Carlisle United picked up a comfortable 3-0 win at home over Brackley Town on the final day of the 25/26 Enterprise National League season.
Goals from Luke Armstrong, Jack Ellis and Georgie Kelly proved to be enough for United to secure victory.
Head Coach Mark Hughes made six changes from last weekend’s visit to Truro City with Archie Mair, Aaron Hayden, Jack Ellis, Ephraim Yeboah, Bevis Mugabi and Luke Armstrong all coming into the side.
The Blues got off to the perfect start, and took the lead in the within six minutes through Armstrong who managed to get on the end of David Ajiboye’s low ball into the box to finish from close range.
The strong start continued when Yeboah came very close to opening his account in blue, but his effort curled narrowly past Harrison Rhone’s post.
United managed to get their second of the afternoon through Jack Ellis who finished from close range after Ryan Galvin’s long-range effort smashed off the crossbar and fell into his path.
Brackley struggled to create any clear-cut opening throughout the first-half, the closest they came was through Ben Wodskou, whose strike on goal was well held by Mair.
HALF-TIME: Carlisle United 2-0 Brackley Town
The visitors created more chances in the second-half and came close to halfling the deficit when Wodskou’s effort from outside the box crashed off the post.
The Blues took back control of the remainder off the match; Aaron Hayden was unfortunate not to get on the end of the Callum Whelan’s free-kick.
United would get their third of the game in the 90th minute, when substitute Georgie Kelly got on the end of Chris Conn-Clarke's whipped ball into the box and managed to head past a helpless Rhone.
Kelly would nearly get his second from distance less than a minute later, but his dipping effort sailed just over bar.
The Blues will face either Boreham Wood or Forest Green Rovers in the Play-Off semi-finals next Sunday.
FULL-TIME: Carlisle United 3-0 Brackley Town
Teams:
Carlisle United: Mair, Hayden (C), Ajiboye (Luamba 61’), Whelan, Galvin, Wearne (Conn-Clarke 74’), Ellis, Williams (Williams 61’), Yeboah (Kelly 85’), Mugabi, Armstrong (Wyke 61’)
Unused subs: Davies, Harper
Brackley Town: Rhone, Lyttle, Dean, Pollock (Brown 73’), Roberts, Lowe (Morrison 81’), Wodksou (Hall 73’), Elliot-Wheeler (Hayes 73’), Lilly (Nottingham 81’), Bryne, Tripp
Unused subs: Maxted, Worby, Brown
Goals:
Carlisle United – (Armstrong 6’), (Ellis 31’), (Kelly 90+1)
Brackley Town – N/A
Yellow cards:
Carlisle United – N/A
Brackley Town – (Wheeler 44’), (Pollock 53’)
Red cards:
Carlisle United – N/A
Brackley Town – N/A
Match officials:
Referee – Steven Copeland
Assistant Referee 1 – David Holmes
Assistant Referee 2 – Tyler Dutton
Fourth Official – Lewis Dawson
Attendance:
7,334 (52 away)