Jon Colmanreports fromstadium:mk

Last updated at 12:32, Monday, 13 October 2008

MK Dons 3 Carlisle United 1: John Ward wouldn’t entertain our use of the word in the post-match questioning, so let’s hurl it down onto the page and see if it looks inappropriate there.

v MK Dons, John Ward

Crisis. After a fifth straight defeat – the worst losing sequence since the campaign Carlisle United skidded out of the Football League – where else do we go in the dictionary-search for ways to describe the Cumbrians in 2008/9, which is now at risk of being remembered as the season the dream went pop?

A crisis of confidence, of conviction, of composure, of competence: none of these c-word accusations looked wrong two days ago, when Sky’s cameras threw open a window on United’s deficiencies to the nation.

The glare of country-wide attention didn’t inspire Ward’s men, nor did it visibly diminish them. All it did was allow more pairs of eyes to see the problems that are rotting away at a team who, it’s not hard to remember, were only a kick or two away from the Championship five months back.

What’s a touch harder to recall is that Carlisle were recently known as one of League One’s platinum sides when it came to those qualities of defiance and stubbornness without which a set of players needn’t leave home. This was the sixth game in succession that two goals or more have been inflicted on United, and they cannot begin to contemplate shaking themselves from this damaging losing sequence until they appear capable of keeping the back door bolted.

Of the five straight league defeats, four have seen the same personnel occupying the defensive and goalkeeping positions. The regular argument advanced by players and manager is that stemming the leak of goals is a matter for the whole team, not just those at the rear. Fair enough. But here’s another theory: you simply don’t ship nine goals in four games if the men at the back are forming a coherent weekly unit.

How long do we have to wait before Ben Williams, David Raven, Evan Horwood, Danny Livesey and Richard Keogh finally knit together in a plausible manner, and chase regular, individual mistakes from their system in the process? United’s midfield, even with the encouraging addition of Graham Kavanagh on Saturday, cannot duck a portion of the blame for the way opponents are inflicting pain so relentlessly on last season’s play-off semi-finalists. But Carlisle’s wretchedness at the back is now so advanced that Ward may now be tempted to enlist a private security firm to protect the Cumbrian target.

All MK Dons’ goals flashed burning light on United’s failings. Goal one: Roberto Di Matteo’s team dance down Carlisle’s under-protected left side in the 38th minute, throw over a low cross which is met by a weak clearance by Luke Joyce, and Peter Leven burrows the chance into the bottom corner of Williams’ net.

Goal two: the hosts force a free-kick, then a corner, and finally another chance for Leven to curl a menacing ball to the far post, and then Ben Williams is convincingly beaten to the jump by Miguel Llera. If we are to flog Carlisle’s goalkeeper with this stick again – and yes, it was another act of poor judgment – let it also be said that the giant Llera had sneaked unnoticed into dangerous territory, not for the first time in the match.

Goal three, a thumping penalty by Leven after Livesey’s injury-time trip on substitute Jude Stirling, was described by some observers as excessive punishment for Carlisle on this summery October afternoon. How so, when they had wasted chances at one end and then failed so resoundingly to board up the house at the back? Livesey’s foul, an aberration from one of many talented but under-performing players, said everything about United’s current state of well-being.

As at Walsall two weeks earlier, it had all started spookily well. Quite the most resounding reason for this was the presence of Kavanagh, whose head of silver hair gave the impression he had been whistled up from a veterans’ parade in order to teach his younger colleagues some of the hard realities of combat.

The 34-year-old Sunderland loanee’s first act was one of utter conviction: a purposeful drive through a sparse midfield and, as the home defenders retreated, a firm shot which Willy Gueret repelled. Kavanagh’s response was simply to scoop up the ball, feed Cleveland Taylor on the right, and watch the winger curl over a superb cross which was planted into the net by Danny Graham.

