Peter Murphy was suspended for this one, having reached the dreaded 5 yellow card limit, but Dave Beharall was the only other first team squad absentee having taken a tumble in training on Thursday.
Having seen the Pilgrims off with a devastating display in midweek Paul Simpson opted to stick with the same attack minded formation, with Aranalde filling in the left back slot.
A bubbly home crowd came in to this one having celebrated Performance of the Week, Manager of the Month and the acquisition of the universally accepted 50 point safety target, and had just one bus load of travelling fans to contend with in the battle of the terraces.
The Robins were always going to be up for this and they had the better of the possession early on, almost making the most of it as early as the 5th minute. Wilson received an accurate pass from Townsend and swung a dangerous cross in to the box, where Odejayi was moving in to space. He got a strong head to it but Westwood reacted athletically, tipping it over the bar.
The close call spurred United in to a better spell for themselves, with Bridges finding some excellent touches. A smart flick on by Holmes in the 6th minute was gathered by Hawley and he spotted Bridges 20 yards from goal. The Wednesday evening hat-trick hero let one go but his powerful effort lacked accuracy, flying well wide.
Melligan and Wilson were well drilled, breaking left and right whenever Cheltenham gained the ball, and Carlisle looked good themselves whenever they pushed onwards and forwards. As expected, both sides were having to concentrate fully to keep a lid on what their opponent was trying to do.
Chris Billy won a corner in the 11th minute when he latched on to a weak headed clearance but it was Cheltenham who should have gone ahead in the 13th minute when Odejayi made a long ball in to the box his own. His downward header picked out the supporting run of Bird, but he was wild sending it high and ugly over the crossbar when he could and should have done better.
Quick thinking by Hawley as Carlisle looked to assert themselves in the 15th minute saw him loft a pass over towards Holmes on the right hand side of the Cheltenham penalty area. He got a good first touch to create a shooting chance for himself but had his shot blocked by Townsend just as he lined up the tester for Higgs.
There was more good stuff from the visitors to follow when Gray lost the ball, allowing the midfield to flood forward. Intricate passing led to Odejayi searching out a shooting channel, but a half block by Livesey meant that Westwood could pick up the weakened drive.
JJ Melligan had scored from distance against us earlier in the season and he went for more of the same on 20 minutes when he cut in from the right. Sitting back, the defence clearly didn't expect anything to happen as the dipping effort whistled past them and dropped just over the bar.
Westwood was called in to action once more in the 22nd minute when a wicked corner popped around the box and fell for Bird. He wasted no time at all in unleashing his fury, bringing a diving save from the United keeper, who got enough on it to push it on to the woodwork. Arnison did the rest by making sure that the clearance was completed.
Arnison had a pop from 27 yards himself, before going in to the book for a nothing challenge in the 26th minute that will see him miss the Macclesfield game next Sunday. United's best move of the game thus far almost brought a first League goal of the season for Adam Murray when Hawley did well out on the wing. His deep cross found the run of the midfielder and he looked to have done everything right, sidefooting it low, but Higgs had spread himself and got enough of his body to it to make sure that it bounced away.
Paul Arnison was in the mood for a goal and he had Higgs off balance with a crashing 35 yarder that changed direction at least twice whilst in flight. The parry brought claims for a corner, but the keeper had done well in the end.
Back at the other end, in a game that was still very finely balanced, Westwood misjudged a cross from Wilson that was immediately returned towards Odejayi. He got a head to it but was left disappointed as it drifted wide of the goal.
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Seventh heaven |
An Adam Murray cross had Bridges interested again as half time approached but it went for a corner as Caines went up with him. In a 45 minutes where the visitors had enjoyed their moments it was full credit to Carlisle for giving as much as they had got, and for putting themselves ahead in such a clinical manner.
Half Time: United 1 - 0 Cheltenham
United returned to the pitch with a new 12th man, with Derek Lacey the proud owner of a United shirt in recognition of his stirling work for BBC Radio Cumbria, both home and away, whilst commentating on Carlisle United.
It started brightly for United when Bridges made a great run that took him free and towards the bye line. He got a chip in and it needed an interception from Bell to keep it off the head of the waiting Lumsdon.
Adam Murray showed his strength in the 48th minute when he bustled his way through some strong challenges in midfield and found Hawley waiting. The shot, when it came, went right at Higgs and was easy for the keeper.
