Carlisle United 1 Fleetwood Town 2: So how often does it have to be said, about this devalued competition that turns off fans, demeans the status of lower-league clubs like these two, and gives some of their most devoted followers decisions to make about whether to come and watch their teams?

As last night’s attendance and those elsewhere showed, many are still deciding against. It is an unwanted house guest, the Checkatrade Trophy. The bad news is that it intends to squat for at least another season after this.

So let the corks pop. Carlisle lost to Fleetwood, disappointingly, and duly went out of this year’s competition in front of 909 souls – Brunton Park’s third-lowest gate. But the big picture remains, and there is sadly going to be much more of this before those painting it take the hint.

Top-level executives and academy coaches who don’t give a hoot about what a League One or Two supporter thinks are, naturally, in passionate love with the Checkatrade. Wading into something that, until 2016, had nothing to do with them, they rejoice in the knowledge that their hoards of young players are at last going to be equipped with the tools to develop long careers.

Until just one of them concedes that those careers might be better served by, say, signing for some of these smaller clubs, instead of playing three measly games a season against them in near-empty grounds, those annoyed by this format will be entitled to continue speaking up.

So, sorry if you’ve heard this one before. To say nothing – to accept the way things are – is a little victory for the people in power who want the boycotters and the objectors to get bored of complaining. Their long game is to hope they will be ground down and, in time, learn to live with it.

Those continuing to make their stand are up against it, that much is clear. So anyone with a voice ought to have their backs. And anyone who thinks this should be a normal match report, a thousand words of passes and tackles, will have to forgive the deviation again.

These passes and tackles, you see, endorse in some way the dubious greed which has warped youth football in this country and led to this extended debacle. Every run and shot under this and next season’s format enables the practice which allows hundreds of “professionals” to sit on fat money at “Under-23” level until many are released by their elite clubs and find that the real world has moved on.

Each header, every throw-in, says “go ahead” to those who trawl for as many teenagers as they can, until every expensively-maintained academy pitch or feeder club squad is full. Instead of demonstrating judgement, reason and discretion, the big clubs take and take.

For money, clubs like Carlisle participate in this culture. Under pressure, they accept the cash and live with the rest. The rest, as again we saw at a sparse Brunton Park, was a game that could have been played in the actual park, for all the support it attracted.

These are, yet again, unfortunate reflections to make at a time when it should, as normal, be about the football. As on United’s previous Checkatrade nights, none of this is on Keith Curle and his players. They have jobs to do, and gain nothing by disregarding the potential benefits of 90 competitive minutes.

Sadly, benefits last night were few, Shaun Miller’s late goal unable to haul Carlisle back into the tie or the competition after Fleetwood’s first-half double.

Carlisle’s manager had made six changes, among them striker Sam Cosgrove for a rare start in a 3-5-2 system in which Reggie Lambe was on the left of midfield, while Fleetwood, having been in FA Cup action 48 hours previously - and already assured of their second round place in this competition - made 11.

It was the League One visitors who made the better early running. A sighter from Jack Sowerby in the third minute, which flew over Shamal George’s bar, was followed, in the 10th minute, by a more successful attempt from the Fleetwood man.

His path to goal was too easy, as he cut in from the right and hit a low left-footed shot that beat George inside his near post.

In response United found Cosgrove a willing option in the air and from one flick-on, misjudged by Godswill Ekpolo, Jamie Devitt fired over. Carlisle, though, struggled to create further clear-cut openings and when Fleetwood found further encouragement on the attack, the Blues had George to thank for parrying an Ekpolo shot, and then Baily Cargill for wasting a free header.

While United’s final ball was often lacking, they almost levelled twice through Shaun Miller: first through the striker’s own invention, battling past a man and shooting a fraction too high, and then when he headed a James Brown cross wide of the near post. A spell of improved attacking play then saw Tom Miller head a Mike Jones cross narrowly over, and his namesake then slash another chance high and wide.

That, though, was quickly spoiled when United were opened up again. Fleetwood were too quick down the right as Ekpolo got the wrong side of Danny Grainger, and when Harrison Biggins’ attempt was saved, Wes Burns was first to the rebound to head home.

Tom Parkes, with a header cleared off the line, and Grainger, with a free-kick that cleared the bar, were United’s final attempts of a poor half, which was greeted by a few boos from some of those in the Paddock. The second half almost began with a Carlisle goal but keeper Chris Neal clawed the ball away from Devitt after a defensive misjudgement.

As United struggled to force a goal back, there was one welcome plus as John O’Sullivan, back from injury, came off the bench for his first outing since May. He reintroduced himself to Carlisle’s fans with a typically direct run down the right that earned a corner. Shaun Miller went close again, Cosgrove was denied by Neal, and Curle then threw on Steven Rigg as the tie slipped away from the Blues.

Hope was then revived five minutes from time when Brown bustled pasty Joseph Maguire and was brought down by the defender. Neal saved Grainger’s penalty but his follow-up was forced over the line by Shaun Miller. A fightback was almost on again moments later when Luke Joyce took aim – yet Tom Miller, unfortunately, got in the way of the sub’s crashing volley.

There was no further joy, though. So out United go, but the mighty Checkatrade marches on: unencumbered by fans, untroubled by principles, and dealing another little beating to a modest but proud level of football that, in too many high circles now, doesn’t count for very much.