Carlisle United 2-3 Barnsley: Blues beaten at home again

The relegation-bound Blues led through Luke Armstrong's early strike but Jordan Williams, John McAtee and Jon Russell replied for the visitors.

Sub Dan Butterworth gave United late hope but there was no last-gasp drama as League One's bottom side suffered a sixth consecutive home defeat.

Carlisle are 16 points from safety with nine games to go with relegation to League Two only a matter of time from being confirmed.

It unfolded in front of 5,522, Brunton Park's lowest league crowd of the season.

Paul Simpson made two changes to his previous XI with Josh Emmanuel and Jack Robinson coming into the side.

They replaced Jack Ellis and Jack Armer respectively, with Ellis dropping out of the squad, while Dylan McGeouch got another start in midfield in Josh Vela's continued injury absence.

Luke Armstrong celebrates the opener (Image: Ben Holmes)

United's boss, meanwhile, kept faith in defender Sam Lavelle after Saturday's costly error in the defeat at Charlton Athletic.

Barnsley boss Neill Collins handed a start to ex-Carlisle striker Cosgrove in place of top scorer Devante Cole amid four changes, with Ben Killip coming in for Liam Roberts in goal, and Corey O'Keeffe and Jon Russell replacing Jamie McCart and the suspended Herbie Kane.

United made a competitive start in a tight opening to the game, with one early Taylor Charters pass almost putting Jack Diamond in.

And on ten minutes Carlisle got themselves in front, as Barnsley misjudged a Robinson header and Armstrong took full advantage, pouncing as the ball bounced and going through to slot past keeper Killip.

It was only United's second first-half goal at Brunton Park in the league all season as Armstrong made it two in two, and three in a United shirt.

At the other end, Cosgrove headed wide when picked out by Nicky Cadden, before Harrison Neal twice tested Killip from outside the box.

Carlisle continued to compete well with their high-flying hosts whilst surviving the Tykes' best efforts as Adam Phillips failed to convert a Cosgrove nod-down, and then the latter finished wastefully when the ball sat up 18 yards out.

Harrison Neal shoots (Image: Ben Holmes)

United continued bridging the 19-position gap well and could have doubled their lead when Charters fed the overlapping Jon Mellish, but his low cross evaded Armstrong at the far post.

But they were made to curse failing to be clinical in that moment as, minutes later, Barnsley levelled - Williams arriving outside the box and his well-struck shot went through Lewis' attempted save on its way to the top corner.

That lifted Barnsley who should have quickly gone in front when McAtee was picked out at close range, but he headed against the left-hand post.

Carlisle, at the other end, were denied with penalty appeals when Diamond went down in the box, before Luca Connell had a shot blocked for Barnsley, who were now growing dominant and getting plenty of ball into the United box.

And Lewis had to be on alert to deny Cosgrove in first-half added time, pushing over a goalbound 25-yard drive from the frontman.

Carlisle, though, could not live with a dynamic start to the second half by the visitors, who won the ball back in United's half and McAtee went in, only to be denied by Paul Huntington's timely challenge.

But a similar break in the 49th minute paid off for Barnsley, whose high press again paid off with Cosgrove fed to the right of the box and unselfishly dinking it across goal where the arriving McAtee forced it home on the line.

United tried to respond with both Mellish and Diamond having attempts from outside the box before, in the 59th minute, fans of both clubs rose to applaud in memory of the legendary late Blues coach and former Barnsley player David Wilkes, who died last June aged 59.

Barnsley celebrate their third (Image: Ben Holmes)

By then Barnsley had brought on top scorer Cole and, after Carlisle failed to make a couple of corners count, Simpson sent on Alfie McCalmont for Charters, the visitors also making a further double change.

But minutes later and it was game over as O'Keeffe, following a corner, clipped the ball in from the left, and Russell was away from defensive attention to head simply past Lewis.

Simpson sent on Butterworth and Jordan Gibson for the last ten minutes, and Butterworth gave United late hope when he went through and rounded Killip before firing home.

Carlisle applied late pressure but it was to no avail as they fell to yet another home defeat.

United: Lewis, Lavelle (Barclay 87), Huntington, Mellish, Emmanuel, Robinson, McGeouch (Butterworth 80), Neal, Charters (McCalmont 74), Diamond (Gibson 80), Armstrong. Not used: Breeze, Armer, Maguire.

Goals: Armstrong 10, Butterworth 87.

Barnsley: Killip, Williams, Russell, de Gevigney, Earl, Cadden, O’Keeffe, Phillips (Cole 59), Connell, McAtee (Grant 74), Cosgrove (Marsh 74). Not used: Ravenhill, Benson, Cotter, McCart.

Goals: Williams 33, McAtee 49, Russell 77.

Booked: O’Keeffe, Grant, Killip.

Ref: Ed Duckworth.

Crowd: 5,522 (813 Barnsley fans).