|
As for Oldham, well they were so short of players that their physiotherapist Jon Guy was included on the bench. While in their opening line-up they fielded three defensive trialists, in Chelsea first-year professional Kenny Strickland, Jermaine Johnson, who was recently released by Derby County, and Kristian Platt, who was at Chester City until they folded in March.
It was United though who got the first attack of the game in on five minutes when Ryan Bowman flicked the ball on into the path of Gavin Rothery 18 yards out, Rothery though only able to pull his right-footed shot from there wide of the near-post. Two minutes later and Michael Burns stuck in a United corner which found Steven Swinglehurst lurking at close range at the back-post, Swinglehurst then heading back across goal but wide of the target, a good chance missed by the youngster.
With 12 minutes on the clock the two Carlisle trialists looked to combine when Gibson pushed a low cross in from the left, Uwezu was just unable to reach it though and Oldham goalkeeper Josh Ollerenshaw gathered the ball in on his line. Gibson then sixty seconds later cutting in from the left on his weaker right foot only to fire a 20-yard drive miles high and wide of the Latics far-post.
Swinglehurst was again looking to get on the scoresheet in the 18th minute when, once more at close range at the visitors back-stick, he headed a Gibson header down and into the hands of Ollerenshaw on the bounce. Rothery then trying his luck for the Blues shortly afterwards when he came in from his right-wing berth before striking a left-footed shot from the middle of the Oldham 'D' straight at a busy Ollerenshaw.
After 26 minutes it was the Cumbrians pushing forward again when Bowman played in Uwezu down the left-hand channel, Uwezu then seeing his 12-yard left-footed effort from there pushed behind by Ollerenshaw, with Gibson's resultant corner producing nothing for Carlisle. Oldham then having their first opportunity of the game two minutes later when a left-footed curler from just outside of the Blues box by Joe Colbeck was easily taken at his near-post by Blues goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley.
Just after the half-hour mark and Gibson was again looking to produce, albeit from very long range, when he fired a right-footed effort straight at Ollerenshaw. On 39 minutes Uwezu then laying the ball back to Burns for a left-footed shot from a similar distance to the previous Gibson drive, this time though Ollerenshaw wasn't involved as the ball flew well over the top and into an empty Waterworks End.
The Blues had a much better chance to take the lead in the 41st minute when right-back Tony Kane stuck in an excellent low cross from the left, only for Gibson to badly slice his six-yard right-footed half-volley across goal and away from the target. The last opportunity for an on-top Carlisle to take the lead in the first-half coming sixty seconds later when Gibson played possession into Uwezu for a right-footed half- volley from 20 yards out which whistled wide of the Latics near-post.
Into the second-half, with no substitutions coming during a particularly lengthy interval, and it was still United doing all the forward work when, on 49 minutes, a marauding Kane knocked a cross in from the right which Gibson, in the middle of the Oldham penalty area, glanced across goal but well off target past the far-post.
Shortly afterwards and Gibson played in a low ball from the left, on which Bowman, stretching to reach, seemed to be clearly pulled back by Rene Steer, play went on though under the whistle of Egremont referee John Corkhill and Bowman's studded effort from very close range zipped inches wide of the Latics back-stick with Ollerenshaw well beaten.
Carlisle finally did take the lead on 56 minutes though when Johnson was a little harshly penalised for a pulled shirt offence on Uwezu 25 yards out in the middle of the Oldham half. Blues captain Marc Bridge-Wilkinson then stepping up to curl a lovely right-footed shot over the top of the Latics defensive wall and into the right-hand corner of Ollerenshaw' s net.
Two minutes later and the visitors made the first substitution of the game when left-back David Mellor was replaced by Connor Hughes. With 59 minutes gone a clearing header from Platt, on a left-wing Simon Lakeland cross, fell straight to Bridge-Wilkinson just outside the centre of the Oldham 'D', Bridge-Wilkinson though seeing his well-hit right-footed half-volley from there caught under the crossbar by Ollerenshaw.
The Blues then deservedly made it 2-0 on 61 minutes when Burns swung a left-footed corner in which Bowman, running in on six yards out, flicked with his head across goal and into the far corner of the Latics net, that space poorly unguarded with Oldham having no defender covering the back-post on the line. A tactic that never fails to bemuse me, I can just never see what is to be gained by doing it.
A quiet spell in the game then following for a good while before the visitors made their second change in personnel of the game as Matthew A Carr was replaced by Guy, as fellow substitute Matthew D Carr remained on the bench. Latics physiotherapist Guy looking a little bit like a fish out of the water during the game, although he did at least look match-fit, which is a lot more than can be said for the majority of us.
Things finally got going again from an action perspective in the 77th minute when Bowman made a good run in from the left before firing a 20-yard left-footed effort straight into the arms of Ollerenshaw from the middle of the park. Sixty seconds later and Rothery played the ball into the Kane for a 20-yard strike on the Irishman's weaker left foot which was well pushed wide by Ollerenshaw at his near-post.
During the wait for the flag-kick to be taken Andy Cook then replaced Gibson, who tired badly during the second-half, with the resultant Burns corner producing nothing for Carlisle. It was from another flag-kick in though where United were pressing again in the 81st minute when Kane, well placed six yards out, just got under a ball in from Burns as he headed it over the top of Ollerenshaw' s crossbar.
Shortly afterwards and Bowman raced away down the left-hand channel before thumping in a 12-yard left-footed cross-shot which was well tipped over by Ollerenshaw. Burns then laying the corner back to Graham Kavanagh, who played the whole game at centre-half again, for a dreadful 30-yard half-volley on his right boot which was easily cleared by skipper Chris Rowney in the Oldham rearguard.
Carlisle were pressing strongly once more now and they made it 3-0 after 83 minutes when Burns played Cook away down the left, Cook then taking little time to compose himself before blasting a fierce 15-yard right-footed shot low across the body of Ollerenshaw and into the far corner of the Latics net. Matt Osmond then replacing Lakeland at left-back for the Blues before play got underway again from the kick-off.
The last chance for another goal to come in the game coming as late as the 89th minute when a largely unimpressive Uwezu crossed a ball over from the right into the path of Bowman at the Oldham back-stick. Bowman then quickly teeing himself up for a 12-yard right-footed volley which, sadly for him but pleasingly for Ollerenshaw and Oldham, flew just wide of the Latics near-post.
So, another reserve season came to an end a couple of minutes later with Carlisle finishing second in the division after pushing for the title right up to the last stages of the season. A lack of goals in the end, with none scored in the first-half of their last seven matches, costing United some silverware in what is rumoured to be their final outing in the league, which many second-string fans will find disappointing.
United line-up :
Lenny Pidgeley, Tony Kane, Graham Kavanagh, Steven Swinglehurst, Simon Lakeland (Matt Osmond 83), Gavin Rothery, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson (c), Michael Burns, Billy Gibson (Andy Cook 78), Michael Uwezu, Ryan Bowman.
Unused substitutes :
Mark Gillespie (GK), Manny Richardson and Phil Towler.
Oldham line-up :
Josh Ollerenshaw, Kenny Strickland, David Mellor (Connor Hughes 58), Chris Rowney (c), Jermaine Johnson, Kristian Platt, Joe Colbeck, Matthew A Carr (Jon Guy 73), Lewis Alessandra, Djeny Bembo-Leta, Rene Steer.
Unused substitutes :
Anthony White (GK), Matthew D Carr and Greg Kidd.
Referee - John Corkhill (Egremont).
Reserve Team Results : Click here
Reserve Team Table : Click here