Pools grab point with unlikely equaliser ...
United left Hartlepool feeling they could have had more but for an opportunistic second half strike from Pools which left them with a share of the spoils.A noisy atmosphere, mostly created by the away supporters, set the scene for a frenetic start and Hartlepool created the first chance when Thomas latched on to a loose ball in midfield. He strode forward and unleashed a fierce effort from 30-yards but Gillespie dropped low to gather it in.
The Pools stayed on the front foot and a cross from wide from Amond had to be dealt with by Brisley as Oates arrived late in the area.
Carlisle moved the ball well in reply as they started to settle and an exchange of passes between Bailey and Liddle allowed O'Sullivan to ghost through the back line. He worked space for Liddle to cross but Donnelly held his ground to hook it away.
The Cumbrians grabbed an early goal when Grainger sent a thrown into the area. Ibehre shielded it and spun on the spot before dinking a lovely finish beneath the keeper to make it two goals in two games and eleven for the campaign.
It almost got better for the visitors with their very next attack when a high ball into the box found Proctor completely unmarked. He jumped high to meet it but he had to stretch and he couldn't quite guide it onto the target.
Carlisle were up for it and a long ball from Grainger caught Donnelly in two minds. He chose to chest it back to the keeper and he was relieved to see Fryer scoop it up before O'Sullivan could poke it away.
The home side looked rattled and Alessandra wasted two shooting opportunities as he curled poor attempts wide of the mark when he had other options to choose from.
An excellent passage of Carlisle play midway through the half saw Bailey, O'Sullivan and Proctor move the ball in tight triangles before Devitt clipped it into the box. It was a good delivery but Pools were able to see it away.
The red shirts went close again on 27 minutes when Proctor took control of a pass with his back to goal just 12-yards out. He held his man off, bought some time and then beat the keeper with a well hit low drive. It had goal written all over it until Donnelly got his boot in the way before it could cross the line.
It was all about Carlisle and Fryer had to watch a long range effort from Joyce closely as it took a wicked deflection and skipped off the surface. The keeper waited and it eventually spun into his chest.
The visitors looked dangerous again just before the break when Ibehre battled for a floated ball from Liddle. He turned his marker and fed it through for O'Sullivan to cross but Donnelly managed to divert it into the side netting.
United ended the first half on the attack and Joyce wasn't too far away with a volley on the full which hit a thigh and bent wide of the upright. The corner pinged around inside the box but Pools survived the scare with a much needed clearance from Walker.
Midfielder Nathan Thomas tried to catch Gillespie out with a cheeky chip at the start of the second half but he got his bearings wrong and it dropped into the stands.
Carlisle were forced into a change of personnel on 50 minutes when O'Sullivan limped from the field of play to be replaced by Lambe.
The Cumbrians stifled the midfield areas to stop the home side from playing but the scores were levelled from absolutely nowhere when Oates somehow came away with the ball as a clearance smacked into his midriff. He was left with just Gillespie to beat and he made no mistake as he drilled it into the bottom corner.
Keeper Joe Fryer became the hero at the other end when he somehow saved a glanced header from Brisley from a Grainger free kick. He didn't know much about it but he punched it into the air and it dropped onto the roof of his net.
Pools grew in confidence and Donnelly tried his luck as he cut in from the left flank. He hit his shot well but it was always going wide.
Ibehre had a goal chalked off for an infringement when he was judged to have pulled his man back, and Thomas was a whisker away at the other end with an instinctive volley as the game started to open up.
Fryer earned more pats on the back when he saved from a Raynes header from another excellent Grainger set piece, and the home goal lived a charmed life as Grainger put the ball into the right area again from an inswinging corner. Brisley had his header saved, Ibehre hit the post, and Fryer reacted quickly to stop Brisley from sweeping the loose ball into the waiting net.
Both sides pushed for a winner and Waring had a goal disallowed deep into time added on as he challenged with Fryer for a ball which looped out of the air and into the bottom corner from his touch.
+++++++
Goals
Hartlepool United - Oates (65)
Carlisle United - Ibehre (7)
+++++++
Bookings
Hartlepool United - Donnelly (81)
Carlisle United - Joyce (12), Proctor (43), Ibehre (78), Devitt (85)
+++++++
Teams
Hartlepool United - Fryer, Richardson (Magnay 37), Walker, Harrison, Donnelly, Featherstone, Woods, Alessandra, Oates, Amond, Thomas. Subs - Dudzinski, Bates, Deverdics, Hawkins, Rooney, Rodney.
Carlisle United - Gillespie, Liddle, Raynes, Brisley, Grainger, Devitt, Joyce, Bailey, O'Sullivan (Lambe 50), Ibehre, Proctor (Waring 70). Subs - Crocombe, Gillesphey, Tomlinson, Joachim, Nabi.
+++++++
Referee - Mr Carl Boyeson
Attendance - 5,011 (997 away fans)
