRIDE AT TEAM’S ‘BEST’
STEVEN Pressley lauded his side’s best performance since he took charge as the Cumbrians settled for a point at play-off rivals Forest Green.
It took a goalkeeping masterclass from Reading loanee Lewis Ward to deny the Cumbrians the three points as they bounced back from their midweek 3-1 defeat at home to struggling Notts County.
Reece Brown’s eighth goal of the season on 31 minutes gave Rovers the lead, but Nathan Thomas levelled things up three minutes after the restart.
Earlier, Carlisle should have been ahead after 24 minutes –- Danny Grainger’s corner moved like a beach ball to leave Ward flapping, but Nathan Thomas watched his stooping header kiss the bar. Two minutes later Thomas breezed inside Nathan McGinley, but Ward imposed himself to block.
But Rovers served a riposte to take the lead seven minutes later. Against the run of play, Christian Doidge played in the leggy Brown who lashed in a sumptuous strike from the edge of the box.
Carlisle were back in the game after 48 minutes. Nathan McGinley had his pocket picked by Thomas, who finally found his shooting boots to equalise.
The goal knocked the stuffing out of Rovers, but Ward came to their rescue, saving a Mike Jones stinger and then diving to foil Thomas.
Forest Green sub George Williams hit the post near the end, but Pressley purred: “Since I’ve been at the club that’s been our best performance thus far. We were really, really controlled in and out of possession, and we dominated against a good side, restricted them to very few opportunities.
“We probably had six or seven clearcut chances, not half-chances, so for us to draw the game is disappointing. As a manager I understand it’s about winning, but I also look at the performance to see improvement.
“The last couple of games I felt we just got away from the controlled performances that I’d seen in my first six or seven games, and we returned to that. Meanwhile, Forest Green boss Mark Cooper insisted his side failed to replicate the dizzy heights of their 3-0 victory at Colchester United in the week. “Carlisle dealt with the conditions better than us, but once we go in front we should win the game 1-0, but a horrendous mistake from a young player (Nathan McGinley) still learning the game. But we should still win the game, 1-0. “Lewis Ward was our best player, we had 11 players at it at Colchester, but we were nowhere near. We hit the post near the end, but we wouldn’t have deserved the three points.”