The long trip to Brentford brought just the one point back to Cumbria for a Carlisle United team who will probably feel they could have taken all three after their second half domination of possession.

Boss Neil McDonald said after the match: "I'm happy because it was a much better performance than what we have seen away from home recently. If we can start putting the chances away, as we have been doing at home, then it's going to improve even more for us."

"No team will ever lie down and die in this Division, and Brentford are scrapping for their lives, so we have been made to work hard to get control of the game. It sets us up nicely for Wednesday when this will become an even better result if we do our job properly against Nottingham Forest."

Scott Fitzgerald told us at full time: "We've seen some good stuff today, but here we are talking about chances missed again. We have to start putting them away, it's a simple as that. I thought Neil (Shipperley) slotted in really well and we can see that he is going to be a handful at this level, but our other forwards have to start finding the back of the net from the work he is doing so that we can turn these decent performances in to positive results."

Carlisle welcomed new signing Jeff Smith in to the fold for his first start whilst much travelled striker Neil Shipperley made his debut for a home side who had scored just 6 goals since the end of October last year.

Brentford shaded the first half with Charlie Ide the main outlet for their attacking play on the right wing, and it was this avenue of approach that brought them their first chance of the game. The nippy winger skipped past an Aranalde challenge and flung a low ball across the area, only for Shipperley to see his shot blocked by the lunging Livesey.

United responded quickly with a 4th minute long throw that was flicked on at the near post by Livesey. Hawley touched it onwards and Kev Gall was unfortunate when he got a toe to it, sending it just wide of the upright.

Ide then crashed two rushed shots well wide within the space of two minutes as the Bees got busy and Leary nodded a 10 yard header high over the bar from a precise Joe Keith free kick that had United fully stretched.

It took some desperate defending to keep the home side out in the 16th minute, which all started with a run down the wing from Jo Kuffour. His low cross was sent behind for a corner, with Shipperley lurking, and Ide put that delivery over the bar when he found himself with a free header just 6 yards from goal.

Chris Lumsdon came close to forcing the opening goal with a wickedly flighted free kick that came off Mousinho's arm and arrowed towards the bottom corner. Abbey had to dive down low to pick it off his goal line.

Charlie Ide was putting in a man of the match display and he crafted a golden opportunity for himself on 22 minutes when he trapped a long ball forward, taking Livesey out of the equation. With time to take a touch, he opted to volley early and sent his rasping effort dipping over the bar.

Carlisle needed to find a spark and it nearly came in the 27th minute when Aranalde chased a loose ball that looked to be a lost cause. Hooking his left foot round it he sent it back in to the box where Hawley met it with a diving header, finding the outside of the post with an excellently guided downwards header.

Jeff Smith was being used well down the left and he beat two men on 33 minutes before cutting it inside to the ever-willing Hawley. He sent it onwards to the overlapping Gall who put his shot in to the arms of the waiting Nathan Abbey.

Ide was wasteful once more in the 37th minute when Murphy and Aranalde went for the same ball, succeeding only in diverting it in to the tricky wide man's path. Bearing down on goal he lost his nerve at the vital moment, pulling a poor shot towards the corner flag in the end.

The half would end with Brentford on the attack as Joe Keith beat two on the right hand side and flicked a high ball towards Shipperley. He got to it, out-battling Livesey for the first time in the game, but could only direct it in to the crowd behind the goal.

Half Time: Brentford 0 - 0 United

Danny Livesey was called in to action again two minutes after the restart when Ide picked out Shipperley, following another mazy run, on the edge of the box. The big defender had to go at full pelt to get in the way of a goal bound volley that would have left Westwood with plenty to do.

The long throw routine was being used to good effect by United and Gall waited patiently at the far post before side footing a volley wide from a Livesey flick that had turned Brentford inside out.

The best move of the game came from Carlisle United in the 55th minute when Thirlwell and Hawley moved quickly to carve an opening for Murray. The midfielder took his first touch in to the box and forced a sprawling save from Abbey as he threatened to poke it under the keepers stomach as the shot-stopper advanced from his line.

Kev Gall seemed to be getting on the end of most things but he was left to explain how a 14 yard volley hadn't burst the back of the net after more good work from Hawley. However, Hawley would throw away a good attacking opportunity himself less than two minutes later when he caught the ball on the side of his foot, putting it over the bar without testing Abbey.

The game went flat as the midfield battle took centre stage but the introduction of Joe Garner, with 15 minutes to go, gave the visiting side an attacking lift as they looked to claim the points. Indeed, the on-loan Blackburn striker would have the best scoring chance of the game in the 84th minute when he found himself dead central, 12 yards out, and with Abbey off balance. Unfortunately his connection was too strong, and he was to find the advertising hoardings instead of the back of the net.

Jo Kuffour and Calum Willock would each have half chances to steal the game in time added on but the scoreline remained untroubled as both sides would troop off down the tunnel mulling over chances that had been missed.

Bookings

Brentford - Leary (45), Kuffour (55), Frampton (87)

United - Raven (26), Aranalde (40)

Teams

Brentford - Abbey, Frampton, Griffiths, Kuffour, Shipperley (Willock 83), Keith (Brooker 78), Tillen, Mousinho, Osborne, Ide, Leary. Subs - Masters, Pinault, Charles.

United - Westwood, Raven, Livesey, Murphy, Aranalde, Murray (Garner 76), Thirlwell, Lumsdon (McDermott 19), Smith (Holmes 90), Gall, Hawley. Subs - Williams, Gray.

Away fans - 605