Hebburn Sports Club proved to be fantastic hosts for the Blues as Gav Skelton took a strong side to play a pre-season friendly over in South Tyneside.
Cumbrian graduate Josh Dixon was handed the captain’s armband for the day, and the extreme heat possibly reached it’s high point as he took to the centre circle for the pre-match preamble.
Lewis Bell was influential early on and he linked with Toure with just two minutes on the clock. Strong defending snuffed out the danger.
Toure clearly wanted the ball and he dropped a shoulder moments later only to see his delivery on the run diverted behind for a corner.
It was a good start from the away side and Abrahams clipped a header wide as made space for himself in the area.
Concentration was needed from the Hebburn stopper on six minutes when Toure and Ellis worked a way through for Abrahams. The lively forward tried to place his shot but a firm hand parried it to safety.
The home side showed as a force on 16 minutes when a cross from the right had to be seen off by Barnett, but Abrahams and Toure restored some authority at the other end when they both caused problems on the edge of the area.
Abrahams was involved again midway through the half when he made a Dickenson corner his own. His downward header had power but the keeper was once again in the right place at the right time.
The away side took the lead on 37 minutes when Abrahams used Lewis Bell as a bounce board as they wound their way down the flank. There was suddenly space to be exploited and neat chest control from Abrahams was followed by an emphatic finish.
Away tails were up and Hayden popped a header from another accurate Dickenson corner just over the target.
And Danny Devine wasn’t too far away just before half time when he had a stinging effort deflected wide.
Carlisle picked up where they had left off after the break with a shot from distance from Abrahams which was too close to the keeper.
But Hebburn looked up for the challenge and they started to push on in greater numbers, with space appearing as they flooded the final third.
Teenage keeper Gabriel Breeze pulled off an excellent save when he reacted quickly to a snapshot from the edge of the area, and the home side went close again when a pass flashed across the face of goal, only to be touched wide.
Carlisle regrouped and Mellish was dangerous when he popped a pass to Fishburn. A volley from the penalty spot had the keeper rooted but it whipped away from the nets.
Mellish was then judged to have been fouled when he accepted a pass from Dickenson, and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Tristan Abrahams placed it and he kept his cool to find the right-hand corner with confidence.
Hebburn kept going, and they twice went close to registering late on the day, only to have wayward finishing to blame for not getting on the scoresheet.
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Teams
Hebburn Town - tbc
Carlisle United - Breeze, Ellis, Dickenson, Devine, Hayden, Barnett (Fishburn 46), Toure (Kilsby 79), Mellish, Abrahams, Dixon (c), Bell. Subs - Boyd, Watt.
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Goals
Carlisle United - Abrahams (37, 66 pen)
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Referee - Rebecca Welch
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Attendance - 294
