By Jon Colman

Last updated at 11:53, Saturday, 03 April 2010

Carlisle Utd 3 Bristol Rovers 1: Don’t dwell for too long on the thought that both Carlisle United’s goalscorers left their teenage years in the 1990s, because yesterday’s happy themes were youth, youth and – you guessed it – youth.

Scorers Jason Price, left, and Ian Harte

Count them again. One: Tom Aldred makes a full debut for the ages in the centre of Carlisle’s defence. Two: Gary Madine, last weekend’s Wembley scorer, trots off the bench with the Blues 3-1 up and rampant. And three: Ryan Bowman ensures United complete the game with a trio of graduates from Eric Kinder’s youth ranks when he is thrown on for his first senior appearance in injury-time.

Certainly, United’s hangover-busting victory against Bristol Rovers was stitched together by goals from Ian Harte and Jason Price, the oldest players in their line-up. But this was a day when teenage talent made its merry splash in Greg Abbott’s team, and things looked a sight healthier for it.

Abbott has been waiting for the day when he could test out some of Carlisle’s home-grown produce in a League One game without the fear of damaging repercussions if it all went wrong. United’s advance to mid-table comfort by Easter weekend enabled him to do precisely that. Aldred’s elevation to the back four has felt a long time in coming but Abbott is now entitled to argue that he picked his moment perfectly.

With Ben Marshall (18 years old), Tom Taiwo (20) and Adam Clayton (21) also making some impressive statements in his team, United’s manager must have felt like a teacher throwing open the door to the playground after a tedious morning in the classroom. The average age of the Cumbrians’ side was raised by Harte, Price, Paul Thirlwell and Scott Dobie, all of whom helped provide a sturdy base for this triumph. But what gripped the gaze the most was the fizz and dash of Carlisle’s performance; the electricity, in other words, that a cluster of capable young players can run through a team when things are going to plan. “Some people say I don’t give youth a chance, which I find incredible,” said Abbott. “I will give anybody a chance if I think they are good enough.”

More than 5,000 spectators have now sat in favourable judgement on Aldred, who dealt so admirably with a brace of pedigree League One centre-forwards (Jo Kuffour and Paul Heffernan) that he was granted a standing ovation, which he milked with a crowd-pleasing air-punch before slipping away for a shower.

The 19-year-old’s attitude has long been trailed positively behind the scenes at Brunton Park. Also in his favour are a physique and fitness which meet with Abbott’s approval at a time when he has just released two more fragile specimens in Jonny Blake and Conor Tinnion from the first-year pro ranks. What remained a mystery until yesterday, though, was whether the young man had the ability and nerve to cope in the furnace of League One competition. In the absence of Danny Livesey (injured) and Peter Murphy (dropped), Aldred supplied the most encouraging of early answers to those questions.

Harder tests await Aldred than that posed by Bristol Rovers, who in their yellow-and-green attire resembled Norwich City without the venom. Paul Trollope’s team have surely played their way out of the play-off race with yesterday’s mediocre efforts. But don’t let that swipe any credit away from Aldred or his colleagues, who always looked keen to put some distance between themselves and last Sunday’s big-stage collapse in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final.

From an early stage yesterday our main issue appeared to be whether Carlisle could find an edge to their territorial dominance, because in the domain of appetite and competitiveness the Blues quickly pulled away from their guests. Their enthusiasm briefly foamed over in bookable challenges from Paul Thirlwell and Matty Robson, but there was otherwise much to admire in United’s early play. Richard Keogh almost put a sixth-minute chance on Price’s toe, the right-back then shot wide after one of many galloping runs, and further back, Aldred was making his first interventions with due care and attention.

Robson’s early withdrawal with a foot complaint brought Dobie off the bench, as Marshall switched to the left flank, but United’s progress remained unchecked. Clayton, operating in an advanced midfield role, took a pass from the Stoke loanee, crept in from the left and tested Mikkel Andersen. Aldred himself went close with a header, and then the Rovers goalkeeper athletically denied Harte from a free-kick, after Stuart Campbell had felled Keogh.

The Pirates’ own raids came with token force, but it remained reassuring to witness Aldred’s alertness after half-an-hour in defying Dominic Blizzard, who had put Keogh on his backside with some deft control.

At the other end, a couple of Marshall missiles flew past the target as the first half expired.