Kavanagh brought some quality on the ball and at set-pieces, and more importantly a shade of authority to United’s five-man midfield, which was a tactical rewind to last season from Ward and had the early effect of liberating Marc Bridge-Wilkinson from the unproductive scuffling of recent weeks. In a more advanced role, Bridge-Wilkinson often popped up to threatening effect, and should have rattled home Carlisle’s second in the 18th minute, when a bustling run and pass to the offside Graham brought a convenient ricochet, only for the midfielder to shoot limply at Gueret.

It was the reprieve the Dons required. Notice of their growing threat came when Kavanagh was obliged to sprint back like a teenager to foil a pair of dangerous raids. Livesey blocked from Luke Chadwick on the left of goal, but it was down the right where the inroads were now being made.

One such attack saw Mark Wright cross for Sam Baldock, whose header hit the bar. Then they landed their equalizer, when Joyce’s clearance was bulleted back past Williams by the impressive Leven. Before half-time, Wright sped past the struggling Horwood and drew a solid save from Williams. Then, after a brief flurry from the Cumbrians after the break – Graham curling wide after tidy work from Taylor and Bridge-Wilkinson – they claimed their damaging second.

Chadwick’s latest troubling run was terminated by Raven’s foul, and then after a corner was forced, Leven threw over his cross, Williams made his inadequate jump, and Llera nailed the chance.

United, now a shrinking force, coughed up a few half-chances, but they were only the product of ambitious bluster and couldn’t be taken by such as Jennison Myrie-Williams and Gary Madine, who rose hopefully from the bench for the final 20 minutes.

Di Matteo’s answer to this token threat was to introduce the giant defender Stirling as a counter-punching auxiliary striker. It was an inspired move. After Shaun Cummings had curled a decent chance over, Stirling obliged his manager with a barrelling run from the left which was ended by Livesey’s trip. Leven’s penalty, bashed down the middle of Williams’ goal, was as emphatic as the Dons’ victory had become.

Onto this pile of anxieties at close of play came the news that two players whose experience could help shoehorn Carlisle out of this mess – Michael Bridges and Scott Dobie – are beset by injuries which are destined for the scanner (knee and ankle respectively). With Chris Lumsdon, Peter Murphy and Paul Thirlwell already hors de combat, instant responsibility drops on Kavanagh’s shoulders to set a tough professional example to the anxious team-mates he has just joined.

That’s his challenge, as of today. Ward’s, in the teeth of screaming criticism, is to convince us that the word he so dislikes won’t soon be flashing up on the screen in giant capital letters.

Ben Williams – Some sound saves, but then another damaging mistake for the Dons’ second goal

David Raven – Looked bright in the opening stages, but struggled against thedangerous Chadwick as the game went on

Evan Horwood – Has yet to emerge from his run of poor form. Another unconvincing display from the young left-back

Danny Livesey – Got in some important blocks and headers, but Dons’ late penalty summed up his recent fortunes

Richard Keogh – Hard to blame the centre-half for too much on Saturday, but United’s back line is looking no steadier

Luke Joyce – Weak clearance led to Dons’ leveller. Made some decent passing contributions but United needed more bite in the middle of the park

Graham Kavanagh – Brought experience and quality to the midfield and his purposeful run led to Carlisle’s opener. Tired in the second half but could be a crucial addition

Marc Bridge-Wilkinson – Tactical change seemed to suit him, especially in early stages, but wasted golden chance to make it 2-0 and faded after break

Simon Hackney – Scant influence on matters down the left, amid more evidence that opponents are wising up to the threat he poses

Cleveland Taylor – Superb cross for Graham’s goal, but little of note after that down Carlisle’s right

Danny Graham – Clinical goal and held ball up well, but too isolated in second half as the Dons got on top

Subs: Gary Madine (for Joyce, 72) – No sub heroics this time; Jennison Myrie-Williams (for Taylor, 72) – Lively as ever but end product wasn’t there. Not used: Grant Smith, Chris Howarth, Josh Gowling.

First published at 11:50, Monday, 13 October 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk