Second half turnaround sinks the Blues
Holders Carlisle United were knocked out of the Cumberland Senior Cup at the second round stage this afternoon as a determined Wigton Harriers outfit overcame a two-goal deficit to claim their place in the third round draw with a last gasp winner right at the end of the game."I thought we played well in the first half," youth coach Dave Wilkes said. "However, they let themselves down badly in the second half.
"I warned them at half time that the way Wigton could get back into was through set pieces, and that turned out to be the case. We gave away a few daft free kicks and we put ourselves under pressure in the end.
"I think Lewis [Brass] will be disappointed with himself for their first goal and they got the confidence from that to start committing players forward. They got a second one by lumping the ball into the box and it broke very kindly for them. Jake Chisholm has apologised for the third one - he was caught in two minds and they took it off him and scored.
"We're probably guilty of thinking the game was won at half time and that has come home to bite us. That comes down to inexperience because they'll have expected to win this one. This game changes on things like silly fouls or daft mistakes and we've made one or two too many today. We've been made to pay the price for that."
3 mins - A short corner routine allowed Marshall to cross and Hodgson was unlucky when his powerful header was parried by the keeper. Patrick Brough was on hand to smash the loose ball into the roof of the net.
12 mins - Marshall was robbed on the edge of his own box but the onrushing Harriers forward lost his balance and blazed his shot over the bar.
18 mins - Hammell pounced on a half clearance from an inswinging corner but he couldn't keep it down and it sailed high over the target.
29 mins - Brough overlapped and crossed from the left and Jack Lynch was well placed to volley as he pulled into space. Ben Gray spread himself and made a good save with his legs.
32 mins - Flowing football took Danny Hodgson into the box and a rash challenge left the referee with no option but to point at the spot. Hodgson dusted himself off and calmly stroked the spot kick home.
35 mins - A crossfield pass from Edwards released Hodgson and he beat his man to unleash a blistering near post shot. Grey was equal to it as he made the save at his near post.
50 mins - Grey was the hero again as he spread himself to block a fierce goal-bound effort from Hammell.
55 mins - Chris Graves pulled the Harriers right back into it when his 28 yard free kick clipped the ball and bounced awkwardly in front of Lewis Brass. The spinning bounce left the keeper with no chance as it angled into the roof of his net.
64 mins - Hammell and Scott went close within moments of each other as they both miscued their volleys and sent them away from the target.
69 mins - Riding timed his run perfectly to receive a neat pass through the back line but Brass was alert and able to beat it away.
85 mins - The Harriers struck again with just five minutes left to play when another dangerous set piece arrived in the box. Brass stopped the first attempt but Sam Irving was unmarked and he kept his cool to calmly finish it off.
90 mins - Mike Riding snatched a late winner when Jake Chisholm was caught in two minds deep inside his own half. The ball broke kindly for the livewire forward and he drew the stopper before thumping it emphatically into the bottom corner.
Harriers: Gray, Green, Armstrong, Irving, Thompson, N Thompson, A Johnston, Graves, Coulthard, Riding, Bonnet, Hill. Subs - L Johnston, I Johnston, Nicholson, Housby.
Goals: Graves (55), Irving (85), Riding (90)
United: Brass, Gwinnutt, Edwards, Scott (Chisholm 73), Marshall, Lynch, Hammell, White, Hodgson, Blackburn (Elliott 56), Brough. Subs - Eccles, Dickson, Moyes.
Goals: Brough (3), Hodgson (32 pen)
