Report from the Bloomfield Road FA Cup home game
Bloomfield Road became the latest home from home for the travel hardened Cumbrians as they took on Yeovil Town in the third round of this season's Emirates FA Cup.
United looked bright and sharp and sustained early pressure brought a good run from Grainger on the left flank. His deft touch left Tozer for dead and a drilled cross had to be tipped behind by Krysiak as it threatened to creep under the bar.
A through ball from Walsh sent Zoko through for the visitors, and Raynes had to jump high to clear the cross from Campbell as the former-United forward raced into the box for the return pass.
A good spell followed for the Glovers but they were almost undone on 13 minutes when Dicker spotted Grainger in space. He fed a lovely cross-field pass to Ibehre and the big striker was unlucky as he chested it down and volleyed it just past the upright under pressure from Sokolik.
Both teams worked hard to close the gaps through a tight period but Carlisle broke the deadlock on 25 minutes when an attempted pass from Ibehre was stopped by a wayward Yeovil hand. Captain Danny Grainger crunched the 22-yarder round the wall and Krysiak could only get his fingertips to it as it sailed into the net via the slightest of touches from a defender.
Yeovil attacked in numbers from the restart and a through ball from Zoko put Campbell into a dangerous area. Hanford was off his line quickly to make an excellent save and the follow up from Walsh, a hurried volley, was always heading wide.
A training ground corner routine had the Carlisle crowd interested as a low pass from Grainger invited the unmarked Charlie Wyke to shoot. He missed his connection and the moment was gone.
Yeovil went close just ahead of half time when a Compton free kick brought Hanford racing off his line. He missed his punch but Ward glanced his header wide as he reacted late.
Appeals for a penalty as Zoko tumbled in the box were waved away and United broke in numbers as they ignored the ongoing arguments. A cross from Atkinson was put behind and Raynes went close from the Grainger delivery as he beat Krysiak with a downward header. Roberts was on hand to clear it as Wyke tried to stab it in.
A superb one-touch move inside the area involving Wyke, Ibehre and Gilliead brought an offside flag as the latter finished it off, with the game struggling to get out of the blocks after the break, and Raynes should have done better when Gilliead rolled a wide free kick into his path. The big defender had time but he miscued it and Yeovil were able to clear.
Carlisle went even closer when Grainger rattled the post with a stinging long range drive as the Glovers sat deep. Charlie Wyke was first to the rebound but the away goal lived a charmed life as his volley hit the inside of the post and rolled away to safety via a trip along the goal line.
The hosts had a scare as a high Yeovil corner caused problems, but they responded in kind as Raynes hung in the air for an Atkinson pass. He won the header but Krysiak was there to scoop it up.
Yeovil had their crossing opportunities, but solid defending kept the danger at bay and Dicker was next to try his luck with a shot which dipped just over the bar.
The hosts stunned the Cumbrian crowd into silence with 20 minutes left to play when former Carlisle hero Francois Zoko jumped to greet yet another high ball. His header left Hanford with no chance as it spun into the bottom corner.
But Carlisle took just five minutes to restore their lead and it was defender Mark Ellis, fresh from signing a two-and-a-half year deal with the club this week, who claimed the plaudits as he buried a diving header from a well taken Gilliead set piece into the roof of the net.
The Glovers pushed on through the closing stages, but a poor header from Ward summed up their frustration as he sent a good chance right at Hanford. The keeper was in action again moments later when he parried a curler from Zoko back into the mix.
The pressure was made to tell in time added on when substitute Shaun Jeffers took the tie to a replay with a crisp volley from the edge of the area. And that was enough to make sure it ended all-square, despite a late scramble from set pieces which Yeovil had to defend.
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Goals
United - Grainger (25), Ellis (76)
Yeovil - Zoko (71), Jeffers (90)
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Bookings
United - Dicker (57)
Yeovil - Dickson (81)
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Teams
Carlisle United - Hanford, Atkinson, Ellis, Raynes, Gillesphey, Gilliead (Hope 82), Joyce, Dicker, Grainger, Ibehre (Asamoah 90), Wyke (Hery 77). Subs - Gillespie, Miller, Sweeney, Thompson.
Yeovil Town - Krysiak, Tozer, Dolan, Sokolik, Dickson, Compton (Allen 70), Campbell (Jeffers 58), Roberts, Walsh (Bird 86), Ward, Zoko. Subs - Weale, Smith, Fogden, Lacey.
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Referee - Mr Andy Madley
Attendance - 3,262 (235 away fans)