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With Brad Potts unavailable in the middle of the back four it meant that Phil Towler once more filled in at centre-half, Towler also taking the captain's armband for the day in the absence of any second-year players. It was in defence at the other end though where the first chance of the game came after eight minutes, Wigan's messing around on the ball allowing Mark Beck to nip in and feed Manny Richardson for a 25-yard right-footed shot that went just wide of the Latics far-post.
Five minutes later and it was a pass through from Josh Todd that broke to David Symington ten yards out down the right-hand channel, Symington though having his right-footed drive from there blocked by the legs of Wigan goalkeeper Callum Williams, Ryan Astles then completing the Latics clearance. The visitors responding in the 15th minute when Callum Morris struck a 30-yard right-footed effort straight into the arms of Clements.
Wigan were pushing forward once more sixty seconds later when Thomas Amos cut in from the left before curling in a right-footed shot from the edge of the United box which was well tipped over by Clements, the resultant corner in from Liam Willis being well taken by Clements at his near-post. The Latics also having the next effort on goal after 17 minutes when their skipper Adam Buxton made a run through the middle before firing right-footed and wide from 20 yards out.
Nine minutes later and Symington played a pass slightly too strongly down the right-hand channel for Beck to race after, Williams though coming off his line and surprisingly spilling the ball with Astles then having to hack away from danger. Sixty seconds on and Buxton was once more shooting wide for the visitors as United then made a substitution during the break in play, Ben McKenna going off due to an ongoing back problem to be replaced by Dan Jones, Luke Carr now moving over to the left-hand side of midfield.
Just after the half-hour mark and Richardson was fouled by Morris on the halfway line, Matt Osmond, who is impressing in his new left-back role in the absence of the injured Kieran Cahill, sticking the ball up into the far side of the Wigan box. Possession eventually dropping to Beck who teed himself up for an off-balance left-footed volley that flew away across goal and over the angle of far-post and crossbar.
Moments later and Richardson pushed a pass through the middle for Jones to race onto, Jones though seemed to be pulled back a little by Josh Langley and that halted his momentum as he tried to round Williams, with possession eventually being lost. Jones then did good some approach work himself on 33 minutes when he laid in Carr on the edge of the Latics box, Carr though slicing his first time left-footed shot well wide of the target.
Three minutes later and a long throw-in from United's James Bonner was flicked on by Beck and then headed out by Buxton straight to Richardson in the Latics 'D', Richardson however lashing his right-footed volley inches wide of the near-post. With 39 minutes on the clock Wigan responded with what looked like a clear foul throw by Buxton, Connall Lewis on the end of it then hammering a left-footed half-volley from 22 yards out high and wide of the Carlisle near-post.
It was United back attacking though three minutes later when Carr played an excellent long distance angled pass over the top of Wigan left-back Willis. Symington taking the ball very well on the volley in his stride before racing on and eventually, much to his own disappointment, thumping a rising 20-yard right-footed shot over the top.
Richardson and Carr then combining down the left after 42 minutes with a low cross in from Carr seeing both Jones and Symington have close range efforts blocked before the Latics were able to clear their lines. That being the last action of the match for Carr as he went off with a minor injury and was replaced by Adam Gill.
A minute before the break and Lewis made a good run in from the left only to see his left-footed drive from 12 yards well blocked out behind by Towler, Richardson then able to clear away the following corner in by Lewis. The Latics also having the last chance of the opening half in injury time when Buxton put in a cross from the right which Jonathan Crane, parked on the United penalty spot, could only head weakly straight at Clements.
During the interval the visitors made two changes in personnel as Sean Myler came on for Langley and Tim Chow replaced Michael Jukes. First up though it was Carlisle attacking in the 49th minute when Osmond stuck a cross in from the left-wing which was just slightly ahead of Jones who struggled to get the accuracy on his 15-year header as it drifted wide of the Latics near-post.
Osmond was looking to play Jones in again three minutes later, this time with a raking pass down the left-hand channel. Jones then taking the ball around Williams but a tight angle meant he didn't shoot and instead looked for a pass back to Beck, only for Astles to nip in and effect a clearance. Osmond then sent Gill away down the left-wing on 55 minutes, with Gill then pushing the ball across to Richardson and Richardson returning the favour to Osmond.
