United Grab Point At Death Through Keogh

Last updated : 05 October 2009 By Thetashkentterror
The centre-half ensuring that honours finished even after Steve Jones made it 2-1 to the home side with 16 minutes left on the clock. Jones's goal coming after Darren Byfield had opened the scoring for the Saddlers after 33 minutes before an excellent strike from Carlisle's Matty Robson had ensured that the two sides went into the break level at 1-1.

After a slow opening to the match Walsall's Troy Deeney headed wide from Jamie Vincent's left-wing cross on 15 minutes, Kevan Hurst then shooting well off target for Carlisle moments later. With 24 minutes gone Rhys Weston's header out from from Danny Livesey's ball in fell straight to Robson, but the United winger dallied a little too long and Rene Gilmartin was easily able to save his deflected shot off Weston.

Scott Dobie though missing an even better chance for the Blues three minutes later when, from Robson's pacey low cross in, he air-kicked at the ball from only six yards out. Carlisle would pay for that missed chance too as after 33 minutes a Keogh slip at the back allowed Byfield to go clean through and fire a shot into the net past United goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley.

As the visitors responded Joe Anyinsah set Dobie up for a shot in the 38th minute that was blocked by Weston, before the Saddlers went up the other end and Deeney had a 22-yarder well saved by Pidgeley. Carlisle though having the last word in the half when Robson made an incisive run in from the left and hammered an unstoppable shot from outside the penalty area across Rene Gilmartin and into the far corner of the Walsall net.



The Saddlers had the first chance after the break though when Matt Richards picked up on a misplaced Graham Kavanagh pass, Richards however screwing a shot badly wide. And that was about it for goalscoring action for the majority of the second-half really as both sides hit the ball too long and were unable to hold onto possession as it was defences on top.

Spectators woke form their slumber in the 69th minute when Anyinsah seemed to be clear through the middle after a foul by Clayton McDonald on Dobie, referee Steven Cook was oblivious to the advantage rule though and blew his whistle and booked McDonald, much to the chagrin of United manager Greg Abbott. Jones then entering the fray for Walsall as the rain started to come down on an already windy afternoon at the Banks's Stadium.

Weston then had a free-kick deflected wide off the Carlisle defensive wall before Anyinsah fired over the top from 25 yards out at the other end. A goal did come in the 74th minute and it came the way of the home side when substitute Jones was in the right place at the right time to tap home the rebound after a powerful shot by Deeney pinged back off the United post.

As Carlisle pushed forward looking for a late equaliser Byfield cracked an effort into the side-netting on 84 minutes and McDonald, up for a corner shortly afterwards, shot well wide. The visitors were able to find a leveller however just as the clock was about to tick into injury time when Keogh headed powerfully home from Kavanagh's cross in, the only sour note for Keogh being an extremely harsh booking for his celebrations.