Last updated at 12:21, Thursday, 29 July 2010

Falkirk 1 Carlisle United 1: Greg Abbott and his Carlisle United backroom team are being given so much food for thought during their team’s pre-season campaign, they’ll be forced to enrol at Weight Watchers before too long.

Andy Cook scores against Falkirk

Last night teenage defender Andy Cook didn’t so much offer up his services for the new season on a plate – he rammed it down the throats of Carlisle’s management team.

Five days after scoring United’s third goal in a 3-0 win over Darlington, Cook served up another tasty treat at Falkirk when he once again came off the bench to head home the equaliser in the dying embers of the game.

The 19-year-old striker is doing everything in his power to get his name on the team-sheet for the League One opener at home to Brentford on Saturday week.

Cook has had to learn his craft the hard way with loan spells at Workington Reds and Barrow to gain experience of playing in the big boys’ playground rather than youth and reserve football.

Abbott believes there are still some rough edges in Cook’s all-round play which need to be sand-papered down before he can be considered for League One action, but the youngster’s eye for goal and knack of always being in the right place at the right time will surely not have been lost on the Blues boss.

Abbott may well have been impressed with Cook’s latest contribution. He may well have been disappointed with the lack of concentration in defence which led to Falkirk taking the lead. He may also have been highly satisfied with the workout his side was given in this ultra-competitive friendly.

But we’ll never know – because the United manager never made it to the post-match press conference.

Instead he was deep in conversation in Falkirk counterpart Steven Pressley’s office.

You can bet that Abbott would be complimenting the former Hearts and Scotland star on his side’s performance and in particular that of Bairns midfielder-cum-winger Kallum Higginbotham, a summer signing from Rochdale, who stole the show with an eye-catching display.

Higginbotham gave new right-back Frank Simek and trialist defender Kevin Long an uncomfortable night with his pace and invention.

The first half hour of this match certainly gave no indication as to the hugely entertaining and friendly that was in store for the 1,060 fans who barely filled the gigantic Falkirk Stadium.

Gary Madine missed a great opportunity to get his name at least pencilled on to the team sheet for the Brentford game when he squandered the chance to give Carlisle the lead on 31 minutes.

There was nothing about this game to stir the blood until Ian Harte hoofed the ball forward to Madine, who found himself one-on-one with Falkirk keeper Robert Olejnik.

But the young striker was like a rabbit caught in the headlights and, as Madine hesitated, home defender Tam Scobbie had time to recover and block his route to goal. Madine was forced to pass to Craig Curran and the summer signing saw his shot comfortably dealt with by Olejnik.

Trialist Kevin Long rescued United with a well-timed tackle to dispossess Higginbotham, who was homing in on goal after skipping past Simek.

United keeper Adam Collin had to stretch every sinew to deny Higginbotham by tipping away a shot from the edge of the area.

Higginbotham was like a breath of fresh air. Certainly he got up Carlisle’s noses. When the goal came on 65 minutes, it was no surprise who scored it.

The youngster skipped past tackles to score with a low shot in off the post, which gave Collin no chance.

Timid defending will not have pleased Abbott. It’s no good going on the offensive if his players can’t man the trenches too.

What will have pleased him no end though is the way his side responded even if it the end product left a lot to be desired.

Madine sent over a lovely cross for Curran on 68 minutes, who found himself unmarked right in front of goal, but the striker lost his composure and fired over.

A minute later, Curran made way for Cook and the young striker turned into a last action hero.

With two minutes remaining, Berrett’s cross found Cook and the teenager planted a powerful header past sub keeper Jamie Barclay to secure a deserved draw – and send out a timely message to Abbott as the United boss contemplates his line-up for the big kick-off.

Falkirk: Olejnik (Barclay, 64), Marr (Duffie, 64), Twaddle (Khalis, 46), McLean, Scobbie (Bloom, 76), O’Brien, Higginbotham, Millar, Stewart (Bonar, 64), McLeish (Trialist, 46) and Compton; Subs: Mitchell, Barclay, Alston, Fulton.

Carlisle United: Collin, Simek, McDaid, Bridge-Wilkinson (Hutton, 69), Long, Thirlwell, Taiwo (McKenna, 69), Harte, Curran (Cook), Madine and Berrett; Subs: Gillespie and Swinglehurst.

Referee: Eddie Smith

Goals: Higginbotham 65 Cook 88

Crowd: 1,060

First published at 11:25, Thursday, 29 July 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk