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02 February 2021 Venue Brunton Park Attendance

Kick off 18:00 (UK)

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English Football League - League Two

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Match Previews

MATCH PREVIEW: Forest Green head north on Tuesday

We look ahead to the midweek game

1 February 2021

United are back at home on Tuesday night with Forest Green Rovers as our visitors.

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This game was originally lost to the Covid-19 isolation period, and it will be the first of seven to be played in just 26 days for the Blues.

We covered this ahead of the last meeting between these two teams, but we felt it was worth running again - just in case you missed it ...

... Rovers became the world's first football club to achieve 'carbon neutral' status in 2017, having already turned to an all vegan menu around their match day catering facilities two years earlier.

October 2020 saw Massive Attack's Robert Del Naja join the club as their artistic director, with the band having commuted around their European tour venues by train, to reduce their carbon footprint. 

And back in September 2020 Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin became the club's second largest stakeholder as he invested in the club on an agenda of 'seeking to raise the environmental agenda in football' having recently raised funds to plant 60,000 trees in the Amazonian Rain Forest.

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Despite a sticky January Forest Green find themselves right in amongst in heading into the second half of the campaign. 

Their away win at Leyton Orient was preceded by two draws and two defeats - of course that run came after our visit to the New Lawn midway through December.

Saturday's top of the table clash with Cheltenham ended as stalemate, with no goals scored, but reports suggest that it could have gone either way.

January has seen a flurry of transfer window activity with Liam Kitching (Barnsley), Carl Winchester (Sunderland) and Josh March (Harrogate) heading out of the door.

Incoming have been defender Baily Cargill from MK Dons, midfielder Isaac Hutchinson from Derby and striker Josh Davison from Charlton.

Meanwhile Birmingham's Odin Bailey extended his loan deal, keeping him in a grean shirt until the end of the season.

who

As ever, we can't see past Jamille Matt for this one. With nine league goals to his name already he's a real handful, as well we know, and he livens up any attack force with his movement and presence.

Rovers have a tight defence, with just the 22 goals conceded, but it's all eyes on the big striker with United's back line knowing they'll have their work cut out.

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Click HERE to purchase a match pass which will allow you to watch this game in full HD via our streaming iFollow service.

With match commentary also provided by BBC Radio Cumbria, this is a fantastic way to follow your team through these unprecedented behind closed doors fixtures.

Match passes are available for ALL EFL league games during this restricted attendance period. Click HERE to find out more about this season’s iFollow United service.

Our handy 'How To' guide for season ticket holders and match pass purchasers is HERE.

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highlights

A trip to the New Lawn in December 2020 brought a win for the hosts as Jamille Matt pounced late in the game to nick the points as an afternoon of sunshine turned to heavy, saturating storms.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

The 2019/20 season was one of those years where it felt like we played each other at least 200 times, and the fourth occasion we came together was again down at the Lawn, and it was a thumping away win for the Cumbrians as Josh Kayode complemented a Nathan Thomas hat-trick, with the score ending at 4-1.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

December 2019's FA Cup second round replay went the way of the Blues courtesy of a first-ever goal for the club for big defender Aaron Hayden. It was nip and tuck, but Carlisle went through to face Championship side Cardiff City in the third round.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

United had to come from behind when Aaron Collins netted with just 10 minutes on the clock at Nailsworth in the November 2019 second round FA Cup clash. Goals either side of the break from Nathan Thomas put the Cumbrians in the ascendency, but an own goal from Gethin Jones just two minutes after Thomas had bagged his second left the teams with it all to do again as the game ended 2-2.

Unfortunately we do not hold the rights to the first round match footage.

It was a stalemate here at Brunton Park when these sides met in league action in September 2019. Chances came and went, but the feisty encounter went without goals as five players were booked and one sent off (James Morton).

Watch the highlights from that game here:

United came away from the New Lawn with a 1-1 draw in March 2019, having largely dominated the game. Nathan Thomas bagged the goal, but there were a number of opportunities missed by the Blues as they battled, but ultimately failed, to take all three points.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

It was Rovers who took the honours when they came north in November 2018, earlier in that season, with goals from Ben Morris and Carl Winchester giving them a two-goal cushion. A late penalty from Jamie Devitt gave the Blues some hope, but the away side held out to take all three points.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

The December 2017 away trip to the New Lawn brought an early Christmas present for the Blue Army as Richie Bennett headed home what turned out to be the winner just before the half hour.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

It was the same scoreline here at Brunton Park in January 2018 with the only goal of the game coming in almost the same minute. This time it was Jamie Devitt who found the back of the net when he arrived late to smash a volley into the bottom corner as the ball fell nicely at his feet.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

officials

Referee - Declan Bourne
Assistant Referee 1 - Paul Newhouse
Assistant Referee 2 - Barry Gordon
Fourth Official - Ross Joyce

Our referee for this fixture is Mr Declan Bourne. 

He has been in charge of 18 games so far this season and has shown 50 yellows and no reds.

This is the first time he has been the man in the middle for a Carlisle United fixture.

tickets

This game is to be played behind closed doors. See above for details of how to watch live using our iFollow match streaming service.

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Match Reports

MATCH REPORT: United 1 - 2 Rovers

Report from the Tuesday evening home game

2 February 2021

United were back at home for the rearranged visit of Forest Green on Tuesday night.

Heavy snow in the region was followed by persistent rain but the Brunton Park playing surface dealt with the lot, with the game never in doubt.

The only change from Saturday's home win over Exeter was striker JJ Kayode stepping up to start, with Ozzy Zanzala taking a place on the bench.

It was a fast-paced opening to the encounter with challenges flying in, and Alessandra was heavily involved as he became a focal point for the home team's forward movement.

And United ripped a path through the middle on 5 minutes when Riley got on the end of some good work from Anderton and Kayode. He surged forward, beating his man, and Armer showed for it as he arrived late. A lovely ball into the box from the right back was just an inch too far for Kayode, who had made up the space, and it drifted agonisingly past his toe.

Forest Green showed next with a quick move that had Davison interested on the left flank. He angled his run before shooting, but it took a deflection and was eventually put behind for a corner.

That went deep, and Sweeney did well to guide it back into the six-yard box. Head tennis followed, but it dropped kindly for Cargill to nod into the waiting net from close range. His celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.

Keeper Paul Farman placed the ball quickly and he sparked a counter-attack with a neat kick out. Kayode found Alessandra, and he rolled a pass across the edge of the area for Guy to strike. It was on target but a touch from Stokes made it easy for Thomas to gather.

A huge throw from Kayode had to be put behind as Alessandra lurked, and the inswinging set piece from Guy brought an error from keeper Lewis Thomas as he missed his punch. The green shirts closed ranks to get the ball away.

Rovers came again when Bailey exchanged passes with Davison. Jack Armer was needed to hook the clearance long as Cadden looked for the loose pieces.

Good football from the hosts saw Mellish win possession in the middle of the park. Kayode fed Patrick, and he went past a tackle before tucking it wide. A low cross spooned high and Riley got there first to clip it into the mix. Cargill got in the way to smother the danger.

A weak misplaced pass from Thomas gave Patrick an unexpected touch as Rovers made a mess of playing out from the back with the clock ticking towards half time. The forward had options, and the away stopper was relieved as a shot from distance came his way.

Bailey drilled one into the Warwick Road End when he got himself in the way of Guy as the United man tried to carry the ball out, following a stuttering but effectve attack, and Collins forced a punched save out of Farman when he whipped a free kick from a tight angle at the target. The big keeper reacted well to protect his nets as he sent the swirling ball over the bar.

Neat footwork from Patrick saw him steal it off Cadden before sending Kayode down the right wing. He dropped a shoulder to make space but the cross had too much on it and it sailed off into the distance.

A cheeky throw from Kayode to Armer brought an attack with just seconds on the second half clock, and Hayden was there to clip the pass from deep into the 18-yard box off the top of his head. Kayode was interested but the keeper got there first.

It was tight, as both sets of players closed gaps quickly, and even the trusty Kayode launches from the touchline met with a stubborn riposte.

Disaster struck on 57 minutes when a United attack broke down and a long clearance left Cadden on the overlap. Guy stretched to make the tackle but he clipped the heels of the Forest man and the referee immediately pointed to the spot.

Collins placed it, and he made no mistake as he smashed it into the bottom corner. 

Carlisle boss Chris Beech reacted with a triple substitution, with Dickenson, Toure and Zanzala introduced to the fray, and they had an input when they each got a touch before Riley shot through bodies. Thomas was well set to deal with it.

Brennan Dickenson had a goal chalked off when Godwin-Malife tumbled as Zanzala popped a pass through, when he turmed with his back to goal. The maraduing midfielder was deemed to have pushed his man over just as he found the bottom corner.

Another good attack came when Armer sent a pass to Zanzala. Riley picked it up, and Dickenson was there once again as it was worked his way. He went for the shot from outside the area but it was always going wide.

The equaliser was all about Joe Riley as he closed down with tenacity to take the ball away from the Rovers man. He stayed calm, and turned the defenders inside out before putting it on a plate for Gime Toure, who made no mistake from just two yards.

But just three minutes later Odin Bailey took charge of a free kick after a foul had been committed just 19 yards out. Farman had no chance as it sailed into the top corner.

Farman was a hero as he spread himself to block Davison with just over 10 minutes left to play, and that moment had come when a long throw was flicked on by Hayden at the other end. Toure got on the end of it, and he couldn't believe his bad luck as it bounced back off the upright, and the visitors used the moment to set off on their break.

An inswinging away free kick landed on the roof of Farman's net as Rovers continued to work on the break, and the home keeper was at his best once again when he got low to stop Davison from adding a third as he cut in from the left flank.

United kept battling, but they couldn't find a way through, with Zanzala having the last chance of the night as he turned a cross from Dickenson at the target, only to find the keeper waiting to sweep it up.

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Goals

Carlisle United - Toure (72)

Forest Green Rovers - Collins (60 pen), Bailey (75)

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Bookings

Carlisle United - Bennett (73), Riley (76)

Forest Green Rovers - Bailey (76), Sweeney (82), Cargill (90)

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Teams

Carlisle United - Farman, Armer, Hayden, Bennett, Anderton (c) (Charters 85), Riley, Mellish (Dickenson 61), Guy (Walker 80), Alessandra (Toure 61), Kayode, Patrick (Zanzala 61). Subs - Norman (gk), Furman.

Forest Green Rovers - Thomas, Sweeney, Stokes (c), Cargill, Collins, Cadden, Moore-Taylor, Bailey (Wilson 81), Whitehouse, Godwin-Malife, Davison. Subs - McGee (gk), Bernard, Hutchinson, Young, Wagstaff, Richardson. 

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Match officials

Referee - Declan Bourne
Assistant Referee 1 - Paul Newhouse
Assistant Referee 2 - Barry Gordon
Fourth Official - Ross Joyce

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Attendance - BCD

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