Just over two months ago I wrote in the Macclesfield Town programme about our 1980s history in the Football League Trophy, or Johnstone's Paint Trophy as it is now. I ended that article with the hope that we would then be able to move on to the 1990s with another home tie later in the competition, and fortunately that is where we find ourselves tonight. With so much to discuss I think we'll have to leave out the campaigns where we didn't reach the Northern Area finals, as we did that four times in a row between 1993-94 and 1996-97. The first of those seasons got off to an even better start too with victories against local-ish-ish rivals Preston and Burnley. Peter Valentine and Darren Edmondson scoring in a 2-0 home win over North End, while strikes from David Reeves and Andy Flounders guided the Blues to a 2-1 victory at Turf Moor. Consecutive 2-1 home wins, two of them after extra-time, in the next three rounds over Bury, Mansfield and Lincoln leading Carlisle through to a Northern Area final against a Huddersfield side containing Chris Billy. The first leg, bar the poultry in the away end at Leeds Road, is best forgotten after a 4-1 thumping in which Simon Davey scored the only United goal from the penalty spot. A Dave Mitchell own goal and then a strike from Joe Joyce early on giving Carlisle real hope at Brunton Park, but the scoresheet wasn't troubled further and the Blues went out 4-3 on aggregate. Next season preliminary group wins at Darlington (3-2, David Currie 2, Tony Gallimore pen.) and Hartlepool at home (2-0, Rod Thomas, Ian Arnold) found United getting another two Brunton Park ties and two wins in the early rounds, firstly over Chesterfield (1-0, Currie) and Wrexham (2-1, Thomas, Barry Hunter og). Next up was a 1-0 win at Crewe (Thomas) before the Northern Area final and that memorable night at Spotland. First though Carlisle beat Rochdale 4-1 at home in the opening leg thanks to goals from Currie, Thomas with a brace and Paul Conway. So a trip to Wembley looked easy now but hearts were soon fluttering at Spotland when the home side quickly went 2-0 up. United's Derek Mountfield settling the nerves though as his goal meant that the score was 2-1 at half-time, and it would remain that until full-time to seal a 5-3 aggregate victory. There are so many experiences and memories we will have all had from that first ever day out with Carlisle at Wembley, but one thing I do remember is that the game was pretty dreadful. And it got even worse when Birmingham substitute Paul Tait scored an extra-time golden goal for City in the 103rd minute to break Cumbrian hearts, shame he spoiled the moment for himself with that stupid t-shirt celebration. In 1995-96 three 1-1 draws in the preliminary group saw United finish second in the table after a comical drawing of lots, Carlisle games being at Bradford City (Thomas) and at home to Doncaster (Currie). Three wins followed in the next rounds though, at Wrexham (2-1, Gary Bennett, Warren Aspinall), at home to Burnley (5-0, Reeves 3, Edmondson 2) and at home to Chesterfield (1-0, Steve Hayward). United however going down heavily in the Northern Area final on the back of 2-0 defeats in both legs against Rotherham. Another season and another lengthy campaign ended in a win at Wembley! The first couple of rounds seeing home victories over Rochdale (2-0, Dean Walling, Gareth McAlindon) and Hull (4-0, Conway 3, Stephane Pounewatchy) were then followed by two wins on the road, firstly at York (2-0, Thomas, Owen Archdeacon) and then Shrewsbury (2-1, Walling, Archdeacon pen.). Carlisle then getting to London by defeating Stockport 2-0 in the Northern Area final, both goals coming from Archdeacon, one of them from the penalty spot, in the first leg at Brunton Park, the second leg ending up as a tight 0-0 draw at Edgeley Park. It was another Wembley day to sleep through though until we all woke up for THAT penalty shootout comeback after a goalless 120 minutes. Hayward the hero as his winning spot-kick made it 4-3 after the Cumbrians had been 3-1 down, Tony Caig also deserving a honourable mention for his part in the drama. Of course we have made it to the final at the Millennium Stadium a couple of times since then, but let's hope we can discuss our campaigns in this decade in the Northern Area final programme at home. But to do that we have to get through tonight first and that will be extremely difficult with Bradford having the likely massive carrot of a probable two legged game against neighbours Leeds United to look forward to, here's hoping though so come on the Blues! |