BIG MATCH PREVIEW: A look ahead to Saturday's home game

Officials, head to head, handy information and more ...

28 September 2018

United are back at Brunton Park on Saturday and they'll be looking to build on an impressive away victory at Bury last weekend.

Lamex Stevenage are our visitors, and they sit just outside the early season play-off places following what has been a solid start to their season.

Last weekend saw them battle their way to a 1-0 home victory over Grimsby Town, but they left it late with a close-range strike from Steve Seddon proving to be enough with just seven minutes of normal time left to play.

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Stevenage fans, click HERE for a handy guide to all things Brunton Park - particularly if you're a first time visitor.

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Boro fans receive letter asking for their support ...

Boro boss Dino Maamria took the unusual step of sending his players out into the local community with letters asking people to go along to the Lamex Stadium to boost the average attendance, which was just over 2,600 last season.

A total of 44,000 of the letters will be sent to selected homes during September. The letter, which was delivered by the players on Tuesday, aims to attract new supporters as Stevenage look to mount a push for promotion to League One.

A three game unbeaten run suggests that the stop-start opening month has been put behind Boro but, having said that, just the two league defeats so far is an indication that they're going to be a force to be reckoned with this time round.

The goals have been spread around the team, with Alex Revell leading the way with three goals (and three assists to go with it). As a team, three of their four league victories have been by 1-0 margins with four of their nine outings seeing clean sheets kept.

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Manager’s thoughts

Speaking ahead of the game, United boss John Sheridan said: “Stevenage come to us off the back of a three-game unbeaten run and, like ourselves, are in good form. It’ll be a tough match but, and as I’ve said a number of times, they are all difficult in this division.

"Any team can beat any team at this level, and that’s why we concentrate on ourselves as much as possible.

"We know that Stevenage have some very good players who can cause real problems, and we’ll always respect that. We’ll work on what we want our players to do to counter those threats, but we’ll also concentrate on the areas where we feel we can cause them problems as well."

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Did You Know?

+ In May 2015, 56-year-old goalkeeper Dave Beasant was named on the bench for Stevenage’s play-off semi-final against Southend, making him the oldest individual to be selected in a squad in Football League history.

+ The club dropped ‘Borough’ from their name in June 2010 after gaining promotion to the Football League.

+ Stevenage became the first team to win a competitive final at the new Wembley Stadium in 2007, beating Kidderminster Harriers 3–2 to lift the FA Trophy in front of a competition record crowd of 53,262.

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Head to Head

These teams have met on a total of 17 occasions since coming together for the first time during our season in the Conference back in 2004/05.

Borough had the better of the meetings during the season, winning 2-1 both home and away, but it was the Blues who ended up with the biggest smiles on their faces when they returned to the Football League at the first time of asking with a 1-0 win in the play-off final in Stoke. Peter Murphy scored the goal on the day when he nodded a Tom Cowan cross into the back of the net.

United currently hold the overall bragging rights with eight wins compared to five for the visitors.

	Carlisle wins	Draws	Stevenage wins
League	8	4	5
Total	8	4	5

Last season's home game was a tough one for the Blues as early second half goals from Ben Kennedy and Tom Pett put Borough in cruise control as they saw their way through to a comfortable three points.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

January's visit to the Lamex was a much tighter affair but it was United who created the better of the chances, with Danny Grainger and Jamie Devitt both going close from first half free kicks. Sam Cosgrove could have wrapped things up when he was played clean through but, in the end, neither side could find a way to break the deadlock.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

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Man in the middle:

Our match referee this weekend is Scott Oldham. Records show this to be the first game that Mr Oldham has refereed this season.

He was at Brunton Park on three occasions last season - the first in September 2017 when we drew 1-1 with Barnet. Shaun Miller scored our late equaliser, with just five minutes left to play, and it was a game where the notebook stayed firmly in the pocket.

We saw him again at the end of December when Coventry were the visitors to Carlisle. Danny Grainger and Jamie Devitt went in the book as Marc McNulty bagged a second half winner.

His last trip to see us was for our 2-0 victory over Grimsby. Hallam Hope and Mark Ellis scored the goals and Clint Hill was the only yellow card shown on the day.

Referee – Scott Oldham
Assistant Referee 1 – Chris Isherwood
Assistant Referee 2 – Mark Cunliffe
Fourth Official – Matthew Dicicco

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Ticket information:

Remember, you can save £3 on match day prices by purchasing your ticket before 5pm on Friday.

Click HERE for more match day information, including happy hours, offers, half time entertainment and more.

Click HERE for full home match ticket information.

