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The Blues welcome the Saddlers to Cumbria tomorrow holding the advantage on previous meetings between the two teams at Brunton Park. Of the 24 games played Carlisle have won eleven while Walsall have been victorious four times.
Nine of the games have ended in draws however and that has been the case in the last two seasons, with the 2009-10 match ending all-square in League One in late April at 1-1 after Darren Byfield gave Walsall the lead as early as the second minute before then United-loanee and now Carlisle player but Walsall-loanee Jason Price equalised for the Blues in the 29th minute as 5,114 fans looked on.
Meanwhile in the 2008-09 League One campaign United and the Saddlers drew 1-1 again in Cumbria in early February. The Blues taking the lead through Paul Thirlwell on 19 minutes only for Michael Ricketts to equalise from the penalty spot for the visitors after 84 minutes in front of only 4,502 spectators.
Walsall's biggest win at Carlisle over the years was a 6-1 thumping of the Blues way back in the Third Division North in 1934-35, United's sole goalscorer that day being John Ranson as 2,907 fans looked on. That a rare occasion where the goals have been flowing as the Saddlers haven't scored more than once and the Cumbrians haven't scored more than twice in the last seven matches between the sides at Brunton Park.
So, bearing that in mind, you have to go back into the history books again to find Carlisle's largest margin of victory over the Saddlers in Cumbria, that coming, again in Division Three North, in 1931-32. The goalscorers, in a 4-0 win, being Jimmy McConnell with a brace, and Jack Davidson and Arthur Sharp with single strikes in front of 3,678 spectators.
For a detailed analysis of the head-to-head between the two sides, click here
| Recent encounters between the teams: | |||||
| 2010/2011 | Sat 20 Nov | Walsall | 2 - 1 | Carlisle Utd. | LGE1 |
| 2009/2010 | Sat 01 May | Carlisle Utd. | 1 - 1 | Walsall | LGE1 |
| 2009/2010 | Sat 03 Oct | Walsall | 2 - 2 | Carlisle Utd. | LGE1 |
| 2008/2009 | Tue 10 Feb | Carlisle Utd. | 1 - 1 | Walsall | LGE1 |
| 2008/2009 | Sat 27 Sep | Walsall | 2 - 1 | Carlisle Utd. | LGE1 |
| 2007/2008 | Sat 02 Feb | Carlisle Utd. | 2 - 1 | Walsall | LGE1 |
| 2007/2008 | Sat 11 Aug | Walsall | 1 - 1 | Carlisle Utd. | LGE1 |
Recent respective form guides
Carlisle have been playing well at home recently, winning three, drawing two, and losing just one of their last six matches at Brunton Park. These high-scoring games have yielded a total of 15 goals for the Cumbrians, with seven goals against.
Walsall have a pretty average recent record on the road, collecting one win and three draws, along with two defeats, from their last six matches played away from the Banks's Stadium. While the Saddlers have notched a healthy nine goals in those games, 12 have hit the back of the wrong net.
Carlisle's 35 points from their 25 games played sees them lie just inside the top half of the table, in 11th position. Walsall meanwhile find themselves stuck down right at the very bottom of the division, their 28 games contested to date yielding only 24 points.
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 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 5 | 10 |
| Walsall | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 11 | 6 |
FootyMad's prediction ...
The match against Walsall is certainly an interesting one with the Footymad panel deciding it's going to end up with a victory for the Cumbrians in a close run game...... Home Win
| Sequence statistics | |
| Carlisle | Not won in the two most recent games. Unbeaten in the last four home matches. |
| Walsall | Four games since last defeat. Not won in previous five away matches. |