An overcast but impressive looking Huish Park welcomed the travelling band of hardy Cumbrians for the latest instalment of League One football, with two teams preparing to do battle who would both have been aiming to come away with something from what had the makings of another tight match.

Fresh from a hard fought 0-0 draw at Saltergate, McDonald stuck with the starting eleven that had looked so strong and resolute in their previous two games.

Meanwhile new Glovers Boss Russell Slade stuck with his 4-4-2 tried and tested formation, hoping to convert the chances that he has accused his side of allowing to go begging so far this season.

Returning hero Kev Gall had any fears of a less than welcome early return to his old stamping ground laid to rest by an appreciative set of home fans who constantly called for him to 'give them a wave' in the lead up to the big kick off.

The first chance in what was a tight opening came from a passage of excellent play that saw Raven and Lumsdon link in midifeld. The latter fed a cheeky pass in between the waiting defenders, inviting Gall to move in to the box. He let the ball drift across his front and, hitting on the turn, almost caught Mildenhall unawares with a rising 17 yard volley that had top corner written all over it. The keeper was alert, though, and tipped it over the bar.

From the resulting corner Peter Murphy was left disappointed when the ball zipped through to him on the penalty spot. His first touch was heavy and the chance was gone.

The visitors were looking lively going forward and they opened things up once more in the 6th minute when Hawley raced on to his own cushioned header forward. Beating the defender for pace he drilled a pass across the length of the 18 yard box to Gall, who directed it in to the path of the mobile Paul Murray. Mildenhall had to be out quickly to take the ball off his toe.

The flowing football was coming from the Cumbrians in the opening exchanges and a slick move saw Raven go on the overlap, down the right, completely unmarked. A teasing cross evaded everyone and Hawley, lurking in the middle, was robbed of a shooting chance by a timely tackle from Skiverton.

Michael Bridges was next to have a pop when he ran from deep, taking green and white hoops with him. Looking up, 22 yards out, he wrapped his left foot round it but it was easy for the keeper.

Yeovil finally started to get in to the game on 11 minutes when a hopeful cross from Nathan Jones had Westwood back tracking when the ball caught in the wind. Some nifty foot work meant that he was able to pluck it from beneath the bar in the end.

Poole then sent a wild shot swirling beyond the far post as he ignored the runners either side of him, opting instead for the attempt at glory. The Glovers would take the lead, though, when a poorly defended Jones free kick was allowed to sail in to the area and bounce freely in space. Chris Cohen was the only player not to hesitate, making the ball his own as he clipped it over Westwood and in to the net.

Cohen tried to extend the lead yet further 60 seconds later when a Welsh break down the left invited runs in to the box. The cross was poorly placed, but the midfielder swung a foot at it, dragging the effort towards the corner flag.

The red shirts started to take control once more after the shock of the goal had subsided, and an Aranalde free kick had to be turned behind for a corner on 20 minutes. The defender would go on to miss a free header himself when he was allowed to run clear from the set piece, and Yeovil eventually cleared their lines.

Kev Gall marked his return to Huish Park in style on 23 minutes when he levelled the scores with an immaculately taken goal. Bridges was the catalyst, twisting and turning in midfield before threading a slide rule pass on to his strike partner. Gall wasted no time and gave Mildenhall no chance to set himself, stroking the ball in to the bottom corner.

Kevin James saw his long range shot deflected over the bar by Murphy in the 25th minute and Paul Terry will wish he had kept his eye on the ball from the corner as it whipped over Gray's head and dropped at his feet. He couldn't control it and Gall was able to sweep it clear.

Carlisle were stretched again in the 31st minute when a deep cross from the left was only half cleared by Aranalde. Poole was quickly on to it, but he had to poke a toe at it rather than find any power, and Murphy got the block in. The danger wasn't over by any means, and the tricky Wayne Gray was able to turn on the edge of the area before sending one directly at Westwood.

Karl Hawley returned the favour at the other end when he found Mildenhall with a punt from 18 yards after some customary twisting and turning, and it was the start of a good little spell for the Cumbrians, who could easily have taken the lead. Chris Billy was first to get behind the back line only to find no-one in the middle when his cross came in, and Bridges had to watch the same thing happen when he picked up the loose ball and sent it back towards the middle of the goal.

