Activity surrounding the transfer day deadline last week meant changes to a United side who were looking to continue their unbeaten home run against Cheltenham Town who, themselves, have had a decent start to the campaign.

However, it wasn't all plain sailing for Robins Boss John Ward as an injury crisis robbed him off no less than 7 regular starters.

It started quickly, as you would expect from two teams at the right end of the table, and Derek Holmes showed his strength when he won a long ball forward, flicking it onwards with his head. Hawley dinked it over the top for Gall to chase and it took some speedy footwork from Higgs to make sure he got there first.

Karl Hawley dragged a shot well wide in the 4th minute when he created a shooting chance from nothing, twisting and turning on the edge of the box, and Simon Hackney was busy as he tried to make an impression down the flanks in a frantic start to the game. His pace opened things up in the 8th minute when he dropped his shoulder and left his marker for dead, drilling a low cross in to the box. Hawley was there first, controlling well, but the Assistant flagged for a goal kick as the ball drifted behind the nets.

The Robins got in to the game for the first time in the 9th minute when Mickey Bell received a decent ball that sat nicely in front of him. He tried to curl it beyond Westwood and Murphy was there to head it away for a corner, just in case it was heading in.

At the other end some industrious work from Hawley saw him pull clear and his back post cross had Gall interested until Craig Armstrong got himself in the way and turned the ball behind.

Hawley was seeing plenty of the ball and he took everyone by surprise in the 12th minute when he trapped, turned and shot, all in one move, 19 yards from goal. Higgs had a good starting position and was able to dive across to tip it over the bar. Kev Gray was first to the corner, nodding towards the back post, and it needed a defender on the line to get it away from any further danger.

Chris Lumsdon was alert in the 14th minute when a Craig Armstrong corner eventually came to Victory, and his stab towards goal had Westwood beaten. The United midfielder stood his ground and was able to slash the ball clear as Cheltenham set themselves to celebrate.

Neither side was finding the clear cut chances easy to come by with the tussle in midfield taking centre stage, though United were enjoying the lions share of the possession. Tenacious tackling by Hackney and Hawley created a half chance in the 25th minute when the ball broke towards Holmes inside the area. The big striker stuck a toe out but he was off balance and could only prod his shot wide.

4th of the season

Melligan went for a drive from distance in the 26th minute but he fluffed the shot and Westwood gathered it easily. The ball was released by the keeper quickly and Derek Holmes spotted the run of Hackney, overlapping out wide. His pass was pinpoint and the pacey winger looked up to see Kev Gall in yards of space. He wasted no time with his cross, and the Welsh Wizard was able to power his header, unchallenged, beyond Higgs from 10 yards out.

A great passage of play on the half hour saw a combination of 8 passes end with a fizzed cross in to the box from the right. Karl Hawley rose high but it skimmed off his head and ran through to Higgs.

The goal had raised the pace of the game a notch and Hawley burst in to the box once more, finding himself a shooting position. He opted instead to cut the ball across to Gall, who was also in a decent area, but his shot was rushed and he flashed it wide of the post.

It was a very tight period with not much happening in front of goal at all with both teams playing a patient game in their build up.

The Hitman strikes again

Melligan was trying to use his pace to mix things up whilst the Cumbrians stuck to their way of playing the game by passing themselves in to attacking positions, but it was the perseverence of forward Derek Holmes in the 45th minute that brought the second goal of the afternoon.

He won a high ball, nodding it on to chase himself, then he used his strength to outmuscle Victory and make it his own. Lumsdon showed for it, sweeping a lovely first time cross over from the right, and Karl Hawley caught it on the volley leaving Higgs stranded as the back of the net bulged.

Half Time: United 2 - 0 Cheltenham

Ward went for a double substitution at the start of the second half, knowing that he needed to do something if his side were going to get anything from the game, but it was United who hit the front foot first with Simon Hackney.

He took a good pass from midfield in to his stride, racing directly at his marker, and was unlucky to see his shot whistle the wrong side of the post as he got plenty behind it.

Carlisle were looking comfortable and Lumsdon threaded an inch perfect pass in to Gall, who was robbed at the vital moment when he had a shot at his mercy. The corner was well delivered but the Robins were able to volley it clear as they stuck to their task.

Victory had a half hearted effort that screamed high over the bar, and Cheltenham were enjoying a better spell in the opening exchanges as they kept the ball much more.

However, the home pressure would mount once more as slick work in midfield released Raven on the right. Gall had found him with a first time flick and his cross was met by Holmes 12 yards out, directing his effort towards the bottom corner. Higgs was down quickly to get a palm to it and put it behind for a corner.

Hackney was playing wider for the second half and his threat was evident as he got past every red shirt that was put in front of him. His 57th minute cross was almost converted by Holmes, but Higgs was there to snuff out the danger. 

Raven had to defend in the 65th minute as Melligan went for a back post cross that Sostene Yao wanted to make his own. The Carlisle full back got there first, nodding the ball over the bar under pressure.

Peter Murphy went for an audacious long range effort from a free kick in the 73rd minute when Murray tapped it in to his path, but his range finder was malfunctioning on this occasion. Yao did pretty much the same thing 2 minutes later at the other end from another set piece as the game entered a subdued period.

Patience in the build up was the key in the 77th minute when a probing pass turned Hawley in towards the bye line. He cut a nice cross in to the 6 yard box that Gall did well to get to, but his attempt at retrieving it could only find the side netting.

The Robins were still doing what they could and Odejayi sliced the defence open in the 82nd minute when he played the ball in to the path of Melligan. The midfielder had the goal to aim at but he could find no purchase at all, sending his shot right at Westwood. The same player put a wild shot over the bar in their next attack as they tried to get things going, but it just wasn't happening at all for the visiting team.

Luke Joyce made his first team debut with 5 minutes to go, replacing Simon Hackney, who had picked up a knock in a rough challenge that the Referee had ignored.

The 89th minute brought Westwood in to action for the first time in what had seemed like an age when Gavin Caines got on the end of a cross to power a goalbound effort. The Carlisle keeper made himself big, blocking the attempt, but his second save was even better as he threw himself in front of what appeared to be an open goal for Caines, getting his legs to the ball to batter it clear. Shane Higgs matched the save at the other end when Hawley turned on a Murray pass 18 yards out and unleashed a crashing drive towards the top corner. The keeper had to get high to tip it over the bar.

The 3 points took the side up to 5th place, and deservedly so as they remain one of the teams who are playing the game properly in this Division. Going forward they look like scoring on almost every occasion, and defending they look solid. Northampton are the visitors next week as United continue to get the chance to test themselves against the other sides that came up with them and, from the evidence so far, it looks like we could be amongst the pace setters yet again in this campaign.

Goals

United - Gall (27), Hawley (45)

Bookings

United - Murphy (87)

Teams

United - Westwood, Raven, Murphy, Gray, Aranalde, Lumsdon, P Murray, Hackney (Joyce 85), Gall, Hawley, Holmes. Not Used - Williams, Arnison, Livesey, Hindmarch.

Cheltenham - Higgs, Gill, Victory, Caines, Finnigan, Guinan, Connolly (Wylde 46), Odejayi, Armstrong, Melligan, Bell (Yao 46). Not Used - Brown, Gallinagh, Foley.

Away Fans - 180