Dom Sadi’s early strike stretches United’s unbeaten run to five, after a 1-1 draw against Crewe Alexandra at Brunton Park.
Mike Williamson made one change from last Saturday’s home draw to Doncaster Rovers, Ben Barclay replaced Jon Mellish, who was serving a one-game suspension having accumulated five yellow cards.
United got off to the perfect start, when a wonderfully flighted ball in from Cameron Harper found Aaron Hayden at the back post, his header found Dom Sadi, who’s deflected shot found the bottom right corner on 2 minutes to put the Blues ahead.
The visitors’ first chance of the game came on 18 minutes, when Jack Lankester forced Gabe Breeze into a sharp stop to his right.
United responded back and could have doubled their lead on 23 minutes, when Sadi nicked the ball in the Crewe box, but his tackle found Filip Marshall’s grateful arms instead of the oncoming Dan Adu-Adjei.
The visitors threatened on 38 minutes, when a free-kick routine from the training ground left Joel Tabiner free at the edge of the Cumbrians’ box, but his shot was straight down Breeze’s throat.
Carlisle were made to work for their lead at half-time though, a quick Crewe transition left United two-on-two at the back, but Lankester’s chipped effort was headed off the line by Aaron Hayden.
HALF-TIME: United 1–0 Crewe Alexandra
The visitors started the second-half with more intent than they had shown in the first, forcing United into conceding successive corners, but the Cumbrians were up to the task and managed to deal with the pressure.
Sadi was in the action again on 66 minutes with a low driven effort, but Marshall was equal to it, to keep the score to 1-0.
United boss, Williamson responded to a Crewe triple change on 62 minutes with a triple change of his own, Dylan McGeouch, Jordan Jones and Harrison Neal replaced Tyler Burey, Kadeem Harris and Callum Guy on 68 minutes.
Jones was into the action straight away, Sadi set him free into space on the left-hand side, he fired a ball into the opposition area, but Marshall was quick to stop the ball finding United’s oncoming runners.
Williamson made his fourth change of the afternoon on 73 minutes with Georgie Kelly replacing Cameron Harper.
Kelly had an instant impact and his lay-off started a promising United attack on 76 minutes, the ball made its way to Ben Williams but his aerial delivery, just evaded the top corner and the oncoming Kelly.
On 78 minutes, the Blues went forward with pace again and a precise lobbed ball from Neal set Sadi away down the right flank, his cut-back found Adu-Adjei but his shot was heroically blocked by Mickey Demetriou.
The away side were awarded a way back into the game on 82 minutes, when Elliot Bell judged Kelly to have tripped the Crewe man in the penalty area.
Jack Lankester made no mistake from the spot to level the game with eight minutes left.
United went the closest to claiming all three points in the dying embers, Jones’ whipped cross on 98 minutes looked like it had picked Kelly out at the back post, but it was just out of the Irishman’s reach.
FULL-TIME: United 1-1 Crewe Alexandra
Teams:
United - Breeze, Harper (73’ Kelly), Lavelle ©, Hayden (90+1’ Ellis), Guy (68’ Neal), Adu-Adjei, Williams, Sadi, Barclay, Burey (68’ McGeouch), Harris (68’ Jones).
Crewe - Marshall, Williams, Demetriou ©, Sanders (62’ Thibaut), Tracey, Tabiner, Lankester (83’ Lunt), Holicek (89’ Breckin), Connolly (62’ Knight-Lebel), Conway, Billington (62’ Finney).
Goals:
United - (3’ Sadi)
Crewe- (82’ Lankester)
Yellow Cards:
United - (64’ Harris), (72’ Jones), (89’ Neal)
Crewe - (11’ Connolly), (12’ Billington).
Red Cards:
United - N/A
Crewe - N/A
Match Officials:
Referee - Elliot Bell
Assistant Referee 1 - Daniel Woodyard
Assistant Referee 2 - Jonathan Wyatt
Fourth Official - Martin Parker
Attendance:
5,839 (394 away)
