Anger as plucky Carlisle lose out

Nov 20 2011 by Simon Armstrong, Sunday Sun

CARLISLE United left Bramall Lane feeling aggrieved for having nothing to show for yet another fiercly determined performance as, once more, a refereeing decision proved to be the difference between a point and a trip home empty-handed.

The Blades started brightly and they pounced on an error in midfield by James Berrett to spring an early break.

Lee Williamson raced from his own half and forced a superb two-handed save from Adam Collin as he let one fly from the edge of the area.

The touch from the keeper took it on to the crossbar and Richard Cresswell sent the rebound into the stands.

Carlisle slowly found their passing game without creating a clear-cut opportunity, but they fell behind in controversial circumstances just as they were starting to get on top.

Defender Christian Ribeiro was grounded by a high challenge from Stephen Quinn, but the referee waved play on.

The home side exploited the space left by the right-back to win a corner as those in blue shirts protested.

The in-swinging delivery was flicked on at the near post by Williamson and cleared off the line by Jon-Paul McGovern, but Ched Evans was on hand to crunch the loose ball into the roof of the net as the visiting bench surrounded the fourth official in protest.

Scoring chances continued to elude the Cumbrians and they almost went two behind when Paul Thirlwell stopped Cresswell in full-flow with a sliding tackle on the edge of the box.

It broke for Quinn who tried to find the bottom corner with a curling effort, but Collin made a superb one-handed save to keep his side in the game.

The second half stuttered along with neither side able to create much in the way of scoring opportunities, summed up by a Lubomir Michalik free-kick which arrowed wide.

The Blades had the chance to double their lead midway through the second half when Ribeiro bumped Ryan Flynn to the ground inside the box. Cresswell took the penalty, but Collin pulled off a confident parried save.

Rory Loy went close with a header as the visitors tried to respond and Matthew Lowton had to take care from a McGovern cross as Liam Noble raced in to finish it off.

Carlisle looked the more likely to get something in the closing stages, but luck was not on their side – typified by a fierce Lee Miller shot which grazed the woodwork.

They were spared the injustice of conceding a second goal with men committed forward deep into time added-on when Cresswell somehow failed to convert a Quinn cross from close range, but they were still left with a defeat from what had been a hard-working team display.

“It was a foul on our player and they have been allowed to play on, and we have been punished,” manager Greg Abbott said.

“We are feeling low in that dressing room because this is a tough place to come anyway and we haven’t really had any help with that. The positive for us is that we finished the stronger side.”