The second League Two home fixture of the week brings Walsall to Brunton Park.
Match sponsor - Thomas Graham
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Associate match sponsor - Stanwix Park
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Match ball sponsor - The Crescent Bar
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We're using this section of the website to highlight what we think is an excellent piece of work from Brendan Kiernan, who is using the experience of his own release at the age of 16 by Crystal Palace as an example to young players that 'rejection' does not mean the end.
With football often under the spotlight for the lack of after-care for players who have been let go, Kiernan, who is training to be a counsellor when not playing for the Saddlers, is looking to change that by speaking out and helping where he can.
"All I ever wanted was to be a professional footballer and it felt like I had hit a dead end when I was told it wasn't happening at such a young age," he said recently. "I've read reports of a young player being found dead after being let go.
"As someone who has been rejected by several clubs, that had a big impact on me, and I want lads to know that when they don't get through, they still have plenty to offer.
"Every young player wants to make it, and it hurts when they're told to move on. That's why I want to play my part by mentoring those who are facing a really tough challenge, having just had their dreams shattered."
Two draws and two wins from four league away games in October shows that the Saddlers provide tough opposition on the road.
Their only league fixture off their own patch so far this month was at Port Vale on Tuesday night. And their impressive run on the road continued with a solitary goal - bagged in the second half by that man Kiernan - enough to sink the high-flying Valiants.
Hovering around mid-table, they've only lost one of their last six league games, but are on record as wanting to turn draws into wins, as they did in midweek, to back up their current decent run.
George Miller has seven goals and a shot accuracy of 60%. Finding the target seems to be something he does and, this season, he's also finding the back of the net.
Good in possession he provides a real outlet, and he likes to be angling towards the area as soon as an attacking move develops.
He's our one to keep an eye out for on Saturday.
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With match commentary provided by BBC Radio Cumbria, this is a fantastic way to follow your team through the season.
Match audio passes are available for ALL EFL league games - click HERE to find out more about this season’s iFollow United service.
| Carlisle wins | Draws | Walsall wins | |
| League | 18 | 19 | 21 |
| League Cup | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| FA Cup | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 19 | 19 | 23 |
Carlisle rounded off the 2020/21 season with a home game against Walsall and it was a very tight 0-0 draw which brought the curtains down on the campaign.
Watch the highlights from that game here:
United were first-footers at the Bescot in January 2021 and they recorded a comfortable away win courtesy of goals from Omari Patrick and Josh Kayode.
Watch the highlights from that game here:
Carlisle and Walsall met at the end of January in 2020 and they recorded a second consecutive 2-1 victory with Nick Anderton and Ryan Loft putting the hosts two goals to the good in the first half. Mat Sadler pegged one back, but United held on to claim the points.
Watch the highlights from that game here:
United were at the Bescot Stadium for the 2019 festive period - just two days before the turn of the year. Winger Nathan Thomas gave the Blues the lead just after the break, but the home side drew level when Elijah Adebayo netted with 20 minutes left to play. James Clarke was given his marching orders for a tug on Harry McKirdy, and the Cumbrians increased the pressure until they got their match winning strike.
Watch the highlights from that game here:
The April 2014 encounter at Brunton Park was a tense affair. It appeared that an early opening goal from Liam Noble was going to do the trick for the Cumbrians but Michael Ngoo struck late to make it a share of the spoils.
Watch the highlights from that game here:
We were at the Bescot in December 2013 earlier in that campaign and, having hit the woodwork and missed a penalty, the game was lost courtesy of strikes for the home side from Romaine Sawyers and Milan Lalkovic.
Watch the highlights from that game here:
Referee - Scott Oldham
Assistant Referee 1 - Ivan Stankovic
Assistant Referee 2 - Joe Simpson
Fourth Official - Matthew Dicicco
Observer - Roy Pearson
The referee for this game is Mr Scott Oldham. Scott has taken charge of 19 games so far this season and has shown 51 yellow cards and two reds.
He was at Brunton Park in February 2021 for what was an action packed game with Tranmere. Josh Kayode and Nick Anderton scored in the first half for United, with Kayne Woolery and James Vaughan doing the same for the visitors. No quarter was given in the second period, but it was the away side who took the points when Vaughan struck again with just two minutes left to play. There were no Carlisle names taken on the night.
He was with us in November 2020 for our FA Cup second round game against Doncaster Rovers. Ben Whiteman put the visitors two goals to the good before half time, but Jon Mellish kept things interesting when he gave United hope with 12 minutes to go. Donny saw it out to win 2-1. Josh kayode was the only booking of the afternoon.
We also met Mr Oldham in October 2019 for our home defeat at the hands of Northampton. Two second half goals left the Blues with nothing to show from what had been a dour game, but there were no United names taken on the day.
He was also here at Brunton Park for our home game against Crawley Town during the 2018/19 season. The Blues romped to a four-goal lead courtesy of Nathan Thomas (2), Callum O'Hare and Hallam Hope, but the Red Devils pulled two back either side of the break to make things slightly more interesting. There were no Carlisle names taken on the day.
Prior to that he was our man in the middle for our 2-0 defeat at the hands of MK Dons. Early second half goals for Jordan Houghton and Kieran Agard were followed by bookings for Regan Slater and Macaulay Gillesphey.
Earlier that season he was here at Brunton Park for the game against Stevenage in September. A Ben Kennedy goal early in the second half was enough to give the Boro a one-goal victory, and Hallam Hope's was the only Carlisle name taken on the day.
He was at Brunton Park on three occasions during the 2017/18 campaign, the first in September when we drew 1-1 with Barnet. Shaun Miller scored our late equaliser, with just five minutes left to play, and it was a game where the notebook stayed firmly in the pocket.
We saw him again at the end of December when Coventry were the visitors to Carlisle. Danny Grainger and Jamie Devitt went in the book as Marc McNulty bagged a second half winner.
His last trip to see us in the last campaign was for our 2-0 victory over Grimsby. Hallam Hope and Mark Ellis scored the goals and Clint Hill was the only yellow card shown on the day.
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