Match Report: Carlisle Utd 1-1 Morecambe
THE Shrimps maintained their good run of form with an excellent point at Brunton Park.
Jim Bentley's side made a great start to the game and took an early lead but had to sustain a huge amount of pressure and finally conceded a leveller seconds after Dean Winnard was sent off for a second bookable offence on 73 minutes.
Bentley made three changes to the side that beat Notts County last week with Aaron McGowan, Peter Murphy and Alex Kenyon all recalled in place of Liam Wakefield and Luke Conlan who dropped to the bench and Andy Fleming who was suspended after his sending off last week.
The Shrimps had the perfect start when they took the lead after just seven minutes with Aaron Wildig’s first goal of the season.
Kevin Ellison made a great run down the left hand side and produced a perfect cross for the onrushing Wildig who volleyed home his first goal of the season with a well placed finish.
The Shrimps maintained the pressure and Peter Murphy saw a goal disallowed for offside after diverting a Michael Rose cross past Mark Gillespie and Rose himself went close when he produced a superb free kick from the edge of the area that beat Gillespie but hit the foot of the post.
Carlisle then came into the game and dominated the second half of the period.
Charlie Whyke went close to levelling the scores when he lashed a shot against the crossbar from close range after Barry Roche had saved superbly from Jason Kennedy’s close range header.
Tom Miller drilled a shot onto the side netting after a neat move down the left and Reggie Lambe curled a shot from the edge of the box inches wide before the whistle ended an entertaining first half.
The home side brought on former Shrimps Shaun Miller for the second half and they maintained their pressure but Morecambe held on well until Winnard was sent off on 73 minutes for a reckless tackle on Nicky Adams that earned him a second yellow card.
He was made to pay as seconds later the home side equalised when Adams curled in the resulting free kick and Whyke headed past Roche.
From there the Shrimps were denied two good penalty claims when first Gillespie took out Wildig after the midfielder had won the ball and then Aaron McGowan went down on the byline but both claims were waved away.
Peter Murphy clipped one over but it was the home side who had the best chance to take the points when Roche saved superbly from another close range Whyke header and then saved again from Jamie Devitt’s follow up.
The 10 men continued to defend bravely with some superb blocks as the game ended level.
Carlisle: Gillespie, T Miller (rep Raynes 46), Gillesphey, McQueen (rep S Miller 46), Adams, Liddle, Joyce, Kennedy, Devitt, Whyke, Lambe (rep Asamoah 79).
Subs not used: Crocombe, Ellis, McKee, Salkeld.
Morecambe: Roche, Winnard, Edwards, Kenyon, McGowan, Rose, Murphy, Molyneux (rep Wakefield 90), Wildig (rep Conlan 78), Mullin (rep Turner 59), Ellison.
Subs not used: Nizic, Jordan.
Ref: R Joyce
Att: 5,524.