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Carlisle welcome Bristol Rovers to Cumbria tomorrow afternoon hoping to improve on a relatively poor home record against the Pirates. Of the 15 games played, both sides having won six while the other three have been drawn.
One of those matches that finished level came last season on the last day of February 2009 after United had taken the lead in only the fourth minute through Graham Kavanagh. That lead didn't last long though as Jeff Hughes equalised only nine minutes later, with no further goals then being scored to keep the 5,343 spectators entertained.
In October 2005 the visitors got their best victory at Carlisle as they ran out 3-1 winners in a League Two match. Debutant Alan O'Brien opened the scoring for United in the seventh minute, as 5,317 fans looked on, 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 triumph 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 in front of 5,354 spectators.
For a detailed analysis of the head-to-head between the two sides, click here
| Recent encounters between the teams | |||||
| 2009/2010 | Sat 14 Nov | Bristol Rvs. | 3 - 2 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 2008/2009 | Sat 28 Feb | Carlisle | 1 - 1 | Bristol Rvs. | LGE1 |
| 2008/2009 | Sat 09 Aug | Bristol Rvs. | 2 - 3 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 2007/2008 | Sat 29 Dec | Bristol Rvs. | 3 - 0 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 2007/2008 | Sat 22 Sep | Carlisle | 1 - 1 | Bristol Rvs. | LGE1 |
| 2005/2006 | Sat 15 Apr | Bristol Rvs. | 1 - 1 | Carlisle | LGE2 |
| 2005/2006 | Sat 01 Oct | Carlisle | 1 - 3 | Bristol Rvs. | LGE2 |
Recent respective form guides
Carlisle are showing reasonable home form of late, having won four and lost two from their last six matches played at Brunton Park. A healthy total of 12 goals have been scored by the Cumbrians in those games, with six conceded.
Bristol Rovers meanwhile have an average recent record on the road, picking up two good wins, but drawing one and losing three from their last six games away from the Memorial Stadium. A generous seven goals have been both scored and conceded in this period.
Carlisle's 48 points from their 38 games played sees them lie just inside the top half of the table, in 12th position. Bristol Rovers on the other hand are up in eighth place in the League One table, the Pirates picking up 58 points from their 38 matches contested to date.
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 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 8 |
| Bristol Rvs. | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 13 |
FootyMad's prediction ...
The Cumbrians go into their game against Bristol Rovers in confident home mood, but the FootyMad panel sees them coming down to earth, with the visitors narrowly taking all three points. Away win
| Sequence statistics | |
| Carlisle | Nine games since last home draw. |
| Bristol Rvs. | Last drawn game four outings ago. Five matches since last away draw. |