matchreportchesterfield17feb17

United were back on home soil for the Saturday afternoon visit of Chesterfield.

And they got back to winning ways courtesy of goals from Etuhu and O'Sullivan and an overall disciplined and determined performance.

A long ball over the top from Hill to Nadesan had the United fans on their feet just after kick off as the nippy forward beat his man to bring Lambe into play. A heavy first touch from the wide man made it easy to clear for the alert Jack McCourt.

More good movement was sparked when Stockton battled to win possession on the half way line. Hope and Nadesan exchanged passes but a heavy cross from Parkes brought the moment to an end.

United were a whisker away with just four minutes on the clock when Hope overlapped to get into the box. His low cross whipped across the face of goal but it had too much on it and Nadesan couldn't quite stretch to apply the finishing touch. 

It was all about Carlisle and another fizzed delivery from Hope brought a flick from Stockton which took the ball past the back line. Nadesan got the volley but the flag was up for offside.

Chesterfield responded with a good move of their own when Barry whipped a low delivery to the front stick. Hill had to get in the way, and his touch sent the ball on the loop and onto the bar. Ellis reacted quickly to nod the loose pieces behind before O'Grady could pounce.

The hosts should have taken the lead when Hope dropped a shoulder and bent a beauty of a delivery into the mix. It was there for Stockton to head but he misjudged the flight and the ball flew away to safety behind the target.

But Carlisle got the goal they deserved on 19 minutes when Hope and Devitt stayed strong to work the ball to Nadesan. His touch invited a 22-yard shot from Etuhu and he made no mistake as he rattled it into the bottom corner.

The response from the visitors was almost immediate as Kay carried the ball forward from his own half. Etuhu pulled up with an injury as he shaped to make a challenge, and that left a clear path to the 18-yard box for the defender. The shot was crisp but Bonham was happy to watch it go past his upright.

Another pull back brought a stinger from substitute Mike Jones, who had replaced the hobbling Kelvin Etuhu, but the slightest of touches from Reed was enough to take it over the bar. Devitt took the corner and Stockton was a whisker away as his header on the run dipped onto the roof of the net.

Carlisle stayed on the front foot and Hope sent a low shot straight at Ramsdale when he took a pass from Stockton in his stride, after he'd made a ball over the top from Lambe his own. It was well struck but comfortable for the stopper.

Devitt did the same when he put his boot through a clip from Lambe from a tight angle, with Ramsdale well positioned to deal with the danger. 

The pace of the game slowed ahead of the break, as Liddle and Barry went into the book with things becoming tetchy, but United looked in control as they took their one-goal lead into half time.

United started the second half with a half chance when a huge clearance from Parkes was picked up by Stockton. It was running away from him and his toe-poke from a tight angle flew into the Warwick.

Hope had a shot blocked when he recovered an overhit cross from Nadesan, but the afternoon should have become comfortable for the Blues when Nadesan showed great awareness to steal possession in a dangerous area. He surged into the area and his pass to Stockton left the striker with the goal at his mercy. His first time effort beat Ramsdale but bobbled frustratingly wide of the mark.

It was hearts in the mouth time when Chesterfield broke on 70 minutes and they had men to spare as O'Grady looked for options. Kay called for it and he thought he'd done enough until his shot beat Bonham and the outside of the post.

Kay then had a penalty appeal turned down, and a goal chalked off for offside, within seconds of each other as the visitors found a new lease of life. His volley was thundered through a gaggle of bodies but the officials deemed that an offside player had taken a touch. 

Hope scuffed a shot at Ramsdale as Carlisle tried to reassert their authority, and Lambe forced the keeper into a parried save with the Blues looking to put the game out of sight.

And they did just that with eight minutes left to play when a Devitt corner was nodded down by Parkes. It was blocked, but it ran free for substitute John O'Sullivan and he kept his cool as he smashed the pieces into the bottom corner.

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Goals

Carlisle United - Etuhu (19), O'Sullivan (82)

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Bookings

Carlisle United - Liddle (41)

Chesterfield - Barry (36), Kellett (63), Brown (89)

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Teams

Carlisle United - Bonham, Liddle, Hill, Ellis, Parkes, Lambe, Etuhu (Jones 22), Devitt, Hope, Stockton (O'Sullivan 80), Nadesan (Twardek 75). Subs - Gray, Campbell-Ryce, Bennett, Brown.

Chesterfield - Ramsdale, Dennis, O'Grady (Brown 79), Rowley (Kellett 62), Reed, McCourt (Binnom-Williams 67), Barry, Weir, Whitmore, Nelson, Kay. Subs - Parkin, McGuire, Ofoegbu.

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Referee - Sebastian Stockbridge

Attendance - 4,025 (237 away fans)

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