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FRIENDLY: United 3 - 0 Halifax

Pre-season comes to an end with a home game

30 July 2021

Club News

FRIENDLY: United 3 - 0 Halifax

Pre-season comes to an end with a home game

30 July 2021

United's pre-season fixture schedule was closed off with a home game against Halifax on Friday night.

Carlisle were on the front-foot from the off with Clough and Mellish on the ball in midfield. It went wide to Armer, but his cross was sent behind by an alert defender at the near post.

The resulting corner delivery from Guy caused problems as Hayden and Clough tried to make it count. The visitors worked hard to usher it away.

Halifax responded with a break down the right flank with a trialist doing well to get it into the area. It ran clear, but Mellish was there to make a block. 

A deep corner followed and it eventually came to Maher on the edge of the box. He kept it low but his crisp connection whistled just past the upright.

Trickery from Clough brought a clipped heel and a free kick 24-yards out, just wide of centre, as he tried to wriggle through. Clough dusted himself off and made no mistake with a superbly placed dipper which nestled sweetly in the Waterworks nets as it flew over the wall.

One of the four trialists on show for the away team put a weak attempt straight at Norman, and Woods blazed high as Town looked to make inroads.

An overlap from Dickenson saw him bamboozle his marker as he cut into space at the other end. A whipped cross was blocked, as was the follow up from Armer.

But the lead was doubled when Guy spread the play to Dickenson once again. His first-time angled pass across the face of goal found Mampala on the move and his finish was emphatic.

A drag back from Mellish impressed the crowd when it took him into the area with United looking dominant, having started with his back to goal, but he opted to try to thread it through the eye of a needle rather than shoot. 

Mellish was in action again on 18 minutes when he burst out of midfield to steal possession. He shot from distance and Johnson was relieved to see it flash past the target.

Armer and Mampala then worked together to create an opening with the latter looking to pick out Dickenson. Close marking smothered the movement.

Carlisle were on the attack again when Alessandra sent Clough through, and Johnson had to go full length to beat the bottom corner bound effort away. The corner was taken quickly but Alessandra miscued his volley as he arrived late.

There was work for Norman to do when Gilmour clipped the ball with intelligence into space. Tear found the target from 16-yards but the keeper went low to parry.

Tanner and Dickenson popped shots astray during a quieter period, but the game sparked into life again when Mellish was pushed wide. His first-time cross was headed into the air by Maher, and Clough wasn't too far away with a wicked volley.

More good stuff followed from Tanner as he picked a path through a packed defence. Clough helped, and Tanner pulled off his man to nod the ball back into the mix. Maher was relieved to see his intervention creep just over the bar.

Armer, Alessandra and Mampala made way for Tristan Abrahams, Joe Riley and Gime Toure for the second half. Dickenson moved to a left wing back position, with Tanner doing the same on the right. Hayden, Mellish and Whelan made up a back three.

Carlisle thought they'd bagged a third on 50 minutes when Abrahams sent a beauty in. Tanner met it on the full, six-yards out, but the assistant referee had no option but to flag for offside as it hit Clough on its way over the line.

A poor pass from a Halifax trialist gave Abrahams time and space in the centre circle and he waited for Toure to arrive. Solid defending prevented the shot.

The Shaymen won a corner just past the hour as Spence tried to ask questions, but Hayden was there with a clearing header.

There was half a shout for a penalty when Tanner tumbled to the floor as he tried to get on the end of a Toure cross, but the officials waved play on with nothing given.

Spence pulled a 30-yarder into the advertising boards as the half remained tight, but a foul on Abrahams on the edge of the D invited Clough to have another go. He brought 'oooohs' from the crowd as it bent an inch the wrong side of the post.

Tenacity from Toure brought more appreciative applause as he rode a battering to eventually deliver. Summerfield was on hand to clear.

Abrahams introduced a bit of trickery and slickery as the clock ticked down when he backheeled a pass from Tanner past the defender. And a sprint from Abrahams almost brought him a goal as he bore down on the dallying keeper. His block on the slide rattled into the supporting net pole.

Striker Zach Clough had a worrying word with the gaffer as it looked like he'd taken a knock, and he was replaced by Fishburn for the closing 10 minutes.

And Abrahams would have scored the goal of the night [a bold statement when you consider the quality of the other two] on 80 minutes had the trialist keeper not got in the way. His touch from a floated crossfield pass was sublime, but he clipped it past the post as the stopper raced out.

United's third came from an unfortunate visitor after Toure had taken the ball to the byline. His cross was met by a lunge from a white shirt which succeeded only in finding the back of the net.

Sam Fishburn was denied what looked to be a certain goal when Riley popped a great pass into the area, but a defender got the vital touch to take it away from his toe.

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Goals

Carlisle United - Clough (7), Mampala (11), own goal (87)

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Carlisle United - Norman, Tanner, Hayden (McDonald 76), Whelan (Dixon 76), Armer (Abrahams 46), Mellish, Guy (c) (Charters 76), Dickenson (Bell 63), Clough (Fishburn 80), Mampala (Riley 46 (captain after 76 minutes), Alessandra (Toure 46). Subs - Jensen.

FC Halifax Town:

First half - Johnson, Trialist, Trialist, Maher, Senior, Green, Woods, Gilmour, Tear, Trialist, Trialist.

Second half - Johnson (Trialist), Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Bradbury, Spence, Summerfield, Trialist, Waters, Trialist, Trialist.

Other trialists were used as subs.

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Match officials

Referee - Anthony Backhouse
Assistant - Kevin Mulraine
Assistant - Matt Sowerby
Fourth official - John Mulligan

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Attendance - 1,076 (30 away fans)


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