A mixture of first-team players and youth first and second years turned out for the Blues against Gretna at Raydale Park on Tuesday night, and it became a game of few clear-cut chances, with much of the action taking place in the middle of the pitch.
In the end it was a stunning moment of quality from Sonny Hilton, who smashed a superb finish from distance into the top of the net, that made the difference between the sides.
Gretna had the first attack of the night when Currie used pace to get into the box. He stopped the ball dead before it could go behind, then chipped Kelly as he tried to narrow the angle even further. It needed a clearance off the line to prevent the goal.
United went close at the other end when Carr came out of a tackle with the ball at his feet. Bell showed for it, and he crossed low when he stepped into space. Bollado got there, but his connection lacked power and Gormley swept the effort clear.
Hilton stepped forward and almost found a way through with a neat pass that found Bollado on the move. The touch from the striker was heavy and Main dashed out to scoop it up.
A determined run from Sam Muir took him beyond Bell and he bounced a reverse pass off Munro as he reached the 18-yard line for the hosts. A first-time shot went just past the upright as Kelly dived to cover.
It was nip and tuck as the tackles flew in but Carlisle were close to breaking the deadlock when Bell fed Bollado in an overlap. He clipped it across the face of the target, but a palm from the stopper took it away from Fitzpatrick. Nugent had his back to goal as it came his way, but he was closed down smartly by Teviotdale.
The Cumbrians took the lead shortly after the break when Hilton found room in a dangerous area. He had just one thing in mind as he unleashed an unstoppable missile that cruised over the dive from Main and into the roof of the net.
Hard work from both teams meant that goalmouth action was at a premium but Spelman was disappointed when he guided a corner from Caves between Breeze and his back line. All it needed was a touch, but Gordon shepherded it to safety.
It looked like a second for the away team when Hill charged a clearance down before finding Nugent on the move. Main spilled the stinger when it came his way from the midfielder but he clawed the loose ball off the line just in the nick of time.
Conor Duffy poked one over when he stabbed at a volley in time added on, and the game ended with a rifled attempt from Hill that was handled comfortably by Dominic Duffy.
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Goals
United - Hilton (48)
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Teams
Gretna - Main (Duffy 85), Gormley (Johnston 46), Muir, Dickinson (c) (Duffy 46), Teviotdale, Caves, Mbewe, Munro (Dukuray 50), Currie, Fraser (Short 80), Spelman.
United - Kelly (Breeze 46), Ellis, Whelan (c) (Swinburn 70), Potts, Bell, Hilton, Carr, Nugent (Allan 87), Fitzpatrick (Gordon 70), Hardy (Hill 70), Bollado.
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Attendance - 235