The pendulum of power swung back towards Yeovil as half time approached and Poole brought a great save from Westwood on 41 minutes, after he raced on to a James pass. The keeper had to be out quickly as the midfielder broke through, parrying a fierce shot away to protect his goal.

The second goal of the day for Yeovil came from nothing in the very next attack, and just as it looked as if the moment had been dealt with. James and Welsh were busy just outside the area, but Raven and Gray were doing enough to prevent any serious foray towards the target. However, the young right back found himself off balance and under pressure and, as he put his foot through the ball to clear it, found that Ishmael Welsh was thinking exactly the same thing. The Glover's man connected strongly, and Westwood was left to watch it sail over his dive and in to the top corner as the home side claimed the lead once more.

Half Time: Yeovil 2 - 1 United

The first incident of note of a subdued opening to the second period was on 49 minutes when the Assistant Referee's flag decided to self implode, leaving him holding a small handle when he flagged for a Hawley free kick.

A promising Carlisle move came to an abrupt end shortly after when Hawley ignored the runs of Bridges and Lumsdon, going for an ambitious 26 yard screamer. It rose too high and was never troubling the target. Paul Murray sent a 19 yard left footed volley the same way from a Lumsdon corner, but Yeovil would have the best moment of the tentative period when James broke clear. A back post cross invited Welsh to volley, and he was wayward with what turned out to be a very poor effort.

Bridges was the creative talent behind another decent opportunity for Carlisle when he evaded challenge after challenge in the midfield area. Aranalde overlapped and picked a looping pass to the back post for Hawley to fight for. He made it his own, but the downwards header lacked power and Mildenhall was comfortable.

Hawley would send another 23 yard drive over after another patient build up, but Carlisle thought they had scored in the 58th minute when they wasted no time in getting forward. Bridges pulled out wide, clipping it back towards Billy, and his cross was placed with precision on to the head of Paul Murray. The 16 yard header was angled towards the top corner but it dropped an inch the wrong side of the post.

Kev Gray was next to be guilty of directing the ball straight at the keeper when he rose at the far post to meet a Lumsdon cross. Within a matter of moments the Cumbrians were almost caught with a sucker punch as the Glovers broke quickly. Wayne Gray spotted Poole in acres of space, inside the area, and it took a spectacular diving save from Westwood to keep his side in the game.

Hackney came on to replace Billy at the heart of the United midfield on 66 minutes but it was the heart of the defence that had be on guard as Wayne Gray burst through. Murphy bided his time, nicking the ball away at the vital moment.

James and Gray both had efforts blocked in the 74th minute and Skiverton had to watch a long Westwood kick very closely indeed at the other end as Bridges threatened to steal it. The ball was kicked clear in the end.

A sustained period of pressure led to a Murphy shot from 24 yards in the 80th minute after United had kept Yeovil penned in with balls in to the box. It was to come to nothing as the hooped defence did just enough to keep things tight.

Carlisle kept plugging away as the Glovers shored things up at the back, and the patient approach almost paid dividends on 86 minutes when Lumsdon floated a perfect ball in to the area, from deep, for Hackney to get to. With the choice of heading early or taking it on his chest, he opted for the former, but couldn't test Mildenhall who was grateful for the catching practice.

Some head tennis between Holmes and Bridges in time added on briefly raised hopes as nearly every player camped in the Yeovil half, but the clear cut opportunity just wouldn't come, and Yeovil were able to celebrate their 3 points with Carlisle left to rue their missed chances.

This was a hard defeat to take for a United side who had worked for each other and who had created some decent opportunities in front of goal. In the end, two very strange goals were to be their downfall, and credit has to be given to the Glovers for defending well after taking the lead for the second time. The performance warranted at least a point, but it wasn't to be as the often attractive football just failed to provide that decisive killer moment. It's Leyton Orient next week and, with plenty of positives from displays such as this, it'll be nice to get the lads back to Brunton Park.

Goals

Yeovil - Cohen (16), Welsh (42)

United - Gall (23)

Teams

Yeovil - Mildenhall, Jones, Skiverton, Forbes, Terry (Kalala 66), Gray, Cohen, Poole (Davies 82), Lindegaard, Welsh, James (Harrold 75). Not Used - Guyett, Morris.  

United - Westwood, Raven, Gray, Murphy, Aranalde, Billy (Hackney 66), P Murray (Holmes 77), Lumsdon, Gall, Bridges, Hawley. Not Used - Williams, McDermott, Arnison.

Travelling fans - tbc