Odejayi was continuing his hard work of the first half and had a turn stopped in the 53rd minute quickly followed by a glancing header that lobbed itself above the angle of the post and the bar in the next attack.
The tempo was still high from the Robins but they didn't seem to have the bite of the first half, and Wilson was left kicking himself as he pulled a low cross/shot behind the goal.
Michael Bridges has a knack of bringing other players in to the game and it was his holding play in the 59th minute that allowed Lumsdon to ghost in. Unfortunately it was on the midfielders wrong foot and Higgs was able to scoop it up. The Robins flew forward, trying to catch United asleep, and Guinan had far too much space which he used very well indeed. A trap and turn ended with a blazing drive over the bar.
The 61st minute brought a roaring appeal for handball in the penalty box as Hawley and Bridges tried to pick a route through the defence, but it was waved away, with the whole of Brunton Park disagreeing with the decision.
It was good pressure from Carlisle and Bridges broke free again in the 63rd minute, and had plenty in support. He decided to go for it himself, curling it wide, with Arnison the loudest voice asking why he hadn't been played in. A Lumsdon corner in the 65th minute was millimetres from the toe end of Gray as a defensive flick was enough to take it away from Carlisle captain.
It was now Cheltenham's turn to press forward again and a free kick in the 69th minute was floated at a good height by Melligan. Bird got to it but was unable to find the target, putting it behind for a goal kick. Wilson was next to go close when he got on the end of another decent move but United were standing strong at the back.
In a game that really was swings and roundabouts United probed with Hawley on the right, trying to tease his way through. He looked up and saw Holmes, and threaded a cross towards him, but it was nodded behind just as the big Scot steadied himself for the header.
The very bright JJ Melligan injured himself when he went for a high volley in the 75th minute and he had to leave the field, with the visiting bench obviously concerned as to his condition. Cheltenham still hadn't given up on getting something and Spencer brought a brave block from Livesey in the 77th minute. Bird tried to make sure that the chance hadn't gone begging but was wayward with his half volley as he latched on to the rebound.
Simon Hackney is a player who has goals in him and he won't come closer, without actually getting one, than he did in the 81st minute. Michael Bridges was the catalyst when quick footwork took him clear of two challenges before going for a shot. The deflection dropped nicely for Hackney and his low effort zipped beyond the sprawling dive of Higgs and about an inch past the post.
The nip and tick continued but a patient Carlisle build up in the 85th minute ended with Adam Murray rifling another sighter in to the Warwick.
It was hearts in the mouth time in the 87th minute when short interchanging brought a cross and a stab at goal for substitute Steve Gillespie. Westwood had taken an excellent position and pulled off yet another fantastic save to maintain the clean sheet.
Straight back up to the Cheltenham end and it was Glenn Murray who found himself breaking clear, with the nets at his mercy. He brought the best from Higgs with a blaster that was angling nicely towards the back of the net.
After an afternoon of fantastic work it was ultimately to end in heartbreak as the Referee seemed to forget to look at his watch and went way beyond the allotted 3 minutes of time added on. A deep cross in to the box was played back across in to the danger area and Kevin Gray, who appeared to be trying to head it over his own bar, got the connection wrong and placed it in to his own net. Somehow, after all that had gone before, the game had ended as a draw.
This was a great game, and just as it looked like we had seen it out a goal was conceded in a very cruel manner. Perhaps we should have had a free kick way before Cheltenham even got forward or, perhaps if the official had checked his watch, it would never even have got that far. However, if we're honest, we have to say that this was two very good teams who can both be pleased with how they are playing. The draw was probably a fair result, even though Carlisle will look to the chances they missed, and it keeps the points coming in at a very crucial stage of the campaign. This was a good game, and the large crowd will have enjoyed it, despite the twist in the tail.
Goals
United - Bridges (40)
Cheltenham - Gray (og 90)
Bookings
United - Arnison (26)
Teams
United - Westwood, Arnison, Gray, Livesey, Aranalde, A Murray, Billy, Lumsdon, Holmes (Hackney 73), Bridges (G Murray 85), Hawley. Not Used - Bradley, Grand, McGill.
Cheltenham - Higgs, Gill (Wylde 87), Caines, Townsend, Bell, Melligan (Gillespie 76), Finnigan, Bird, Wilson, Guinan (Spencer 69), Odejayi. Not Used - Armstrong, Brown.
Travelling fans - 146
