United travelled to Oldham for this rearranged League One fixture knowing that any kind of victory would see them cemented in the upper echelons of the division with 5 games played.

Chris Billy missed out, being replaced by Simon Hackney in midfield, otheriwse it was the same group of players who went to continue the positive momentum that had been building up.

United certainly started brightly, keeping the ball well and taking the game to their hosts at every opportunity, and the Latics fans were kept silent as the Cumbrians dictated the pace of the early stages.

Michael Bridges was first to go for goal in the 4th minute when he took the ball in to his stride, 12 yards out, and set himself for the shot. Unfortunately he didn't quite connect and dragged it wide across the face of the goal.

The clearance was long and high and Kev Gray met it, sending his header back towards the Oldham area. Hawley was on to it and looked to be free, only to have the ball nicked from his toe by Stam when he was ready to pull the trigger.

A poor tackle on Bridges in the 9th minute brought a brief debate as to who would take charge of the set piece, and it was Murphy who almost scored as he sent a wonderful curling ball over the wall. Creeping just inside the woodwork, it took a diving save from Knight to keep it out.

Although things were comfortable for a confident Carlisle they received a warning shot across the bows in the 11th minute when Simon Hackney was caught in possession by Wellens. The Oldham man wasn't wasting any time and broke quickly, cutting in to a dangerous area before unleashing a rasping drive that Westwood had to be at his best to get to.

Carlisle continued to increase their corner count, with some lightning quick breaks down both wings, and it was from one such flowing move that Bridges found himself with a volleying chance from 17 yards. He took it on his thigh initially, but couldn't keep the strike down and sent it high over the bar.

Westwood was called in to action again on 22 minutes when Grabban weaved through two challenges, getting to the edge of the box. His thunderbolt had goal written all over it and it took another top drawer save from the Carlisle keeper to deflect it over the bar.

The very next Latics attack was even closer to a goal as the end result as the very fast Eardley went on a run down the wing. His cross dissected the defence and Haining, steaming in at pace, got his foot to it and sent it goalwards. The base of the post stopped it from crossing the line, and Westwood was pleased to be able to gather the pieces as players started to flood in to the box.

It had been a good spell for the visitors but Carlisle gained the upper hand once more, starting with some neat work in midfield from Murray. He took the ball off Wellens before passing to Hawley on the right of the penalty area. He pulled his shot towards the bottom corner and Knight had to palm it behind for a corner. Lumsdon delivered it and Kev Gall obliged with a well hit volley, only to see it fly straight at Knight.

A steady looking free kick in the 29th minute brought a moment of panic at the back for United when Stam was left unmarked for the floating ball in. He put his foot through it, getting plenty of power, but Westwood was well placed to take it.

Grabban thought he'd scored on 36 minutes when he reacted quickly to a wicked pass in to the area, and he found the back of the net at exactly the same moment that the Assistant Referee had decided to raise his flag. If the fans were annoyed about that decision then their patience was about to be tested yet further when a bouncing ball forward saw Gall challenging with Knight as to who would be first to get there. The keeper had a rush of blood to the head, grabbing it outside the area, and the Referee had no option but to show him a straight red card. Paul Warne was immediately sacrificed up front as Terry Smith came on to go in goals.

Carlisle used the one man advantage to press forward even more and a slick one/two between Bridges and Hackney saw a cheeky ball over the top drop nicely for the latter to smash towards the top of the net. New keeper Smith introduced himself in style by athletically leaping high to get enough on it to divert it on to the crossbar.

Things opened up once more in the 45th minute as Gall and Hawley worked their way down the right. When the pass came in Bridges met it early, but was well wide with what was a difficult chance to control.

The final action of the half was a Gall shot that was never going to test Smith, and there will have been some explaining for him to do in the dressing room as both Lumsdon and Bridges had taken up decent positions themselves. 

Half Time: Oldham 0 - 0 United

Neil McDonald will have asked for more of the same from his team as they had largely dominated an entertaining first half, and they were the team on top for the most part as they played the ball around the park in some style, as has been their way this season.

Simon Hackney was wild with a loose volley and Paul Murray was blocked as he tried to break through, but the best moment of the opening ten minutes fell to Lewis Grabban as he stole a yard in the box. Wellens had been the catalyst, using his strength to burst down the right, and his cross was met by the forward with a very firm volley. Westwood was beaten, but so was the far post, and Carlisle were able to breath again.

A much more accurate Lumsdon corner in the 54th minute brought some last ditch defending as Aranalde won the first header, flicking it downwards towards the back of the net. A block, right on the line, kept the ball out and Kev Gray was first to get there, smashing it hard and low. Smith did his bit this time, throwing himself in the way and completing the block to relieve the pressure. Michael Bridges had the last say of the move as he tried an ambitious volley that wouldn't drop in time to trouble the nets.

Karl Hawley was first to a ball through the middle in the 64th minute, managing to poke it beyond the onrushing keeper. He claimed a deflection and a corner as it bobbled the wrong side of the woodwork as far as the Cumbrians were concerned, but Mr Salisbury ignored his pleas and pointed for a goal kick.

It was turning out to be a frustrating afternoon for Carlisle in front of goal as Bridges and Hawley continued to shoot whenever they could, and they were almost undone again when a nothing ball down the middle fell nicely for Taylor. He hooked it over the advancing Keiren Westwood and could only watch in anguish as it came down beyond the target.

David Raven went in the book for a lunging challenge in the 78th minute as the game became scrappy, with Oldham unsurprisingly defending deep and in numbers.

There was almost a sting in the tail for the Cumbrians when Michael Bridges was flattened just outside the Oldham area with just 2 minutes to go. Carlisle seemed to hesitate, expecting a free kick, but Molango was nowhere near as reticent as he streaked away through the middle. Westwood had to stay big and managed to pull off a vital save as the Latics fans waited expectantly.

Kev Gray went in the book in the dying seconds as he and Peter Murphy struggled to clear a difficult ball that Molango was willing to chase, and Kev Gall placed a snap volley over the bar at the other end shortly after in what had become a very frustrating game of football. Haining had a decent chance when he turned Raven deep in to time added on, and Murphy was booked when he went to ground with Molango, and they were to be the closing exchanges of what had been a game that neither side did quite enough to win.

This was a match that United fans will feel was there for the taking, but it was one of those days when they came up against a team who had defended with their lives, having gone down to 10 men early on. Plenty of chances were created and plenty of superb football was played, but the cutting edge never quite materialised on this occasion. A point away from home is the least you travel away for, so it's job done in that respect, and the positives keep piling up after yet another accomplished footballing display.

Bookings

Oldham - Knight 38 (sent off for hand ball outside of 18 yard box)

United - Raven (78), Gray (90), Murphy (90)

Teams

Oldham - Knight, Eardley, Haining, Stam, Charlton, Wellens, McDonald, Edwards (Taylor 60), Warne (Smith 40), Grabban (Molango 83), Liddell. Not Used - Wood, Rocastle.

United - Westwood, Raven, Gray, Murphy, Aranalde, Lumsdon, Hackney, P Murray, Gall, Bridges, Hawley. Not Used - Williams, Grand, Livesey, Joyce, Arnison.

Travelling fans - 1855