Jon Colman reports from the Withdean Stadium

Last updated at 07:50, Wednesday, 18 February 2009

Brighton 0 Carlisle Utd 2: Anyinsah and Keogh may not have the same romantic ring as Mills & Boon, but don’t bother saying that to any of the Carlisle supporters who hauled themselves down to the south coast on Valentine’s Day.

Joe Anyinsah celebrates his goal

Greg Abbott’s appeal for United’s followers to put football before flowers on February 14 was accepted by precisely 221 Cumbrians, who won’t regret a single step of the season’s longest journey.

“I haven’t got a romantic bone in my body,” announced Abbott in his pre-match sermon. And yet, 360 miles later, the Carlisle manager couldn’t resist throwing a few verbal bouquets at his team after watching them assemble a highly significant League One victory.

No kisses, Brian Clough-style, for Joe Anyinsah, Richard Keogh or the non-scoring United players, but still plenty of warm words from Abbott, whose bid to drive Carlisle away from the perils of a relegation fight suddenly looks a sight more plausible.

“I’m pleased with how we are playing, with the improvement we are making,” said the boss. “In the first half especially, we were absolutely outstanding. It’s how we want to play the game.”

There’s no need to scan Abbott’s words for exaggeration. That was absolutely the right appraisal of this 2-0 victory, Carlisle’s first in five outings. The golden rule of bottom-half football, which states that victories against teams beneath you in the table are more or less compulsory, was observed in quite splendid terms by United on a pitch which looked like it had been flown in from Antigua’s discredited Test cricket venue.

A trip to the Withdean Stadium, Brighton’s unloved temporary home, never fails to appal, and now a shocking playing surface can be added to the traditional grumbles about the inadequate vantage point granted to supporters in this converted athletics arena.

Several dozen yards back from the grass, Carlisle’s fans were thus denied the chance to see Anyinsah and Keogh’s first-half goals as anything more than distant dots, not to mention the moment of second-half slapstick which saw Nicky Forster glide clean through on United’s goal before falling down a rut and failing even to reach the target with his desperately-swiped shot. Check the blooper DVDs for that one.

Fortunately, 20-20 vision wasn’t necessary to appreciate the general quality of Carlisle’s performance across Albion’s potholed pitch. Disciplined and influential efforts from men like Keogh, Evan Horwood, Graham Kavanagh and Cleveland Taylor gave United a base for victory. Anyinsah’s dynamic front play, against the side he served for three months on loan earlier in the season, then made it happen. “Joe destroyed them in the first half,” added Abbott.

Evidence that the January signing was rather keen to put down a statement against his old team-mates appeared in the second minute, in fact, when Anyinsah sped onto a Kavanagh pass, stormed past his marker and forced a corner. A few minutes later, he beat two men before allowing Paul Thirlwell to supply Lewis Neal to the left of goal, only for the left-winger to lift his shot high and wide.

Brighton threatened through Craig Davies, who sneaked past Peter Murphy but couldn’t dig out a proper shot, and Forster, who glanced a header narrowly wide. Back, though, came Anyinsah: first having a shot blocked by Adam Virgo, and then finally taking successful aim in the 24th minute.

It started with a free-kick, earned by Anyinsah and then delivered quickly by Kavanagh, who had spotted Neal’s intelligent run behind the home defence. His cut-back reached Anyinsah, and the forward’s control and clean finish into the bottom corner defined his day.

Against a Brighton side high on new recruits themselves but patently low on conviction, particularly in possession, Carlisle were now soaring in confidence and daring. Another raid down the right quickly brought their second goal, when the dangerous, persistent Taylor won another set-piece, Kavanagh bent the delivery into the heart of the penalty area, and Keogh marched in front of his man and volleyed his maiden United goal sweetly home.

Now the challenge threw itself down at Carlisle: could they retain such a pleasing advantage where they had previously failed at Hartlepool in the recent past? The first-half’s closing moments brought scares when Forster sped into the box and shot wide, and when Thirlwell slid the ball away from danger amid loud handball appeals from Brighton’s players.

And the second-half’s early stages tested Cumbrian nerves even more - first when Davies’ pull-back somehow evaded the lurking Calvin Andrew, then when Seb Carole lifted a shot over Ben Williams and against the bar, and then when Davies collected the rebound, spun past Tony Kane, and fired the ball wastefully high.

Anyinsah could have removed all doubt when he then pipped home ‘keeper John Sullivan to Murphy’s pass, but then failed to beat a brace of defenders on the line. Moments later, Forster made his intelligent run away from United’s offside trap but saw his chance killed by the bobbly pitch.

It was the sort of moment which suggested a Brighton comeback was not destined to happen. That it didn’t had plenty to do with the inadequacies of Micky Adams’ side, but a sight more with Carlisle’s impressive esprit de corps, epitomised by Keogh’s wholeheartedness at the back and Williams’ cross-collecting confidence whenever the Seagulls swept down the flanks.

A dishonourable mention goes to referee Iain Williamson, whose readiness to brandish cards was at odds with the awkward playing conditions and a match which was tough but never dirty. But this was a day to leave the fussy official in the small print.

Carlisle have endured too many afternoons of grinding struggle this season for the good days to be downplayed. That this victory was achieved without the injured, senior quartet of David Raven, Danny Livesey, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson and Jeff Smith simply adds to today’s approval ratings.

Brighton’s weaknesses notwithstanding, it was a performance to applaud. Approaching engagements with such as Stockport and Peterborough will lay down a different set of demands.

But this might well have been the winter booster jab Carlisle needed. “Our results are improving, so is our points tally and I’m being encouraged by the players,” might be the nearest thing to love poetry we hear from Abbott, but it’s a line we’ll happily keep hearing.

BEN WILLIAMS - Had few saves to make but earned his stripes in the second half by confidently claiming a series of testing crosses.

TONY KANE - Handed his full debut due to David Raven’s dead leg, the young loanee did not look out of place in United’s impressive back four.

EVAN HORWOOD - Another performance high on enthusiasm and quality from the left-back, who looks a different player compared to his autumn struggles.

PETER MURPHY - Calm head was an asset to United as they protected their lead; the Dubliner played a big part in this welcome win.

RICHARD KEOGH - Led the defensive effort with endless heart and aggression, and claimed his maiden United goal with fine technique.

PAUL THIRLWELL - Did the simple things well in the midfield battle and didn’t allow Brighton to get on top of the Blues.

GRAHAM KAVANAGH - Recalled in place of Chris Lumsdon after suspension, the veteran ran the show in the first half and played a crucial part in both goals.

LEWIS NEAL - Confident and capable on the ball down the left and, on the early evidence, looks a good acquisition by Abbott.

CLEVELAND TAYLOR - Put home defence on the back foot with some excellent raids down the right wing. Quieter second half but still a good day’s work.

JOE ANYINSAH - His most effective United performance to date, constantly got the better of his old team-mates and thrived in central role.

DANNY GRAHAM - An unsung hero of this win with plenty of selfless running and clever movement alongside Anyinsah, even if the chances didn’t fall at his own feet.

Subs: Michael Bridges (for Neal, 82) - Filled in on the left, collected needless booking. 6; Gary Madine (for Anyinsah, 86) - Fresh legs up front as United closed the game out. 6. Not used: Chris Howarth, Chris Lumsdon, Michael Liddle.

First published at 11:30, Monday, 16 February 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk