Feb 1st (Tue)

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 2 CARLISLE UTD 0
The teams’ 14th meeting of the season ends with a return home empty-handed despite an improvement from Saturday that saw a number of chances squandered, particularly in the first half. Two fine finishes from Roberts settles the match leaving Carlisle perched 5 points but several places above the relegation zone.

Team (ratings to follow): Collin, Simek, Michalik, Cooper, Dudgeon, Thirlwell, Taiwo (Robson 54), Berrett (Noble 58), Marshall, Zoko, Curran (Loy 66).

* Taken as an average from the CUFC online messageboard.

Feb 2nd (Wed)

It’s revealed that Cooper broke his hand during the game and will miss the next 3-4 weeks. Marshall also breaks a similar bone in his right hand but it’s determined to be small and clean enough to allow him to play with a protective cover. Walking ‘Operation’ board game Thirlwell tears a calf muscle that mean a similar period of rest. Human catapult Dudgeon aggravates an old knee injury and goes to back to Manchester for treatment. Ryan Bowman should be playing again in 2-3 weeks time.

Feb 5th (Sat)

CARLISLE UTD 1 WALSALL 3
This Carlisle home performance could go down in history as the worse live event since Cheryl Cole ‘sang’ live during the X Factor elimination show. Yes, it really was that bad. Murphy’s late header was just a footnote with the game effectively over long before the final whistle.

* Player Ratings: Collin 2.94, Simek 3.06, Michalik 2.00, Murphy 3.22, Livesey 4.28, Noble 2.78, Berrett 3.44, Marshall 2.67, Robson 1.67, Zoko 2.56, Curran 2.78. Subs: Taiwo 4.25, Loy 6.00 (star man), Madden 4.00.

Feb 8th (Tue)

25 year-old QPR left-back Gary Borrowdale joins on a one-month loan deal and goes straight into the JPT squad. Despite big money moves involving Crystal Palace, Coventry and QPR between 2007 and 2009, he’s most recently been out on loan after rarely troubling the scribe for Ranger’s first team squad sheet.


HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 3 CARLISLE UTD 0 – JPT NORTHERN FINAL SECOND LEG (Carlisle win 4-3 on aggregate)
Things were fairly comfortable for the first 70 minutes as Carlisle resolutely defended their 4-0 first leg lead with some good keep-ball football keeping the Terriers to a single goal from Pilkington. Two quick goals from Alan Lee changed all that with not a clean pair of undercrackers left in the away end once the referee had finished the game after 10 minutes of normal time and five minutes of extended time picked from nowhere.

* Player Ratings: Collin 9 (star man), Simek 6, Michalik 4, Murphy 6, Borrowdale 6, Noble 6, Berrett 5, Marshall 5, Loy 4, Zoko 4, Curran 4. Subs: Robson 3

Feb 11th (Fri)
The Club reach agreement with Hull to allow Cooper to continue his loan spell with the Cumbrians once his hand has recovered in early March.

Feb 12th (Sat)

STOCKPORT YOUTH 4 CARLISLE UTD YOUTH 2
In a rare run out for the youth team with just their 3rd league game since the end of October, a young team featuring a number of U16s and trialists lost out to an older, more physical side having battled back from a 2-0 deficit through goals from the outstanding McKenna and Symington.

SOUTHAMPTON 1 CARLISLE UTD 0

The circus really did come to town in front of a bumper crowd swelled by a number of voucher-collecting glory hunters ahead of their FA Cup tie against Man Utd. The Saints were left indebted to a referee intent on maintaining the party atmosphere when Carlisle showed signs of ruining the script. Having held out well for 40 minutes, Coco showed a second yellow to Borrowdale after Chamberlain had pulled his shirt in a vain attempt to catch a ball rapidly out for a goal kick. While Robson was stripping off to shore up the left-back position, it was inevitably left to Lambert to score the winner just before half-time. A battling performance in the second half was almost rewarded by a late equaliser but it was not to be.

* Player Ratings: Collin 7, Simek 6, Michalik 6, Murphy 8 (star man), Borrowdale 5, Noble 6, Berrett 6, Taiwo 6, Marshall 5, Loy 4, Zoko 4. Subs: Robson 6

Feb 14th (Mon)

Rising star Mark Gillespie signs an agreement with Carlisle keeping him at the club until the summer of 2012.

Feb 15th (Tue)

OLDHAM 0 CARLISLE UTD 1
In a fairly low-quality but entertaining game for the 8,500 crowd swelled by a cheap ticket offer, super-sub Craig Curran finally found the barn door with a tap-in winner 10 minutes from time. Not for the first time, a bit of skill and determination on the bye line from Marshall led to the chance in a match featuring exemplary goalkeeping performances from two sides needing the win for different reasons. Handbags were raised by several players and the Oldham coaching team just after the goal in salute of Carlisle’s fine performance.

* Player Ratings: Collin 8.38 (star man), Simek 7, Michalik 7.75, Murphy 6.88, Robson 6.75, Noble 6.5, Berrett 7.13, Taiwo 8.25, Marshall 6.88, Loy 5.5, Zoko 6. Subs: Curran 8.25

The home game scheduled on JPT final weekend against Plymouth is moved forward to March 15th.

