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Carlisle travel to Sussex tomorrow on the back of a pretty good record at the Goldstone Ground and Withdean Stadium over the years. United having won five and drawn two of their 14 games played away to Brighton.
Last season in League One came one of those victories for the Blues at the Withdean Stadium as they won 2-0 in front of 5,529 spectators. Both goals for the Cumbrians coming in a four minute first-half spell through Joe Anyinsah and Richard Keogh on 25 and 28 minutes respectively.
Three of Carlisle's five wins on Sussex soil have been 3-1 victories. United winning by that scoreline in 1998-99 - goals from Scott Dobie, Steve Finney and Scott Paterson (attendance 4,163), and in the 1996-97 promotion season - goals from Stephane Pounewatchy, Warren Aspinall and Allan Smart (attendance 4,155).
The other 3-1 victory came in another Division Four promotion campaign, in 1963-64, as United went up alongside local rivals Workington, the goals on that last day of the season coming from a Johnny Evans brace and Hugh McIlmoyle (attendance 8,773).
United's fifth and final win coming three seasons ago when the Blues won 2-1 in a League One match on a soaking wet Saturday afternoon in late December 2006. Brighton taking the lead through Joe Gatting in the 37th minute in front of 5,436 spectators at the Withdean Stadium.
United fought back strongly after the break though with Zigor Aranalde equalising from the rebound on 56 minutes after Karl Hawley's header had come back off the underside of the Albion crossbar. Neale McDermott then grabbing a late winner for the Blues in the 82nd minute when he thumped the ball home following Wayne Henderson's save from Hawley's penalty.
Brighton's biggest margin of victory over the Blues came just over 20 years ago at the old Goldstone Ground in the 1985-86 Second Division "Jim Tolmie" relegation campaign that saw the Blues fall through the trapdoor along with now Championship side Middlesbrough and Premier League outfit Fulham.
In front of 8,608 spectators United found themselves 2-0 down at half-time only to ship another four goals in the second period, a solitary consolation strike from Rob Wakenshaw leaving the final scoreline at a gruesome 6-1 to the Seagulls.
For a detailed analysis of the head-to-head between the two sides, click here
| Recent encounters between the teams | |||||
| 2009/2010 | Sat 12 Sep | Carlisle | 0 - 2 | Brighton | LGE1 |
| 2008/2009 | Sat 14 Feb | Brighton | 0 - 2 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 2008/2009 | Sat 15 Nov | Carlisle | 3 - 1 | Brighton | LGE1 |
| 2007/2008 | Sat 08 Mar | Carlisle | 2 - 0 | Brighton | LGE1 |
| 2007/2008 | Sat 24 Nov | Brighton | 2 - 2 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 2006/2007 | Sat 30 Dec | Brighton | 1 - 2 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 2006/2007 | Sat 23 Sep | Carlisle | 3 - 1 | Brighton | LGE1 |
Recent respective form guides
Brighton have only performed averagely at home as of late, winning three, drawing one and losing two of their last six games at the Withdean Stadium. A healthy total of eleven goals have been scored by the Seagulls in those games, with only five conceded.
The away form of Carlisle is pretty dire though, attaining just three draws from their previous six away games on the road. While the Cumbrians have scored just four goals in those matches, a hefty ten have hit the back of the wrong net.
Brighton see themselves marginally below half-way in League One, in 14th, showing a record of 48 points from their 40 games played so far, meanwhile Carlisle's 51 points from 40 games contested to date sees them lie just inside the top half of the table and two places higher in 12th.
For a detailed analysis of team form guides throughout the leagues, click here
| Last six games form guide | P | W | D | L | F | A | P |
| Brighton | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 5 | 10 |
| Carlisle | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
FootyMad's prediction ...
FootyMad see this game edging towards a narrow win for the Seagulls, as the Cumbrians have been none too clever on the road in recent matches.... Home win
| Sequence statistics | |
| Brighton | Unbeaten in the last three home games. |
| Carlisle | Last drawn match four outings ago. Not won in previous seven away matches. |