matchreportfylde21jul18

United were at Mill Farm on Saturday afternoon for their latest pre-season friendly fixture.

And the Cumbrians started well with Hope and Bennett combining on the edge of the area to try to find a way through. A clearance from Montrose brought a throw, and Grainger overlapped to take a pass from Devitt. The cross had power but it was hooked clear by Montrose.

Yates then showed good pace to chase a ball over the top and to put his man under pressure. Miller stayed close and robbed possession which allowed the striker to clip the ball in. Tunnicliffe cleared it as far as Grainger but his snapshot volley flew high over the bar.

Carlisle thought they'd opened the scoring on eight minutes when Bond missed his kick in midfield. Hope streaked clear but his effort from the edge of the box bent just the wrong side of the upright.

The away side stayed forward and a low corner from Devitt caused all kinds of problems. Gillesphey ran off his man to make a connection and his drive appeared to be going in until an outstretched boot from a defender got in the way.

A better spell from the hosts saw Fryer tested when he had to scamper back to palm a dipping inswinging cross from beneath his bar. The ball rolled loose and Fryer sprinted off his line to make the clearance before any damage could be done. Tasdemir suddenly found himself with the width of the target to aim at but the United stopper stayed big and forced a hurried shot to go wide of the post.

It was end-to-end and a flicked header from Philliskirk from a Cardle cross sparked United back into life as Gillesphey swept a beauty of a pass into the path of Jerry Yates. His first touch was fantastic, and he bided his time before a pull back brought a shot from Devitt. Lynch had to go long to make a two-handed save.

A poor clearance invited Devitt to try again and he opted to drop the ball onto the penalty spot for Bennett to attack. The big striker met it with a crunching header and he was unlucky to see his rasping effort come off the underside of the bar and bounce away to safety off the goal line.

Good work from Hope took him away from his marker as he dropped a shoulder and beat his man. He had options but he went for the near post, only for Lynch to make the save.

Carlisle hunted in packs and one-touch passing, started by Gillesphey in midfield, left Hope with room to strike. Lynch had to show good hands to stop the thundering attempt from finding the back of the net.

Carlisle looked good on the break and that route almost brought them a goal when Jones broke things up on the edge of his own box. He found Slater, who then found Yates, but his shot on the run was deflected and easy for Lynch to grasp.

The Blues were caught light at the back just before the break when Gillesphey ran into trouble. The ball was eventually worked to Tasdemir and Fryer had to go full length to make an excellent two-handed save as it angled for his top corner.

A surge from Etuhu took him from midfield to the edge of the area after the restart but his shot from the edge of the box took a deflection and went over the bar. Hope then had a drive blocked as he cut inside with the visitors showing an excellent tempo.

Fylde bit back with a twisting run from Hardy as he went one way, then the other, with a run from the left flank. He choose to shoot but Collin dropped low to gather it up.

More good play in the centre of the park set Slater free when he picked up a back heel from Devitt. Yates called for it, and cut inside to let fly, but Lynch was there to make the stop.

Keeper Adam Collin pulled off a fantastic save on 65 minutes when he somehow blocked from close range as Danny Rowe appeared to have the goal at his mercy as the ball landed at his feet just five yards from the target. The stopper stood big and denied the lively forward, and a trialist fluffed his lines as he swept the loose ball wide.

There were chances at both ends as the game opened up and Slater was disappointed as he blazed over the bar from a rolled pass from Hope. A trialist then broke through for Fylde but he shot early and pulled it away from Collin's dive.

It was Carlisle's turn to be saved by the woodwork on 80 minutes when striker Danny Rowe trapped the ball and then dummied himself into space as he twice dropped his shoulder. Collin was beaten but it struck the bar and the flag was raised as white shirts tried to follow it up. 

Rowe wasn't too far away with a late free kick from just outside the area which rattled under the wall and an inch past the post. 

But it was Carlisle who broke the deadlock when Hope latched onto a loose pass in midfield. He beat his man as he put the ball through his legs and strode forward to take a shot. It took a deflection and left Lynch with no chance as it nestled in the back of the net.

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Goals

Carlisle United - Hope (87)

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Teams

AFC Fylde - Lynch, Montrose (Trialist 71), Angol (Stanley 83), Byrne, Tunnicliffe, Bond (Gray 80), Tasdemir, Philliskirk (Croasdale 68), Trialist (Hardy 46), Trialist (Rowe 46), Cardle (Trialist 59). Subs - Griffiths.

Carlisle United - Fryer (Collin 46), Miller (Olsen 68), Liddle, Gillesphey, Grainger (Parkes 46), Devitt (Walters 68), Slater (Adewusi 75), Jones (Glendon 46), Hope, Yates (Stockton 68), Bennett. Subs - Brown, Holt, Egan.

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Referee - Mr Paul Marsden

Attendance - tbc

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