Feb 17th (Thu)

The Pilgrims of Plymouth will be dropping in on Tuesday, March 15th if still in business. Since they play away at Hartlepool on the Saturday before, that could mean the players and supporters will be setting off more or as less as soon as they arrive back in Devon!

Feb 18th (Fri)

Both teams are charged by the FA under the rule of failing to control their players in what historians are already calling ‘The Battle of Boundary Park’.

Feb 19th (Sat)

BLACKPOOL YOUTH 0 CARLISLE UTD YOUTH 2
A Potts toe-poke from a keeper fumble on 64 minutes and Symington’s cool finish from new player Tom Berwick’s through ball gave the Youth team their first victory since mid-November. Blackpool had been flying high near the top of the Puma Youth Alliance North West Conference table (phew) with a 9-1-3 WDL record compared with Carlisle’s 1-5-5 going into the game.


SWINDON TOWN 0 CARLISLE UTD 1
Seemingly suffering from the same post-promotion-near-miss syndrome suffered by the Blues under John Ward a few years ago, Swindon’s long, long, long, long home unbeaten record against Carlisle is finally ended thanks to a 35 yard knockout blow delivered from the boot of James Berrett.

* Player Ratings: Collin 7, Simek 7, Michalik 7.5, Murphy 7.5, Robson 6.5, Noble 9 (star man), Berrett 7.5, Taiwo 7.5, Marshall 7, Loy 6, Zoko 7. Subs: Livesey 7.5, Curran 6, Madden 6.5.

Feb 21st (Mon)

The new date for the Orient away game is set for April 12th.

Feb 22nd (Tue)

ACCRINGTON STANLEY (“WHO ARE THEY”) YOUTH 2 CARLISLE UTD YOUTH 3
Just to prove lightening does strike twice, the young ‘uns made it two wins in four days with a good victory against the Accies. Beck equalised an early Stanley goal to make it one a piece at half time. Tom Berwick then put the Blues ahead with a superb overhead left-foot volley (Rooney who?). Despite being pegged back, a Jones winner sealed the points.

CARLISLE UTD 2 EXETER CITY 2
A good end-to-end contest finished with a fair result to both teams. A good move involving Noble, Marshall and Zoko set up the chance on 9 minutes for Curran to slide in United’s opener. Exeter then hit back with two fine goals from the lively Harley, a man already sold in the January window to Swansea City but allowed to play on loan. Just before half-time, Curran returned the favour by nodding Marshall’s cross into the path of Zoko, who scored from close range. Despite some fine football from the Cumbrians in the second, they couldn’t quite find their way through for a winner.

* Player Ratings: Collin 7, Simek 6.67, Livesey 6.33, Murphy 4.33, Robson 6.33, Noble 7, Berrett 6.83, Taiwo 7.67, Marshall 6.5, Curran 8.67 (star man), Zoko 7.33.

Feb 23rd (Wed)

CELTIC RESERVES 7 CARLISLE UTD RESERVES 0 – FRIENDLY
A little bit men versus boys in this behind-closed-doors friendly at Celtic’s training ground. Paddy Madden managed to put a penalty into a low earth orbit during the first half. The Hoops had a strong side out featuring four first teamers while United featured two trialists in Krystian Eissele, invited up from Soccer Academy (IASA) and Greg King, an Australian-born footballer who flew in to join United on a 10-day trial on Monday morning. A number of the side were also fatigued from playing 24 hours earlier at Accrington.

Team: Gillespie, McGlen, Potts, Swinglehurst, King, Symington (Eissele 35), Gbarssin, Towler, McKenna, Madden, Wells. Subs: Bowman, Osmond, Todd, Sloan, Beck, Berwick (the subs were used in a rolling substitution manner throughout).

Feb 24th (Thu)

One time loanee and transfer target Mike Grella follows the Google Map directions left behind by Vince Pericard and ends up at Swindon on an emergency loan.

Feb 26th (Sat)

CARLISLE UTD YOUTH 1 SHREWSBURY YOUTH 2
The Youth team’s first home game since early November ended in defeat after a late winner two minutes from the end. Beck had earlier headed in Symington’s deep cross to equalise in the first-half as the Blues made most of the running. Jamie Clarey played up front as a trialist having been released by Middlesbrough.

CARLISLE UTD 0 SHEFF. WED 1
In front of a disappointing crowd of below 7,000, a game of few chances was settled by a Miller volley on 20 after some loose defending at a corner. The best efforts for Carlisle while attacking the waterworks in the first were a curling shot from Marshall palmed away by Weaver and Curran’s run and shot just past the far post. The second half was a non-event as far as clear chances was concerned as United blew a great chance to stay on the coat tail of the race for a play-off berth.

* Player Ratings: Collin 4.2, Simek 3.4, Livesey 4.2, Murphy 6.2 (star man), Robson 3.8, Noble 4.2, Berrett 4.8, Taiwo 5, Marshall 4, Curran 5, Zoko 4. Subs: Madden 4.5, Loy 4.5, McKenna 4.5