We're getting nearer and nearer to the start of football proper as the Blues took on a mix and match Middlesbrough side at Brunton Park in their fifth pre-season friendly of the 2011-12 campaign. Carlisle though also shuffling their playing pack ahead of another friendly game at Workington Reds tomorrow evening, with the Cumbrians tonight starting the match in a diamond formation as follows :
Rory Loy - Francois Zoko
Jon-Paul McGovern
James Berrett - Liam Noble
Tom Taiwo
Matty Robson - Peter Murphy - Danny Livesey - Frank Simek
Adam Collin
8 mins - Berrett foul on Meroaune Zemmama 25 yards out, Zemmama steps up to curl the free-kick over the United wall, good save by Collin at his right-hand post.
10 mins - Berrett corner in, Livesey header over top from 10 yards out.
12 mins - Robson to Noble to Loy, 15-yard shot on turn on by Loy straight at Danny Coyne.
16 mins - cross in from left by Zemmama, Jonathan Grounds weak 10-yard header at back-post straight at Collin on bounce.
17 mins - Zoko cuts in from right and curls a left-footed shot over the top from just outside the box.
22 mins - Zoko to Simek to Berrett, excellent curling dipping 22-yard right-footed shot by Berrett over top of Coyne at back-post and into net, 1-0.
29 mins - Loy cuts in from left, shoots right-footed and well wide from 25 yards out.
31 mins - McGovern to Zoko down left, Zoko cross-shot from edge of box over top.
32 mins - Berrett right-footed shot from 25 yards out, Coyne does well to tip goalbound effort over top. Berrett corner in, pinball, Noble 15-yard shot blocked away from danger by Justin Hoyte.
36 mins - McGovern attempted lob over Coyne from long range goes over top.
39 mins - Loy shot from 20 yards out goes well wide.
43 mins - Berrett low cross in after his initial corner was cleared, Loy six yards out easy knock home into net, 2-0.
46 mins - Carlisle bring on Lance McGlen for Frank Simek.
46 mins - Middlesbrough replace Meroaune Zemmama and Marvin Emnes with Tarmo Kink and trialist Rhys Murphy respectively.
47 mins - McGlen 30-yard right-footed drive narrowly wide of Coyne's near-post.
56 mins - Murphy long ball up, Zoko 15-yard left-footed shot on the angle into side-netting at Middlesbrough near-post.
58 mins - Scott McDonald tries to chip Collin from 25 yards out, poor effort, easy for Collin to catch.
61 mins - Carlisle bring on Paddy Madden for Rory Loy.
61 mins - Middlesbrough replace Danny Coyne and Scott McDonald with Connor Ripley and Lee Miller respectively.
62 mins - Noble 25-yard right-footed drive well pushed away by Ripley.
66 mins - Livesey header forward, Zoko goes down under challenge from Seb Hines, penalty. Berrett steps up to take spot-kick, good save away to his left by Ripley, then another excellent stop to tip mishit Madden six-yard effort on rebound over top.
71 mins - Berrett to Noble, 30-yard shot by Noble straight at Ripley.
73 mins - Middlesbrough replace Jonathan Grounds and Richard Smallwood with Ryan Brobbell and Adam Reach respectively.
76 mins - Carlisle bring on Andy Welsh for Jon-Paul McGovern.
77 mins - Hines in the action again as he brings down Welsh just outside the box. Murphy lay-off to Welsh for poor left-footed effort well wide.
80 mins - Carlisle bring on Steven Swinglehurst for Matty Robson.
80 mins - Middlesbrough replace Jonathan Franks with Paul Weldon.
84 mins - McGlen cross in from right, Ripley punches ball away only as far as Madden, mishit shot Madden 15 yards out falls to Zoko, right-footed ten-yard shot by Zoko expertly palmed away by impressive youngster Ripley.
United line-up :
Adam Collin, Frank Simek (Lance McGlen 46), Danny Livesey, Peter Murphy, Matty Robson (Steven Swinglehurst 80), James Berrett, Tom Taiwo, Liam Noble, Jon-Paul McGovern (Andy Welsh 76), Rory Loy (Paddy Madden 61), Francois Zoko.
Unused substitutes :
Mark Gillespie (GK) and Jack Lynch.
Goals - James Berrett 22 and Rory Loy 43.
Middlesbrough line-up :
Danny Coyne (Connor Ripley 61), Justin Hoyte, Jonathan Grounds (Ryan Brobbell 73), Matthew Bates, Meroaune Zemmama (Tarmo Kink 46), Seb Hines, Scott McDonald (Lee Miller 61), Malaury Martin, Marvin Emnes (Rhys Murphy 46), Jonathan Franks (Paul Weldon 80), Richard Smallwood (Adam Reach 73).
No unused substitutes.
Referee - Eddie Ilderton (Shiremoor, Newcastle).
Attendance - 2,218 (230 away).
Pre-Season Results 2011-12: Click here