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Match Reports

MATCH REPORT: United 0 - 1 Stevenage

Report from the Saturday afternoon home game

29 September 2018

The Blues were back at Brunton Park on Saturday afternoon as they looked to build on last week's good away work at Gigg Lane.

But it was Stevenage who took the points courtesy of a thumping strike from Ben Kennedy early in the second half.

Boro, kicking towards United's Warwick Road End, had an early free kick opportunity, with a set piece out wide, but Liddle was pushed as the ball came in and the moment was gone. United then won one of their own at the other end, but Devitt's delivery was cleared by Cuthbert.

A run from Sowerby took him past his man, when he was picked out by Etuhu, and he sent a lovely pass to Hope as he arrived late. Good defending kept the blue shirts at bay, but Cuthbert had to step in when another teaser from Devitt arrived.

United stayed forward and another free kick from Devitt flew over heads on its way to the target. Gerrard was a whisker away from applying the finishing touch before the ball was grasped gratefully by Dieng.

A slick passing move from the hosts saw Sowerby and Nadesan combine to create space for another cross. It dropped nicely for Hope but he went for the first time volley and he couldn't keep it down.

The Blues should have scored on 14 minutes when Sowerby took matters into his own hands to go past his man and surge into the box. He showed good strength before hooking it back for Devitt to shoot. His initial effort was blocked, but it spun clear for Bennett, nine yards out, to strike. He had to readjust and that allowed a block to be made.

Hope returned the loose ball and Liddle kept two defenders at arm's length as he twisted his way to a cross. It bounced up awkwardly and Dieng was relieved to see it hit a thigh and then spin into his waiting hands when Bennett thumped the volley his way.

Carlisle kept chipping away, with good movement and link-up play between the midfield and front men a theme of the half, but they were left frustrated with their final ball as decent situations were left to go begging.

Stevenage reminded the home side that there were spoils to be had for either team when a driven corner found Cuthbert on the move. His header had power but it angled over the target.

And Adam Collin had to be at his best moments later when the unmarked Danny Newton put his left boot through a crisp volley. It appeared to be going in until the big stopper got down to make a fingertip save.

Midfielder Jack Sowerby had to leave the field, just past the half hour, as he was beaten by a knock picked up earlier in the game. George Glendon came on to take his place.

Collin was in action again just ahead of the break when Revell was played clean through by a slide rule pass from Kennedy. The big keeper spread himself to make an excellent block with his boot.

A half chance came the way of Jamie Devitt just before half time, when he volleyed a nod down from Bennett through bodies, but it lacked direction and it curled well wide.

Referee Scott Oldham turned away in disdain at an early second half appeal for a penalty when Alex Revell went down dramatically, and the action drifted into midfield with neither side willing to give ground.

But the visitors took the lead in emphatic syle on 56 minutes when Ben Kennedy found himself with a clear sight of the target as the ball ran into his path on the edge of the area. He made no mistake as he thundered it into the top corner.

The hosts thought they’d levelled almost straight away when Devitt beat his man to cross from wide. Substitute Adam Campbell jumped to head it and Dieng was beaten all ends up as it crashed onto the upright. The stranded stopper had no idea where he was as it rebounded off his leg and bobbled away to safety.

An incisive move followed as Campbell and Hope played a one-two to create space. The ball across the face of the area was just too far in front of Nadesan and Stevenage were able to see the danger away.

Stevenage protected their defensive third well as the clock ticked on but they were almost undone when a Devitt free kick was flicked on well by Gerrard. Parkes put his boot through it at the back stick but Timlin made the block.

Carlisle pushed men forward through the closing stages but Boro stayed deep to protect their one-goal lead.

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Goals

Stevenage - Kennedy (56)

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Bookings

Carlisle United - Hope (90)

Stevenage - Seddon (63)

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Teams

Carlisle United - Collin, Liddle, Gerrard, Parkes, Gillesphey (McCarron 80), Sowerby (Glendon 33), Devitt, Etuhu, Hope, Nadesan, Bennett (Campbell 54). Subs - O'Reilly, Miller, Jones, Slater.

Stevenage - Dieng, Wildin, Timlin, Cuthbert, Byrom, Revell, Kennedy (Guthrie 83), Sonupe (Ferry 46), Seddon, Newton, Nugent. Subs - Appleyard, Hunt, Ball, Reid, Henry.

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Referee - Mr Scott Oldham

Attendance - 4,200 (59 away fans)

Carlisle United Football Club

Standings

BIG MATCH PREVIEW: A look ahead to Saturday's home game

MATCH REPORT: United 0 - 1 Stevenage