Manager John Sheridan labelled Carlisle United’s performance as “weak” and “embarrassing” following their 2-1 defeat at Macclesfield Town.

League Two basement boys Macclesfield hadn’t claimed a league victory all season. But veteran Michael Rose’s penalty and a Peter Vincenti winner earned them their first three points this campaign after Ashley Nadesan had broken the deadlock.

Striker Hallam Hope (calf) and defender Gary Liddle (knee) missed the game at Moss Rose through injury, while centre-back Tom Parkes also hobbled off in the first half, leaving Sheridan with a selection headache ahead of tomorrow’s trip to leaders Lincoln.

But Sheridan refused to use United’s injury problems as an excuse and conceded the side’s performance warranted nothing.

“It’s very hard [to take],” he said. “But the performance and everything about our game didn’t deserve anything.

“Full credit to Macclesfield who were on a bad run and made us look a very, very poor team. That’s down to us more than anything else.

“I’m very, very disappointed. It’s probably the worst I’ve felt [since joining Carlisle].

“I think we were weak. In every department, we were weak.

"I don’t like criticising my players, and I try not to, but that performance didn’t merit anything. I won’t make excuses because we have one or two injuries, or people going into different positions.

“One thing we are is short of players but they’re still good enough players to win go and win the game.”

Ahead of the match, Blues boss Sheridan said his team needed to be able to hold on for victories in tight games.

But having fallen to this loss after taking the lead, he again criticised his side’s game management.

Sheridan said: “We scored a goal, probably against the run of play, which was a really scrappy goal but makes it 1-0. But then [where is] the common sense and a bit of game know-how?

“Not one person on the pitch has taken control of the game. As a group of players, they haven’t taken control of the game and said ‘Let’s do this, let’s do that’. You have to talk for them all the time, giving them instructions.

“I just wish I was out on the pitch, playing with some of them. I really do. But unfortunately, I’m not and, luckily for them, I’m not.

“We are just weak in our performance and it’s not right with the following we got there again.

“Just win a scrappy game 1-0. We know they’re going to come at you but, all over the pitch, we have experienced players who aren’t talking and aren’t communicating. They are doing nothing, absolutely nothing.”