Report from the Saturday afternoon home game
United left it late to claim a point against a dogged Morecambe side who defended in numbers and hit back on the break in an attempt to hold on to their early lead.Good work from Joyce and Devitt brought Reggie Lambe into play inside the Morecambe half early in the game and he drove at the heart of the defence with the ball at his feet. It opened up for him but Roche was off his line quickly to make the block.
The corner was sent long and new arrival Gary Liddle was left in acres of space as the ball fell out of the sky. He went for the spectacular volley but he couldn't keep it down.
Morecambe stunned the home contingent when Ellison ran down the left flank into unexpected space. His cross went high and Wildig was able to watch it all the way, and he guided a neat volley into the bottom corner.
Murphy had a goal chalked off for offside as another excellent delivery flew into the United box, and Molyneux wasn't too far away when he crunched a 30-yard free kick just an inch over the bar.
The hosts needed a spark and Adams tried to provide it with a curling delivery into the box. Wyke got there with his toe but the defender did enough to send it behind.
Another long range free kick, this time from Rose, caused problems as it somehow got under the wall. Gillespie was beaten but it hit the base of the post, rebounded back into the box and was hooked clear by Liddle.
Carlisle thought they'd levelled the scores when Adams popped a long ball to the far post. Kennedy connected with a towering header but Roche got across to make the block on the line. Wyke reacted quickly and his rasping close range volley was goal bound until Roche somehow recovered to tip it onto the bar.
A turn on the spot in the centre circle from the lively Nicky Adams took him away from his man and he carried it forward as Tom Miller arrived on the overlap. He was behind the back line but he sent a screwed shot wide as he tried to find the target with his left boot.
The set pieces from Adams gave United hope and he picked out Miller with another superb delivery. The defender put it back across the face of goal but Edwards was there to send it clear. A near post Devitt header from another Adams inswinger dropped past the upright as the home pressure increased, but Morecambe held their shape to hang onto their lead.
Kennedy had another shot blocked as United asked questions, and a Lambe snapshot from 19 yards was a whisker away as he kept it low with the bottom corner in mind.
A long range rasper from Liddle was deflected over the bar with United well on top and the half ended when an Adams shot dipped late and dropped over the target.
Carlisle started brightly after the break but Morecambe defended doggedly as they kept chances to a minimum. A shot on the rise from Wyke wasn't far away but he couldn't keep it down.
Murphy popped a punt over at the other end when he was picked out by Mullin, and Gillespie had to save at full length from Wildig as the Shrimps enjoyed a better spell.
Gary Liddle almost scored from nothing at the other end when his cross bent late at the near post. Roche saw it just in time but he had to flap to push it behind.
Another ball across the face of the Morecambe goal went begging when Miller spun and clipped it in, and Devitt was close when he volleyed a blocked free kick just past the post.
Shrimps defender Dean Winnard was given his marching orders for his second yellow, a wild challenge on Shaun Miller, and United made the moment count when Adams sent the set piece into the area. Wyke scored his seventeenth of the season as he made the cross his own.
Adams blazed over when a half clearance came to him 18 yards out as the home side threw men forward, but Carlisle should have claimed all three points late in the day when Roche was left on the floor following a save from Wyke. Asamoah had a bite, but the keeper stood his ground to make a double save to see his team through.
Asamoah headed wide deep into time added on, but it was a share of the spoils that both sides had to settle for at the end of a game full of incident.
+++++++
Goals
Carlisle United - Wyke (75)
Morecambe - Wildig (7)
+++++++
Bookings
Carlisle United - Joyce (20)
Morecambe - Murphy (32), Edwards (48), Winnard (50 & 74 - sent off), Kenyon (67)
+++++++
Teams
Carlisle United - Gillespie, Joyce, Kennedy, Wyke, Adams, Gillesphey, Devitt, Lambe (Asmoah 79), T Miller (Raynes 46), Liddle, McQueen (S Miller 46). Subs - Crocombe, Ellis, McKee, Salkeld.
Morecambe - Roche, McGowan, Kenyon, Edwards, Winnard, Mullin (Turner 60), Murphy, Molyneux (Wakefield 90), Ellison, Wildig (Conlan 78), Rose. Subs - Nizic, Jordan.
+++++++
Referee - Mr Ross Joyce
Attendance - 5,524 (410 away fans)