The match officials have been confirmed for this weekend.
Referee - Tom Nield
Assistant Referee 1 - Mark Stevens
Assistant Referee 2 - Matthew Jones
Fourth Official - Daniel Middleton
Observer - David Naylor
Coach - Robert Shoebridge
Our referee for this fixture is Mr Tom Nield. Tom has taken charge of three games so far this season showing 12 yellow cards and one red.
He was, of course, the man in the middle for our League Two play-off final victory over Stockport (on penalties) at Wembley in May 2023. Omari Patrick levelled things up after Jon Mellish had netted an unfortunate own goal, and off it went to that ice cool shootout, with Taylor Charters taking the honours with the last of the spot kicks. Charters and Mellish both went in the book on the day.
Prior to that he was our match official for the narrow one-goal defeat at the hands of Exeter City in April 2022. Padraig Amond nicked the win with a very late strike, and Brennan Dickenson, Jordan Gibson, Jan Mellish and Dynel Simeu were all cautioned on what was a tense afternoon of action.
We saw him in March 2021 for the visit of Cambridge, and it was Paul Mullin who put the away team in the lead on the stroke of half time. Lewis Alessandra equalised with just over 10 minutes left to go, but Adam May snatched the points with another late, late winner. Aaron Hayden, Dean Furman and Ozzy Zanzala all went in the book.
He was with us for our first home game of the 2018/19 season when we drew 2-2 with Northampton. Jamie Devitt and Hallam Hope scored our goals, and Devitt also had his name scribbled down.
We had him as our man in the middle 12-months prior to that when we made the long trip south to face Cambridge at the Abbey Stadium. Reggie Lambe opened the scoring with just eight minutes on the clock but that lead was quickly wiped out when Medy Elito scored from the spot. A close range volley from Tom Parkes brought an infamous dab celebration and restored the lead ahead of half time, and that was that in terms of goals as the Cumbrians went on to win the game. Gary Liddle and Tom Parkes were the Carlisle names to go in the book on the day.
