Gillingham 0 Carlisle 0

Mar 30 2008 Sunday Sun

AWAY points are generally good ones, but Carlisle will have to wait until the end of the season to find out how significant this one will really be.

The Cumbrians were never at their best against a Gillingham side that belied their lowly league position.

Manager John Ward had anticipated this would not be a stroll in the park.

He said: “Gillingham are fighting for their lives, but we are fighting for a different cause and the game showed it.

“Because of that, I’ve got to be pleased that we’ve come away with a point.

“The three points were difficult to get for both sides and credit to the boys on both teams for the effort and determination in difficult, blustery conditions. We will continue to look at Swansea ahead of us, rather than look behind and we put on a show that proves we are determined to stay in the race.”

It was Carlisle who started well, with Danny Graham seeing a right-foot shot blocked.

From the resulting Marc Bridge-Wilkinson corner, Simon Hackney saw his shot cleared off the line by Nicky Southall.

The momentum quickly swung in favour of the Gills though, as they took control of the midfield.

Southall fired over from distance before Danny Cullip headed narrowly wide from a Southall free kick.

And John Nutter should have done better than shoot straight at Keiren Westwood when Simeon Jackson cut the ball back. Carlisle became increasingly frustrated as Gillingham remained the more threatening, but Bridge-Wilkinson brought a good save out of Derek Stillie.

Carlisle improved in the second half, but chances were still at a premium.

Gillingham continued to look the more incisive and the impressive Jackson fired straight at Westwood before going even closer in the 57th minute when he cracked a 20-yard effort against the bar.

Carlisle proved the more positive in the final 20 minutes and they threw players forward in search of a winner.

Grant Smith was inches wide with a shot across goal before Bridge-Wilkinson latched on to a Smith lay-off and shot narrowly over the bar.