By Jon Colman

Last updated at 20:05, Monday, 27 April 2009

Cheltenham 1 Carlisle United 1: Spot the irony in the official name for Cheltenham Town’s stadium: the Victory Sports Ground.

Michael Bridges sees red

Inside this foaming little arena in the Cotswolds, Carlisle United and their hosts battered each other to a standstill and achieved the one result which wasn’t a fat lot of use to either.

The only victory at Whaddon Road 48 hours ago was, in fact, being claimed by the few supporters who staggered away with their hearts still pulsing. After 94 breathless minutes, the Robins finally dropped into League Two in an explosion of feathers, while United managed to cling onto the ledge for seven more days. Just.

April’s sunny tranquility in this picturesque corner of England went pop as soon as these two frantic teams squared up for combat.

Two goals, a pair of red cards (both Carlisle’s), a couple of brushes with the woodwork (one apiece) and thousands of other mini-dramas later, and the Cumbrians are in precisely the same predicament which required Jimmy Glass’ right boot to save them 10 years ago, only a division higher.

On that stunning day in May 1999, Carlisle had to beat Plymouth and hope Scarborough would fail to win on the final day. Substitute Millwall for the Pilgrims and Brighton for the now-defunct Seadogs, and there you have this weekend’s eerily familiar preamble.

Well, almost. Northampton’s apparent advantage in the safety scramble may be a mirage: if the Cobblers lose their game in hand against high-flying MK Dons on Tuesday night, they might require a result at the division’s most daunting venue - Elland Road - three days later.

Add third-bottom Crewe to the mix and you have a classic, final-day cocktail of permutations. “It’s still in the melting pot,” said Greg Abbott, the manager whose desperate attempt to keep Carlisle in the third tier now comes down to 90 excruciating minutes at Brunton Park, where United have not won since January.

All these thoughts will exhaust the brain between now and May 2. Getting Saturday’s dramatic sequence in order is challenging enough.

With a gulp for oxygen, here it is: the recalled Ian Harte’s majestic free-kick to open the scoring; a flurry of additional Carlisle chances which went west before the interval; a trifling yellow card issued to Horwood for dissent, followed by an equally debatable second booking which wipes the left-back out of the Millwall duel.

A Scott Dobie header which bashed the post; a brace of athletic saves by Ben Williams as the hosts ladled on the pressure; Michael Bridges’ handball on the line, a straight red card for the striker and Drissa Diallo’s battered equaliser from the spot, eight minutes from time; more belting chances at both ends, which Ian Morris, Danny Graham, Paul Connor and David Hutton were unable to take; then the final toot of Simon Hooper’s whistle which confirmed Cheltenham’s demise despite a run of one defeat from 10, and led United to their final reckoning against the division’s third-best team.

“The players are fighting for their lives,” said Abbott. “When they show that spirit, we have a chance.” Events at Brunton Park decade ago mean he is absolutely right not to abandon hope. But Cheltenham’s comeback was the latest in a long line of grievous blows to the Cumbrian spirit. United have drawn five of their last six games, and scored first in each of that frustrating quintet.

Taking a point from this frenetic affair isn’t the reason the Blues are on the precipice. Earlier surrenders are nearer the top of that bleak list. But the record still shows that, for all the energy and heart they piled into their work here, Abbott’s men could not finish the job against a team who have only been pipped by Hereford for League One’s wooden spoon.

Indeed, Harte’s delicious opener came quite against the run of play, with the dynamic Michail Antonio worrying the United back line in the early exchanges, notably when a ninth-minute sprint took him past Richard Keogh before the Reading loanee shot inches wide.

More borrowed talent in the diminutive form of Hutton (the Spurs man is one of 48 players used by the Robins this season) threatened United’s early composure, but Cheltenham’s busy attacking lacked a sharp edge. Cue a 19th-minute Carlisle press which ended with Shane Duff upending Bridges, and the years tumbling away as Harte curled the set-piece past Scott Brown with all the style of his finest days with Leeds.

