Carlisle United Football Club

Their unbeaten run under returning manager Eddie Howe stretched to eleven games as the Cumbrians missed early chances which could have led to different end result. 

“We’re obviously gutted because this is a competition which holds its own level of interest for everyone,” manager Greg Abbott said. “We’re looking at some early chances which, if we’d put them away, would have had them on the back foot. But we didn’t do that and we gifted them two goals which have left us chasing a game we more than involved in. The home form is a real concern because we want to be winning games. It will come, I have no doubt about that, but we need to turn it round soon for the sake of the players, the fans and everyone connected with the club.”

United appeared to put their recent worrying home malaise to one side as they started the game in a confident manner with teenage wide man Dave Symington seeing plenty of the ball. His cross from deep during a sustained period of pressure brought a push from Elphick on the lively Matt Robson but the officials waved off the penalty appeals.

Neat work in midfield sent Robson clean through moments later but he scuffed his shot as Jalal raced off his line. The rebound sat up nicely but it was a tight angle and the Cherries were able to scramble it away.

Matt Robson had a gilt-edged opportunity to open the scoring when Garner flicked on a ball from Beck with Bournemouth unable to clear their lines. The ball dropped slowly out of the air and the left-footed close-range volley skewed well wide as the home fans groaned in frustration.

A weak back header from Elphick had Robson interested again but Jalal was alert and he cleared as the winger tried to put him under pressure.

A Symington free kick from 30 yards needed deep concentration from Jalal as it bounced awkwardly in front of him, but the good early home pressure was made to count for nothing when Wes Fogden held his position on the edge of the Carlisle box. A corner delivery was only half cleared and Tommy Elphick accepted the pats on the back as he diverted it into the back of the net past the wrong-footed Adam Collin, but it was Fogden who was officially credited with the strike.

The afternoon got worse for United just before half time when Marc Pugh twisted and turned his way into the box. He fed Fogden who immediately spotted Eunan O’Kane in acres of space on the penalty spot. The net bulged as his fierce strike whistled past the keeper.

A much more subdued Cumbrian side had half a sight of the target with the last action of the half when Edwards rose highest to meet a Symington free kick. Jalal was left to flap at nothing as the crisp header shaved the top of the bar.

The Cherries looked comfortable after the break and they almost extended their lead when Grabban broke from deep. He had Pitman in support but he wasted the opening when he went for glory from the edge of the area.

A dangerous cut-back from Pitman had to be dealt with as the visitors got numbers in the box, and Fogden was unlucky as Pugh made the bye line only to send his centre behind the advancing strike force. 

The home side started to see more of the ball and a free kick from McGovern was met firmly by Livesey. It was frustration all round as his goal bound header hit Mark Beck on the back before bouncing harmlessly away.

Chris Chantler then ran from deep to send Garner into the box but he slipped just as things opened up in front of him.

Carlisle grabbed a lifeline with quarter of an hour to go when Jalal flapped at a wicked free kick delivery from McGovern. It looped into the air and Mark Beck somehow squeezed it in at the far post as he stretched to make his header count.

The goal added a bit of momentum to the forward play and a one-two between Beck and Garner brought a fizzed shot which Jalal had to parry.

Livesey sent a late header at the keeper as United tried to make their pressure count but the contest was ended in time added on when Marc Pugh stabbed a close range finish into the back of the net following a neat move in front of the travelling fans.