Tranmere Rovers 0 Carlisle United 2

Last updated : 31 March 2007 By Footymad Previewer
Carlisle United boosted their play-off hopes and dented those of Tranmere Rovers with an excellent 2-0 victory at Prenton Park. It was a ding-dong battle on a raw night, but the Cumbrians took their chances well and defended stubbornly to deny the home side. Carlisle also had to play the last eight minutes with ten men after Paul Thirlwell was shown a straight red card for upending home substitute Calvin Zola.

The visitors made the best possible start with Danny Graham netting from close range in the tenth minute after a neat turn and pass from Joe Garner. It then needed a superb finger-tip save by keeper Kieren Westwood from a John Mullin shot to keep United ahead. They then rode their luck a little bit as a Gareth Taylor shot was deflected for a corner off Westwood and a Mullin effort was kicked off the line by Garner.

Tranmere huffed and puffed to little avail in the second half. Chris Greenacre fired over with an angled shot and Steve Davies had no luck with two good efforts from just outside the area. United almost snatched a second in the 52nd minute with a Garner shot almost shaving the outside of an upright. But they did double their lead in the 67th minute when Kevin Gall netted from a cross by Graham after an error in the home defence.

Peter Murphy, Garner, Graham, Zigor Aranalde and especially Danny Livesey were all excellent for the victors. Robbie Stockdale and Chris Shuker tried hard for Rovers, but it never looked like being their night as they fell to a fourth home defeat of the league season.