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The Blues prepare to welcome the Bantams to Cumbria tomorrow afternoon, and hold the advantage on previous meetings between the two teams. Of the 22 games played, United have recorded nine wins, although Bradford City have come away with a healthy seven victories.
The most recent encounter between these two sides at Brunton Park was earlier this season, when the two sides shared the spoils over 120 minutes courtesy of a 1-1 draw in an League Cup First Round match, Carlisle eventually winning through to the next stage 4-3 on penalties. The last time the two clubs met in the league was in the 1995-96 Division Two (third tier) season, with the match ending up level at 2-2. United blew a two-goal half-time lead that Saturday afternoon though in front of 6,274 fans at Brunton Park, strikes from David Reeves and Darren Edmondson not proving to be enough to earn all three points as Paul Showler and Carl Shutt netted for the Bantams after the break.
Carlisle's best victory over City at Brunton Park came way back in the 1949-50 Division Three North campaign, the Blues winning 3-0, as 9,094 spectators looked on, thanks to a brace of goals from John Billingham and one from Phillip Turner. The Bantams have won in Cumbria by a three-goal margin on two occasions, the first of those in 1956-57 in the Division Three North by a 4-1 scoreline (attendance - 6,487), Frank Mooney grabbing United's consolation goal that day. The second time came just 12 months later when a crowd of 8,555 inside Brunton Park saw the Blues defeated 3-0 by their West Yorkshire visitors.
For a detailed analysis of the head-to-head between the two sides, click here
| Recent encounters between the teams: | |||||
| 2006/2007 | Tue 12 Sep | Bradford City | 1 - 1 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 2006/2007 | Tue 22 Aug | Carlisle | 1 - 1 | Bradford City | LGEC |
| 1995/1996 | Mon 08 Apr | Bradford City | 3 - 1 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 1995/1996 | Sat 21 Oct | Carlisle | 2 - 2 | Bradford City | LGE1 |
| 1985/1986 | Fri 13 Dec | Bradford City | 1 - 0 | Carlisle | CHMP |
| 1985/1986 | Sat 17 Aug | Carlisle | 1 - 2 | Bradford City | CHMP |
| 1979/1980 | Sat 05 Jan | Carlisle | 3 - 2 | Bradford City | FAC |
Recent respective form guides
Carlisle have performed averagely at home recently, winning three and losing two of their last six matches at Brunton Park. The goals for column just outweighs the goals against over this period at eight to seven.
The away form of Bradford City in League One is pretty dire, accumulating just one victory and two draws from their last six games played. The Bantams have conceded nine goals in these matches, and only hit home three in reply.
Carlisle's 36 points from 25 games sees them lie inside the top half of the table, in 10th position, the Cumbrians currently twelve points above the League Two safety mark and five points away from the final promotion play-off spot.
Bradford City see themselves just below half-way in the League One table, in 13th, showing a record of 31 points from their 25 games played so far, a tally that see the Bantams sit seven points above the relegation zone.
For a detailed analysis of team form guides throughout the leagues, click here
| Current league form guides: | P | W | D | L | F | A | P |
| Carlisle | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 6 |
| Bradford City | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 8 |
FootyMad's prediction ...
It's a close one to call, but I think that the Cumbrians reasonable showing at home is going to see them scrape past Bradford City. Home Win
| Sequence statistics: | |
| Carlisle | Four games since last home draw. Not drawn a match in their last nine matches. |
| Bradford City | Not won in previous three away games. No win in the three most recent matches. |