Last minute Blues

United lost 2-1 at Carlisle yesterday, despite the home team only having two real chances. Their first chance saw Ian Stevens curl a shot around Richard Knight from ten yards after United failed to clear the ball in the 17th minute. Jamie Brooks equalised after 35 minutes, racing away before coolly slotting the ball past Peter Keen, controlling the ball well despite the appalling playing surface. United dominated second half possession and Brooks had one shot hit the bar and a header cleared off the line, but really weren't able to capitalise. In the final minute Richie Foran took advantage of some indecision in the United rearguard to give Carlisle the three points.

Knight came into the United side following Andy Woodman's return to Colchester, whilst Darren Patterson made his first appearance of the season in a three-man back line, Lee Maddison making way and so failing to play against his substantive club. Dave Morley came into the midfield, with Dean Whitehead relegated to the bench, whilst up front Phil Gray partnered Brooks to give Paul Moody a rest. United's first substitution saw Chris Hackett replace Gray with just eleven minutes remaining. Whitehead came on for Paul Tait with five minutes left and Moody replaced the awesome Brooks shortly before Carlisle's late winner.

Referee Paul Danson booked Patterson and Morley for little reason other than to even things up, it appeared. The attendance was a meagre 3,349 and a match report can be found here.

As a result of this defeat United have dropped one place to 17th, Carlisle leap-frogging them into 16th place. Leaders Plymouth won 1-0 at Lincoln whilst second-placed Luton whooped bottom team Halifax 5-0. The Shaymen are now nine points behind York, who lost 1-0 at home to Kidderminster, and Bristol Rovers who drew 0-0 at home to Exeter. United's next opponents, Hartlepool, lost 2-1 at home to Macclesfield on Friday evening. United are now just one point from safety, but are mathematically (or any other way) unable to make the play-offs. Quelle surprise.

Former Us on target over the weekend included Andy Thomson, whose penalty was enough for QPR to beat Peterborough 1-0, and Chris Allen, who scored Dover's second in their 2-0 win at Stalybridge.