Accuracy in the danger zone was undoubtedly required after the interval, as United’s momentum increased. Early in the second period, Dobie tore past Blizzard and Jeff Hughes and almost laid on a goal for Marshall. Then Clayton slid Price onside only for Steve Elliott to hastily intervene. Then Rovers finally buckled, when Clayton was tripped by Hughes in the box, the makeshift left-back was shown a straight red card, and Harte bashed home his 15th goal of the season from the spot.

Carlisle’s feeling of strength was such that Rovers’ startling, instant equaliser, when Heffernan sneaked behind the rearguard to blast home seconds after the restart, simply provoked them into renewed endeavour. Four minutes later, they reclaimed the advantage, when Thirlwell launched an attack down the left which ended with Clayton playing in the overlapping Horwood, the left-back fizzing the ball across the six-yard box and Price applying the scoring header from close range.

Depleted Rovers did not have the stomach for another comeback. They were put away for good in the 71st minute, when Price was felled by Elliott from Clayton’s shrewd pass – why was the defender not dismissed, or even booked? – and Harte nervelessly stroked in his second penalty.

United, their recent stresses now scattered, might very well have made it four in the time remaining, but Andersen denied Price with alarming reflexes, the ebullient Keogh had a header diverted over the bar by Heffernan, both Clayton and Dobie sliced wide after pleasing passing moves, and Madine – whose terrace approval rating has risen appreciably since his Wembley consolation strike – failed by a couple of feet to divert a corner on target.

When the sum total of your grievances are that Carlisle failed to rack up a quartet of goals against a play-off chasing opponent, you know it has been a Good Friday worthy of the name. “That was probably our best performance of the season,” reckoned Abbott, after considering the emotional crash that came with that 4-1 defeat to Southampton at the national stadium a week ago.

United’s manager gets points for recognising that the best way to perk up his troops – and a few thousand jaded loyalists around Brunton Park – was to set aside some of his elder statesmen and let the kids have the run of the place for an afternoon.

The result is that the Blues have now breasted the 50-point safety tape by Easter and those young shavers can have a crack at Charlton Athletic’s aura on Monday without much trepidation. The Valley now beckons Aldred, who yesterday did plenty to lift United out of Wembley’s gutter.

ADAM COLLIN - United’s impressive efforts rendered him a spectator for most of the game; had little chance with Heffernan’s goal.

RICHARD KEOGH - His storming runs, although bringing mixed results, put the wind up Rovers all game long.

EVAN HORWOOD - One of many players who buried their Wembley demons with a performance full of energy and quality.

TOM ALDRED - Largely error-free and admirably composed, this was a full debut to savour from the 19-year-old.

IAN HARTE - Deadly as ever from the spot, and just the experienced, level-headed foil Aldred needed at the back.

TOM TAIWO - Energy and appetite shone through on his recall as United got the better of the midfield contest.

PAUL THIRLWELL - An excellent performance from the skipper, whose passing and awareness allowed his team-mates to cause havoc.

ADAM CLAYTON - Won one penalty and his pass led to another. Sometimes over-elaborated in his advanced role but constantly creative.

MATTY ROBSON - Afternoon ended early due to injury but Marshall’s contribution down the left meant the winger’s loss wasn’t felt too keenly.

BEN MARSHALL - Swapped flanks effortlessly and his pace and persistence were often too much for the visitors.

JASON PRICE - Grew in stature as the game went on, got in the right place to restore Carlisle’s lead and then won the clinching penalty.

Subs: Scott Dobie (for Robson 18) - Full of pace; Gary Madine (for Price 84); Ryan Bowman (for Dobie 90) - Debut for youngster. Not used: Lenny Pidgeley, Peter Murphy, Graham Kavanagh, Tony Kane

Goals: Harte 56 & 71 pens, Price 61

Booked: Thirlwell, Robson, Harte

Bristol Rovers: Andersen, Regan, Hughes, Jones, Elliott, Campbell, Lines, Blizzard (Swallow 72), Williams (Reece 67), Kuffour, Heffernan. Not used: Evans, Clough, Richards, Cooper, Clarke

Goal: Heffernan 57

Booked: Campbell

Sent off: Hughes

Ref: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)

Crowd: 5,407

First published at 09:04, Saturday, 03 April 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk