Carlisle United under-18s comfortably beat Cleator Moor 4-1 at The Sheepmount to kick-start pre-season.
Goals from Kai Muldoon, Tai Bell and a brace from Nathan Wheatley proved to be the difference against the West Lancashire League side.
United controlled much of the match and deservedly took the lead in the 17th minute through Nathan Wheatley who got on the end of a ball through the Cleator Moor defence, before cooly finishing past the outrushing ‘keeper.
The Blues would double their lead just five minutes later when Josh Wade linked up nicely with Kai Muldoon, before the latter finished off an exceptional team move with a calm strike into the bottom corner.
Before the half-hour mark United would further extend their lead with Wheatley grabbing his second goal of the afternoon, the number nine chased down Sam Worth’s long ball and managed to round the goalkeeper, to then finish into an empty net.
Worth was forced into a terrific save after he pushed a goal-bound effort onto the crossbar with an athletic stop.
The visitors would pull a goal back just before the end of the first-half after a powerful strike flew past Worth.
HALF-TIME: Carlisle United 3-1 Cleator Moor
Mark Birch made three changes at the break, with Harry Moynan, Tyler Cumersky and Brad Robinson replacing Ted Thwaites, Jack Hodgson and Sam Worth.
United came out the blocks quickly in the second-half with Tai Bell finishing off another team move with a composed finish which nestled in the bottom left corner.
The remaining 30 minutes were tight and cagey with both teams in the early stages of their respective pre-seasons, but the Blues were able to see out the match to conclude a positive first outing of 2026/27.
FULL-TIME: Carlisle United 4-1 Cleator Moor
Goals:
Carlisle United: (Wheatley 17', 28'), (Muldoon 22'), (Bell 47')
Team:
Carlisle United: Worth (Robinson 46’), Murphy, McDonough (Blaylock 60’), Hodgson (Cumersky 46’), Aaron, Boertien, Wade, Bell (C), Wheatley (Stuart 60’), Muldoon (Harabasz 55’), Thwaites (Moynan 46’)
Yellow Cards:
Carlisle United: N/A
Cleator Moor: N/A
Red Cards:
Carlisle United: N/A
Cleator Moor: N/A