Walsall Youth 3-1 United Youth

Blues striker Andy Cook

The young Blues were always going to be up against it at Walsall today playing a side who don't seem to have done anything but win for the last three months. Carlisle's cause not helped either in the West Midlands this morning through the absence, due to injury, of experienced second-years Matthew Brown and Matthew Wood.

United apparently were sent to the wrong ground and a quick turnaround at the correct venue didn't help them as they found themselves 2-0 down at half-time. Blues boss Eric Kinder made a triple change at the break though as he tried to drag Carlisle back into the game, and one of the replacements, in recently signed Michael Hepplethwaite, set up Andy Cook for his 19th goal of the season to halve the arrears.

A few good chances then came and went for the Cumbrians in a classic game of two halves as Hepplethwaite, and fellow substitue Shaun Law both failed to take opportunities in front of goal. An equaliser wouldn't come though and with Carlisle pushing forward in injury time the Saddlers made sure of all three points with a goal on the break.

Defeat today now leaves the young Blues nine points behind Walsall with only two games in hand and just five matches to come in total. So it looks the title challenge is now all but over, it's still been a fantastic season though and United's next chance to get back to winning ways comes on Saturday morning when they take a trip to the seaside to play Morecambe.


United line-up :

Alex Mitchell, Jonny Blake (Michael Hepplethwaite 46), Dan Wordsworth, Tom Aldred, Matt Duffy, John Seaton (Shaun Law 46), Simon Lakeland (Michael Dowson 46), Stephen Hindmarch, Connor Tinnion, Andy Cook, Ryan Bowman.


Results in the division this morning :

Rochdale 1-3 Walsall (played Wednesday)

Chester 1-0 Preston North End
Macclesfield 4-0 Rochdale
Port Vale 1-1 Accrington Stanley
Shrewsbury 1-2 Blackpool
Stockport 2-3 Burnley
Tranmere 4-1 Bury
Walsall 3-1 Carlisle United
Wrexham 2-2 Oldham

Youth Alliance League Cup Northern Section Final :

Hull 4-0 Wigan (11.30am)


Fixtures in the division next Saturday morning, unless stated:

Burnley v Walsall (Mon)
Morecambe v Rochdale (Mon)

Preston North End v Port Vale (Tue)

Wigan v Macclesfield (Fri)

Accrington Stanley v Preston North End
Blackpool v Wrexham
Burnley v Oldham
Morecambe v Carlisle United
Port Vale v Tranmere
Rochdale v Chester


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