Crewe Alexandra Match Stats Preview

History of the Carlisle United v Crewe Alexandra fixture

United welcome the Alex' to Cumbria tomorrow, with high hopes of improving on their excellent home record against the opposition, having chalked up an impressive 28 wins out of 42 previous matches, alongside three draws and Crewe having been victorious 11 times.

The last time the teams met each other at Brunton Park was in a Johnstone's Paint Trophy quarter-final tie in November 2010 which United won 3-1. A Clayton Donaldson own goal giving Carlisle the lead in the 14th minute before Peter Murphy made it 2-0 on 72 minutes, Donaldson then scoring at the right end after 75 minutes before just sixty seconds later Murphy made it 3-1 with the final goal of the night as 2,142 fans looked on.

Meanwhile in the 2008-09 season the sides met twice at Brunton Park, first up in the league in mid-August as United won 4-2 in front of 6,919 spectators. Danny Graham putting the Blues 2-0 up with goals on 15 and 19 minutes, before Chris McCready pulled a goal back for the Alex' three minutes later. Scott Dobie after 59 and then Simon Hackney on 76 then made it a comfortable 4-1 lead for the Cumbrians before Tom Pope had the last word for the visitors with four minutes to go to make it 4-2.

Early in December of 2008 Crewe got some revenge though as they defeated the Blues 2-0 at Brunton Park in the second round of the FA Cup. Both goals in the tie coming early on through the boot of Shaun Miller with just three and then 11 minutes on the clock as 2,755 fans looked on. The 2007-08 season in League One meanwhile seeing Carlisle defeat Crewe 1-0 at home in mid-January thanks to a 52nd minute goal from Joe Garner in front of 6,409 spectators, with the win being United's ninth league home victory in succession.

United's best win at home to Crewe came way back in the 1933-34 Division Three North campaign, the Blues winning 6-1, after strolling into a 4-0 half-time lead, with the attendance being 3,342. Leeds-born James Slinger was in prolific form that season and he scored four of his total of 32 goals for the campaign in this match, Thomas McBain and Pearson Ferguson being the other Carlisle goalscorers.

The Railwaymen's biggest margin of victory at Brunton Park, apart from their 2-0 win four seasons ago, has twice come courtesy of a 3-1 final scoreline. The first match in Division Three North in 1934-35, attendance - 3,112 and United goalscorer James Slinger, the second game coming more recently in Division Three (fourth tier) in 1992-93, attendance - 3,487 and United goalscorer George Oghani.

Recent encounters between the teams

For a detailed analysis of the complete head-to-head record between the two sides, click here

Recent respective form guides

Carlisle have been playing quite well at home in their last six matches, winning three, drawing two, and losing just one. The goals for column just outweighs the goals against over this period, at ten to nine. Crewe meanwhile have a slightly less than average recent record on the road, collecting one win, three draws and two defeats from their last six games played away from Gresty Road. While the Railwaymen have notched a useful eight goals in those matches, a hefty thirteen have hit the back of the wrong net.

Carlisle, in 13th place, see themselves just below half-way in the npower League One table at the moment, showing a record of eight points picked up from their six games played so far, Crewe on the other hand see themselves just one just point lower in the division, showing an identical record of eight points gained from their six matches contested to date, the Alex' though having a goal difference of minus three compared to United's minus two.

Current overall team form

For a detailed analysis of current team form guides in this or any division, click here

FootyMad's prediction ...

Both teams are displaying reasonable form at the moment, and for that reason, the Madmen predict the game will end in stalemate...... No-score draw

Sequence statistics

For a detailed analysis of current team sequences throughout the leagues, click here