Carlisle United 2 Gillingham 0

Feb 28 2010 Sunday Sun

CARLISLE United heaped the misery on Gillingham’s miserable away record with a much-needed comfortable two-goal victory that brought an end to a run of three straight defeats for the Cumbrians.

Manager Greg Abbott said: “We asked for a change in attitude and I think we got that today. I was sent to the stands, but I can live with that, because I wanted to show a bit of fight and passion and help to raise the spirits around the place. I think it worked, because we got a response on and off the field.”

The Gills were almost ahead with the first attack of the game when a ball through the middle found Simeon Jackson in space. He touched it around the advancing Adam Collin but he could only find the side netting as the angle started to tighten.

The Cumbrians reacted with a run from Richard Keogh that took him across the face of the 18-yard area. Matt Robson took over but stopper Alan Julian beat the shot away.

An Ian Harte free-kick resulted in an almighty goalmouth scramble moments later, with Scott Dobie’s toe pokes blocked on three separate occasions.

Gillingham thought they had grabbed the lead on 24 minutes when a whipped free-kick was met by Garry Richards on the penalty spot. Collin was beaten, but it cannoned back of the bar and into the mix. Chris Dickson reacted first but he headed it high over the bar.

Midfielder Adam Clayton created space for himself when he took a touch to control a Harte cross, but it was a head-in-the-hands moment as he watched his crisp left-foot volley whistle past the upright.