MATCH PREVIEW: United host Forest Green Rovers

United are back at home on Tuesday night with Forest Green Rovers as our visitors.

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This game was originally lost to the Covid-19 isolation period, and it will be the first of seven to be played in just 26 days for the Blues.

We covered this ahead of the last meeting between these two teams, but we felt it was worth running again - just in case you missed it ...

... Rovers became the world's first football club to achieve 'carbon neutral' status in 2017, having already turned to an all vegan menu around their match day catering facilities two years earlier.

October 2020 saw Massive Attack's Robert Del Naja join the club as their artistic director, with the band having commuted around their European tour venues by train, to reduce their carbon footprint. 

And back in September 2020 Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin became the club's second largest stakeholder as he invested in the club on an agenda of 'seeking to raise the environmental agenda in football' having recently raised funds to plant 60,000 trees in the Amazonian Rain Forest.

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Despite a sticky January Forest Green find themselves right in amongst in heading into the second half of the campaign. 

Their away win at Leyton Orient was preceded by two draws and two defeats - of course that run came after our visit to the New Lawn midway through December.

Saturday's top of the table clash with Cheltenham ended as stalemate, with no goals scored, but reports suggest that it could have gone either way.

January has seen a flurry of transfer window activity with Liam Kitching (Barnsley), Carl Winchester (Sunderland) and Josh March (Harrogate) heading out of the door.

Incoming have been defender Baily Cargill from MK Dons, midfielder Isaac Hutchinson from Derby and striker Josh Davison from Charlton.

Meanwhile Birmingham's Odin Bailey extended his loan deal, keeping him in a grean shirt until the end of the season.

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As ever, we can't see past Jamille Matt for this one. With nine league goals to his name already he's a real handful, as well we know, and he livens up any attack force with his movement and presence.

Rovers have a tight defence, with just the 22 goals conceded, but it's all eyes on the big striker with United's back line knowing they'll have their work cut out.

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Click HERE to purchase a match pass which will allow you to watch this game in full HD via our streaming iFollow service.

With match commentary also provided by BBC Radio Cumbria, this is a fantastic way to follow your team through these unprecedented behind closed doors fixtures.

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A trip to the New Lawn in December 2020 brought a win for the hosts as Jamille Matt pounced late in the game to nick the points as an afternoon of sunshine turned to heavy, saturating storms.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

The 2019/20 season was one of those years where it felt like we played each other at least 200 times, and the fourth occasion we came together was again down at the Lawn, and it was a thumping away win for the Cumbrians as Josh Kayode complemented a Nathan Thomas hat-trick, with the score ending at 4-1.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

December 2019's FA Cup second round replay went the way of the Blues courtesy of a first-ever goal for the club for big defender Aaron Hayden. It was nip and tuck, but Carlisle went through to face Championship side Cardiff City in the third round.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

United had to come from behind when Aaron Collins netted with just 10 minutes on the clock at Nailsworth in the November 2019 second round FA Cup clash. Goals either side of the break from Nathan Thomas put the Cumbrians in the ascendency, but an own goal from Gethin Jones just two minutes after Thomas had bagged his second left the teams with it all to do again as the game ended 2-2.

Unfortunately we do not hold the rights to the first round match footage.

It was a stalemate here at Brunton Park when these sides met in league action in September 2019. Chances came and went, but the feisty encounter went without goals as five players were booked and one sent off (James Morton).

Watch the highlights from that game here:

United came away from the New Lawn with a 1-1 draw in March 2019, having largely dominated the game. Nathan Thomas bagged the goal, but there were a number of opportunities missed by the Blues as they battled, but ultimately failed, to take all three points.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

It was Rovers who took the honours when they came north in November 2018, earlier in that season, with goals from Ben Morris and Carl Winchester giving them a two-goal cushion. A late penalty from Jamie Devitt gave the Blues some hope, but the away side held out to take all three points.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

The December 2017 away trip to the New Lawn brought an early Christmas present for the Blue Army as Richie Bennett headed home what turned out to be the winner just before the half hour.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

It was the same scoreline here at Brunton Park in January 2018 with the only goal of the game coming in almost the same minute. This time it was Jamie Devitt who found the back of the net when he arrived late to smash a volley into the bottom corner as the ball fell nicely at his feet.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

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Referee - Declan Bourne
Assistant Referee 1 - Paul Newhouse
Assistant Referee 2 - Barry Gordon
Fourth Official - Ross Joyce

Our referee for this fixture is Mr Declan Bourne. 

He has been in charge of 18 games so far this season and has shown 50 yellows and no reds.

This is the first time he has been the man in the middle for a Carlisle United fixture.

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This game is to be played behind closed doors. See above for details of how to watch live using our iFollow match streaming service.

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