Match report from the youth game against Tranmere
Journalism student Mark Donnelly was at the youth game against Tranmere on Saturday morning ...Carlisle United picked up a vital three points after a comprehensive victory over Tranmere Rovers.
Kieran Hall opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time before two Arron Bradbury goals in as many second half minutes wrapped up the victory.
The Cumbrians were forced to play the final few minutes after Hall was dismissed, with Tranmere missing a golden chance to pull one back in stoppage time when Rhys Williams saved a penalty.
After a number of postponed games, Carlisle got back to winning ways against Morecambe in midweek and were looking to follow this up with another three points against Tranmere.
It was the visitors who began the brightest, with the pace of their front three causing Carlisle some problems.
They had the games first real chance on 10 minutes, but a tame shot from the edge of the area was comfortable for Williams.
Chances were beginning to flow and after Rhys Groves stung the palms of the visiting goalkeeper with a powerful free-kick, the visitors broke only to mis-kick at the vital moment, allowing Carlisle to clear.
Young midfielder Dean Watson was making his first start for the Blues, and had a golden chance to hand his side the lead.
After good build-up play, Karlton Rudd was able to play a weighted ball into the area for the midfielder, but his effort could only find the side netting.
Williams was becoming increasingly busy in the Carlisle goal, however, making a fine save from a back post header with the rebound blazed over from six yards out.
He was called into action again moments later, making a fine save at the save of Tranmere’s lively forward who had broken through one-on-one.
Despite this pressure from The Merseysiders, it was the hosts who took the lead in spectacular fashion on 44 minutes.
Joe Breen battled well to win the ball back in the Tranmere half before teeing up Kieran Hall, who took aim from 25 yards and found the back of the net.
This saw the Cumbrians go in ahead at half-time, and they continued to press forward after the break, with Jordan Holt flicking a header narrowly past the post only three minutes into the second half.
Tranmere were proving resilient, restricting the hosts to very few chances.
But Carlisle eventually got the goal their fine play deserved on 75 minutes, with Arron Bradbury out-muscling his marker before slotting neatly under the goalkeeper.
And within two minutes of his first, Bradbury doubled his tally for the afternoon as his free-kick from wide on the left went through everyone and in at the far post.
Just as things looked comfortable for the Blues, they were dealt a blow with only two minutes remaining when goalscorer Hall was shown his marching orders for an off the ball incident.
This saw Tranmere push forward for the remaining minutes, and they were handed a golden chance at a consolation goal deep into injury time when Holt nudged over an advancing forward to hand them a penalty.
But it wasn’t to be the visitors, with Williams repelling the penalty with his legs to preserve his clean sheet.
The Cumbrians saw out the final few minutes of stoppage time to ensure they picked up a second successive victory.
United: Williams, Hurley, Pearson, Holt, Groves, Watson, Breen, Rudd, Bradbury, Salkeld (Egan 90), Hall. Subs: Brown, Windle.
Goals: Hall (44), Bradbury (75, 77)
Bookings: Salkeld (81)
Red Card: Hall (88)