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The Blues welcome the Pirates to Cumbria this weekend hoping to improve on a record that has seen them win only six of 13 games against Rovers at Brunton Park, the visitors themselves having also been victorious six times.
The most recent encounter between these two sides in Carlisle was two seasons ago, in October 2005, as the visitors ran out cosy 3-1 winners in a League Two match. Debutant Alan O'Brien opened the scoring for United in the seventh minute, in front of 5,317 spectators, but Rovers fought back in the second-half to notch three goals and win 3-1. The Blues helping them out though with own goals from Danny Livesey on 57 and Zigor Aranalde after 82 before Junior Agogo made sure of all three points for the Pirates with a last minute strike.
That win, along with a 2-0 success in the 2003-04 season is Rovers's biggest margin of victory at Brunton Park. For United's best win at home to the Gas you have to go way back to the 1962-63 Division Three Campaign when the Blues triumphed 4-0. The goals that day coming from Joe Livingstone, Hugh McIlmoyle, Barry Brayton and Les Dagger as 5,354 fans looked on.
For a detailed analysis of the head-to-head between the two sides, click here
| Recent encounters between the teams: | |||||
| 2005/2006 | Sat 15 Apr | Bristol Rovers | 1 - 1 | Carlisle | LGE2 |
| 2005/2006 | Sat 01 Oct | Carlisle | 1 - 3 | Bristol Rovers | LGE2 |
| 2004/2005 | Tue 23 Nov | Carlisle | 1 - 0 | Bristol Rovers | FAC |
| 2004/2005 | Sat 13 Nov | Bristol Rovers | 1 - 1 | Carlisle | FAC |
| 2003/2004 | Sat 24 Jan | Bristol Rovers | 1 - 0 | Carlisle | LGE2 |
| 2003/2004 | Sat 23 Aug | Carlisle | 0 - 2 | Bristol Rovers | LGE2 |
| 2002/2003 | Sat 01 Feb | Bristol Rovers | 1 - 2 | Carlisle | LGE2 |
Recent respective form guides
Carlisle's home form is poor, albeit against some tough opposition, winning just two of the last six and losing the other four. While the Cumbrians have scored only four goals, a worringly large eight have been leaked at the other end.
The away form of Bristol Rovers however, is much more impressive, remaining unbeaten in their last six, winning five and drawing the other one. The games have constituted a decent return of twelve goals for the Pirates but also a hefty ten goals against.
Carlisle's total of ten points from their six games played sees them sitting in fifth spot and the play-off places in League One. Bristol Rovers's nine points from their six matches contested sees them lie inside the top half of the table in ninth position, the Gas currently just one point behind United.
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 |
| Carlisle | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 9 |
| Bristol Rovers | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 8 |
FootyMad's prediction ...
These are testing times at Brunton Park for the Cumbrians and the Madmen are unable to see past Bristol Rovers claiming victory in a close match.
| Sequence statistics: | |
| Carlisle | Nine games since last home draw. Latest two matches ended in defeat. |
| Bristol Rovers | Undefeated in last nine away games. |