This was often a bleak spectacle, as a result of the hosts’ poor pitch, lots of aerial play and Carlisle’s struggle for any attacking inspiration. Keith Curle’s side spent much of it on the defensive against Gary Johnson’s team and paid for their struggles when substitute Wright headed home five minutes from time.
The dour defeat, which followed Saturday’s reverse at home to Portsmouth, has again halted United’s promotion momentum. Not the ideal preparation for their top-three encounter at Home Park in three days’ time.
At least Plymouth are also in patchy form, losing last night to Notts County as the teams below the top three eye a little blood in the water.
Carlisle have also failed to score in back-to-back league games, having previously looked potent against Doncaster and Wycombe. This was a good night for Cheltenham’s survival fight but it leaves United with something to prove again, with a dozen games left to convert their chances of reaching League One.
There were painfully few Blues chances of note here, hardly any significant shots. Only Mike Jones, who hit the bar with an ambitious attempt, had anything that could be described as a near miss.
Before kick-off, many in the United support will simply have been grateful for a game to worry about, after 24 hours of bloodletting over the “billionaire” saga.
That 650-day episode has dominated the agenda since Monday night’s no-name statement. On it will rumble, until a greater form of disclosure comes.
Wondering whether the Blues could get back to winning ways seemed a simpler business than stressing over the mystery foreign investor who has now, after all this time, been dispatched.
The team news revealed two significant changes, a first start for James Bailey and a second one for George Waring. On the bench, meanwhile, a significant boost: Danny Grainger’s reappearance, two-and-a-half months after suffering a knee injury at Luton.
Even the sight of Grainger warming up, and then taking his place on the bench, was an encouraging one both for Curle and United’s supporters who filed into the LCI Rail Stadium on this cold, rainy night.
Perhaps it also took their minds off the state of Cheltenham’s pitch, which rivals Newport’s bog in the ranks of League Two’s worst. That surely explained in part the recall of the tall Waring up front, and Curle’s pre-match prediction that “it’s not gonna be a game of football”.
Cheltenham would “bang it”, Carlisle’s manager said, and his side would have to respond in kind. It was a fair prediction, with the ball in the air for most of the opening stages and only a few moments of real invention on the floor.
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United often aimed for Waring’s height, his battles with Johnson’s defenders attracting plenty of interest from ref Andy Haines but producing little that was effective for the Blues. Nicky Adams sometimes defied the rutted surface with his close control, but there was much to be said for putting one’s laces through it - as Jones did, spectacularly, on 17 minutes, his 30-yard blast coming back off the Cheltenham crossbar.
A couple of inches lower and that first-time hit would have settled all goal-of-the-season debates. As it was, the search for an opener went on, Jamie Proctor having a shot blocked but Carlisle’s chance creation otherwise low.
Often launched, often uninspired, it wasn’t a contest that would win any art prizes. Cheltenham’s Waters got the wrong side of Macaulay Gillesphey a couple of times but the final touch was elusive. One of many long balls troubled the Blues close to half-time but after Gillespie hared out of his box and took a tumble, Shaun Brisley did well to block Winchester’s shot.
United’s keeper made another smart save shortly before the interval, which came with Carlisle largely defending their box. That’s how the second half started too, Johnson’s side almost scoring when Kyle Storer hammered the ball high into the six-yard box, only for Wootton to head the missile over.
Jones was next to step in for the under-pressure Blues, blocking twice from Waters in quick succession. Winchester swept another attempt wide and by now little was happening for Curle’s team upfield, the ball seldom making its way between many blue shirts before it was sent back in Gillespie’s direction.
The keeper’s opposite number, Scott Brown, was a spectator, jogging on the spot to keep warm. Johnson changed both his strikers on the hour and saw one of them, Wright, turn over a Jack Barthram cross from close range.
The Cheltenham half was becoming a distant rumour to United, although Curle’s own replacements, Jabo Ibehre and John O’Sullivan, did give them a little more presence. For the hosts, Dan Holman had the next attempt, a curler from the centre which hit a divot and leapt, fortunately ending up wide.
The good news, despite the bleak spectacle, seemed that Carlisle were at least still in the game going into the closing stages. One moment of fortune or inspiration on the stodge could still bag them a valuable win.
Wishful thinking. Instead it was Cheltenham who made the most of the final minutes, and the vital blow was landed in the 85th, as their third sub, James Dayton, crossed from the right, and when it flicked off Gillesphey’s head, Wright was there to convert at close range.
A couple of late efforts, Jones shooting wide and Brown snatching a further injury-time attempt out of the air, did not make much impression on the story. Like the billionaire debacle, it was a forgettable episode in all respects, and now the longest trip of all on Saturday has to produce something a great deal more memorable.
MARK GILLESPIE - Made some smart first-half saves as hosts applied pressure. Not tested as often after break but powerless to keep out Wright’s winner
GARY LIDDLE - A couple of essential interceptions when hosts attacked down his side. Stayed calm enough on the ball but it was a poor display overall
SHAUN BRISLEY - Patched up after Saturday’s injury, centre-half made some solid blocks in first half and was mostly steady at the heart of defence
MACAULAY GILLESPHEY - Troubled at times by Waters, Gillesphey battled to keep danger in front of him. A better second half as United tried to fend off the hosts
MIKE JONES - Crossbar denied him a wonder goal. Jones remained industrious and safety-first with his distribution, but the results were mixed
LUKE JOYCE - Captain for the night, Joyce was as busy as usual in the midfield battles and didn’t let the side down for effort despite United’s struggles
JAMES BAILEY - On his first Blues start, Bailey grew into things and put his foot in, though it was a poor spectacle generally and chances to shine were limited
NICKY ADAMS - Tried his best to be inventive on an unhelpful pitch, but he saw little of the ball after break and few chances to damage Cheltenham
REGGIE LAMBE - A few bursts from the right but little at the end of them. Faded in difficult conditions and was replaced by O’Sullivan
GEORGE WARING - Recalled to add his height to the attack and was an obvious aerial target. While he worked hard, the loanee caused little real damage
JAMIE PROCTOR - Struggled for much service in first half for all his battling, and struggled to make the ball stick as hosts prevailed
Subs: Jabo Ibehre (for Waring 64) - Tried to engage defenders; John O’Sullivan (for Lambe 65) - Added a little impetus; Tom Miller (for Bailey 76) - Slotted in on the right. Not used: Max Crocombe, Danny Grainger, Jamie Devitt, Alex McQueen.
Booked: Proctor
Cheltenham Town: Brown, Plavotic, Boyle, Onariase, Barthram, Storer (Dayton 83), Pell, Winchester, Davis, Wootton (Wright 61), Waters (Holman 61). Not used: Kitscha, Cranston, Rowe, O’Shaughnessy
Goals: Wright 85
Booked: Boyle, Onariase
Ref: Andy Haines
Crowd: 2,433 (257 Carlisle fans)
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