The Blues left-back had certainly met the ball with a well-timed run 20 yards out but sadly for him his left-footed strike from there only forced a low take from Williams at the second attempt. Two minutes later and for Wigan Amos hammered a corker of a right-footed shot from distance which Clements did well to tip away from the top corner of his goal.
With 58 minutes on the clock Amos was then involved as a provider when he stuck in a cross from the right which Langley headed over the top from eight yards out at the United back-stick. Richardson then two minutes later for Carlisle trying a rather audacious right-footed chip from fully 35 yards out which drifted away well wide of the Wigan goal.
Richardson then on the end of a run in from the right and pass to him by Jones in the 61st minute, Richardson eventually shooting weakly left-footed into the arms of Williams from the middle of the Latics 'D'. Four minutes later though and the Blues finally did take the lead when Jones was able to chase down a delightful pass over the top by Osmond down the left-hand channel, Jones quickly knocking the ball on the half-volley into the net on the bounce past the advancing Williams from 15 yards out.
Carlisle were well on top now and playing some good football when their next chance came on 68 minutes. The impressive Symington making an excellent run in from the right before playing the ball across to Gill in the box, Gill then looking for a pass into Beck only for Buxton to be able to clear the ball out. Jones was still lurking though but his right-footed half-volley from 20 yards out flew well over the top.
It was then 2-0 to the Cumbrians sixty seconds later when Jones initially fed the ball across to Gill for a left-footed 15-yard shot from the left-hand channel which was well saved one-handed by Williams at his far-post. Jones hadn't given up on the move though and he was able to latch onto the rebound and lash the ball into the roof of the net with his left boot from close range.
After 72 minutes the Latics made their final change of the match when young Spaniard Abian Serrano came on in place of Lewis. Moments afterwards and Symington cracked in a fierce right-footed strike from distance which was flying towards the near bottom corner only for Williams to make another good save, the resultant Osmond flag-kick in producing nothing for United.
Richardson then put forward his contender for youth team goal of the season in the 75th minute when he skipped past four challenges as he made an excellent run through the middle before leaving Williams with no chance as he smacked a right-footed drive from 15 yards out across goal and into the far corner of the Wigan net.
It then became four goals in 13 minutes for the Blues on 78 minutes when Beck laid possession off to Symington down the right-hand channel, Symington then hitting a well-placed right-footed effort from just inside the Latics penalty area across the body of Williams, and once more the far corner of the Wigan net was bulging.
United had been all over the visitors for a while now and two minutes later on the end of an incisive Carlisle attack Beck thumped in an 18-yard left-footed drive which again Williams did well to parry away. It was Jones once more though who was first to the rebound, but this time understandably so as, when heading into the net, he was flagged offside.
The Latics finally managed to put some pressure on the Carlisle goal sixty seconds later when Chow struck a right-footed 25-yarder over the top of the United crossbar. Towler then making a mistake in the heart of the United defence on 82 minutes which allowed Amos to run free down the middle only to chip a weak 15-yard effort with his right boot well wide of the target.
Sadly for new boy Clements he wasn't able to keep a clean sheet in the match when four minutes later Morris stuck a corner into the Carlisle six-yard box and, following a little bout of pinball, Willis was able to hook the ball into the Cumbrians net from close range. The final action of note in the game coming two minutes from time when old replaced new as Ryan Bowman made his last appearance in a United youth team shirt with schoolboy player Beck going off for a well earned rest.
So, four wins in their last six league games to end the season for what has ended up as a very young United side bodes well for the future, a final sixth placed finish in the table being a good effort on the back of a campaign of youth and transition. It's also worth noting that seven out of today's sixteen players are Cumbrian born too, and that can never be a bad thing either.
United line-up :
Joe Clements, James Bonner, Matt Osmond, Manny Richardson, Phil Towler (c), Lance McGlen, Ben McKenna (Dan Jones 27), Josh Todd, Mark Beck (Ryan Bowman 88), Luke Carr (Adam Gill 43), David Symington.
Unused substitutes :
Mark Gillespie (GK) and Steven Swinglehurst.
Wigan line-up :
Callum Williams, Michael Girvan, Liam Willis, Josh Langley (Sean Myler 46), Ryan Astles, Adam Buxton (c), Jonathan Crane, Callum Morris, Michael Jukes (Tim Chow 46), Thomas Amos, Connall Lewis (Abian Serrano 72).
Unused substitutes :
Lee Nicholls (GK) and Steven Boothman.
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