There then followed a further spasm of United pressure - Dobie denied at the near post by Brown, Cleveland Taylor crashing over a Lewis Neal cross, and Taylor failing to spot Bridges during a promising counter-attack - while Cheltenham threatened sporadically. Connor’s barrelling run was thwarted by Keogh, Antonio was dispossessed by the imperious Harte and Andy Gallinagh ripped one over from range, but Carlisle reached half-time with the edge.

The Robins, requiring victory to sustain their slim survival chances, grew more urgent with each passing minute thereafter. Frankie Artus and Dobie swapped chances, Lee Ridley smacked one wide, Taylor split Bridges and Dobie with an agonising cross, then Horwood’s day plummeted with a petty booking for clinging onto the ball at a Robins free-kick, and then another for felling Marley Watkins on the fringe of the Carlisle box.

Horwood is entitled to carry a grievance into his summer break, since a second viewing of the incident suggested young Marley hit the turf a trifle easily; as he did again moments later, when he was rightly booked himself for a shameful dive.

In front of the 746 travelling Cumbrians, Dobie then rose to nod a Harte inswinger against the post, as Peter Murphy sped off the bench to fill in for the departed Horwood. Then, amid a flurry of Cheltenham corners, the penalty arrived: a delivery from the right, Duff’s powerful climb, and the header which Bridges inadvertently kept out with his hand.

Does the loan striker's banishment mean he has now kicked his final ball for United? That's one of umpteen issues which needs an airing, soon. The immediate business saw Diallo crack in the penalty, and the equaliser landed on this game like a match finding a lake of petrol.

Moments later, Connor volleyed over from a great position, Artus skimmed one millimetres off target, then Hutton battered the outside of the post from the left.

United, equally desperate for a winner, counter-attacked with impressive purpose. Out of the chaos, Neal threaded Morris through in the 91st minute, but the sub was denied by Brown, who later popped up in the Carlisle box for a free-kick (to little effect). The Blues’ final counter-attack eventually reached the home box when David Raven stayed upright amid some lunging tackles and fed Graham, whose tame shot was scooped up by the home ‘keeper.

Cheltenham, doomed for many months, have had plenty of time to prepare for the termination of their League One status. Carlisle, by cruel contrast, have spent six of this season’s 262 days (to date) in the drop zone. How typical of this neurotic club that it all comes down to one, 90-minute melodrama again.

Sensible money says the thumbscrews are already on, and tightening. But one outrageous afternoon could yet liberate the Blues. Frankly, it’s the only thought worth clinging onto for the next five desperate days.

BEN WILLIAMS - Called into action after the break and didn’t let the side down, only beaten by Diallo’s thumping penalty.

DAVID RAVEN - Got Carlisle out of a few scrapes with attentive defending, and almost conjured a late winner.

EVAN HORWOOD - Gave everything for the cause but debatable sending-off means he misses the crunch Millwall match.

RICHARD KEOGH - Towering display against former club once he had got to grips with the elusive Antonio.

IAN HARTE - The classiest player on the pitch. A picture of composure at the back, and rolled back the years with expert free-kick.

PAUL THIRLWELL - Full of aggression in midfield and helped launch a few counter-attacks as United chased victory.

CHRIS LUMSDON - Still not at his most influential but didn’t hide from anything. Big dilemma for Abbott with Kavanagh back for Millwall

LEWIS NEAL - Impressive in flashes, used the ball pretty well from the left wing when he was in the game.

CLEVELAND TAYLOR - Could have hit target with two first-half chances, so close to creating a goal after the break.

MICHAEL BRIDGES - Won the free-kick that set up Harte’s moment of magic, but red card for handball means the dangerman cannot face Millwall.

SCOTT DOBIE - Led the line with heaps of energy, and the width of a post prevented him from being United’s hero.

Subs: Peter Murphy (for Taylor, 72) - Slotted in at left-back after Horwood’s dismissal; Ian Morris (for Lumsdon, 84) - Should have won it with late surge; Danny Graham (for Dobie, 89) - Last-gasp chance went begging. Not used: Joe Anyinsah, Jeff Smith.

First published at 11:25, Monday, 27 April 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk