Southend 2 Carlisle 2

Mar 21 2010 Sunday Sun

CARLISLE United allowed a two-goal lead to slip as rele- gation haunted Southend dug deep to over- come a send- ing off and turn the game around to grab a much-needed point.

Manager Greg Abbott said: “We thought that with the start we gave ourselves that we were going to go on and win it comfortably, and we are disappointed.

“However, we have worked hard and this is a tough division, so when we look back at it I think we will feel pleased with the point.”

The Cumbrians soaked up the early pressure at Roots Hall and pounced to take the lead following excellent work by Matt Robson and Evan Horwood on the left flank. The defender wrapped his boot around the cross and received a well-earned pat on the back from his manager on the touchline as Scott Dobie ran across his marker and glanced his header into the bottom corner.

The lead was doubled on 13 minutes when Horwood hung back before clipping a lofted ball towards the penalty spot. Strike pairing Dobie and Price checked their runs and that allowed Ben Marshall the room he needed to ghost in behind the static Southend back line. It bounced nicely for him and he left Steve Mildenhall with no chance as he nodded the ball into the roof of the net.

Marshall was on target again, as United pressed forward, but he couldn’t squeeze the ball past the full-length dive of Steve Mildenhall between the sticks. Dobie followed up but his header was weak and right at the big stopper.

The balance of power shifted dramatically midway through the half when Franck Moussa was left in acres of space down the Carlisle right. He calmly ran into the area and picked his spot with a crisp finish that Adam Collin could do nothing about.