FRIENDLY: Gretna

United's second summer friendly was another hop across the border as the Blues visited Raydale Park to face Gretna FC 2008.

It was another opportunity for manager Paul Simpson to take a look at his trialists with youth second year Romeo Park also involved, this time after the break.

There was an early chance for Gretna when a corner was swung in from the right. It ricocheted wickedly and had to be poked away as black and white hoops converged.

United saw plenty of the ball through the opening exchanges, with Moxon and Gibson lively in support of the front two.

A 27-yard free kick invited Moxon to try his luck, but it struck the wall and spooned into the air. The keeper did well to gather it in.

Carlisle had the bit between their teeth and the trialist was thwarted by a great save as he broke through. Moxon took the corner and Huntington was disappointed to see his header cleared off the line. Kilsby blazed the rebound over the bar.

The visiting lead was doubled in some style on 28 minutes when Gibson trapped a ball at the same time as taking his marker out of the game on the edge of the area. He looked up and picked his spot with a wonderful finish into the top corner.

A 20-yard spin and shot followed from Moxon, but it rattled the bar with the keeper well beaten. Gibson then went for it from distance and there were appeals for handball as it struck an arm.

Every blue shirt in the attacking half saw Armer and Gibson work space, before Huntington pushed forward. He spread it to Ellis, but his low punt struck the outside of the post.

The third goal was another delight to watch with McGeouch the instigator with a raking pass from just inside his own half. Armer and the trialist combined to make a gap, and Robinson overlapped to take it on. He drew the keeper and calmly slotted it under his dive.

It took just three minutes of the second period for McCalmont to add to the tally after Nugent had been busy down the right flank. He centred it, Harris touched it, and the midfielder did the rest with a resolute strike.

Moments later Nugent got the goal he deserved when he got on the end of a nod down from Edmondson. His first effort was saved but he kept his eye on it to make sure it hit the back of the net.

Goal six was the result of a lovely through ball from Edmondson that was clipped home by second-year scholar Romeo Park, and the next one followed in the next attack when an unlucky defender deflected a cross across the line.

And there was almost another when McCalmont got on the end of a flowing move. He dropped a shoulder to create space and he was set to celebrate until the woodwork got in the way.

There was a wonderful save on 75 minutes after the ball had been worked from right to left. Mellish floated it and Edmondson made it his own with a crunching header. The stopper somehow got gloves to it in the nick of time.

Gretna enjoyed a decent spell late in the day and a corner led to a free kick in a dangerous position. A miskick took the attempt high into the night sky.

Edmondson was an inch away with a diving header from a Guy set piece as the clock ticked down, and he was thwarted again with a whisked volley that was seen late by the glovesman.

The home side kept throwing men forward, and it needed an alert clearance from Whelan to prevent a consolation as the ball squirmed free inside the six-yard area.

Fleet of foot from Edmondson took two defenders out of the game as he dragged it then fed it onwards to Guy. The keeper went full length to make a vital two-handed save.

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Goals

Carlisle United - Garner (18), Gibson (28), Robinson (42), McCalmont (48), Park (52), Nugent (56), OG (57).

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Teams

Gretna FC 2008 - tbc

Carlisle United first half - Holy, Huntington (c), Kilsby, Robinson, Ellis, Gibson, McGeouch, Moxon, Armer, Garner, A Trialist.

Carlisle United second half - B Trialist, Barclay, Whelan (c), Mellish, Nugent, McCalmont, Guy, Harris, Charters, Edmondson, Park.

Subs - Allan, Swinburn.

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Match officials

tbc

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Attendance - 1,046

 

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