John Sheridan and Tommy Wright became familiar figures to Carlisle United in 2018/19 but they had encountered the Blues faithful several times before that – such as 1985, when they were operating in tandem in a promotion-chasing Leeds side.

The pair visited Brunton Park with Eddie Gray’s team in February, with Leeds operating higher in Division Two than Bob Stokoe’s Blues, whose best days at that level were on the wane.

There had, in 1984/5, still been glimpses of Carlisle at their second-tier best. Only two-and-a-half weeks before the Leeds encounter the Cumbrians had impressed with a 3-1 win at Manchester City in front of the television cameras.

That helped brighten a campaign which had struggled to gain much momentum. A better November spell had at least made things look a little more positive through to the last days of winter. Stokoe was, though, without one of his main attackers for the Leeds encounter, Malcolm Poskett ruled out with an untimely virus just as the top scorer was returning to form in front of goal.

There was a place in the side for John Halpin, who had joined from Celtic the previous year, while Mick Halsall returned from suspension and, in goal, Dave McKellar was ready to return from a broken finger.

They were at the heart of a Carlisle display that should have resulted in better than the draw they mustered. It was a fine Blues performance on a Tuesday night which saw some excellent goals and a little controversy before last-minute heartbreak.

At the centre of United’s best work was Don O’Riordan, who was potent from midfield and helped Carlisle establish control against visitors who seemed short of tempo and spark. It took them 24 minutes to make their dominance count and this was only after Mervyn Day, another future Blues boss, had kept out an O’Riordan shot with his fingertips.

Day had no reply, though, two minutes later when O’Riordan sized up a free-kick and bent it over the wall and into the net with impressive force.

This capitalised on some bright Carlisle play. Halpin, up front alongside Andy Hill, was full of running and through O’Riordan and Ian Bishop, United were composed in midfield. It took Leeds a long time to examine McKellar and his healed finger, the keeper untroubled by a tame free-kick from Elland Road veteran Peter Lorimer.

It was later, on the brink of half-time, that Gray’s side properly threatened, but again McKellar was capable in the face of a shot from winger Wright.

Carlisle went for more after the break and O’Riordan was in the thick of it again, seeing a header from Alan Shoulder’s cross tipped over by Day before United did claim their second. O’Riordan it was again, allowing another Shoulder cross to bounce before volleying it emphatically across Day.

That, though, was the end of the good things for Carlisle, and Leeds got their first glimpse of a comeback when United were reduced to 10 men, Mick McCartney shown a second yellow card by ref Ian Hendricks.

This saw O’Riordan revert to defence, and Leeds made good use of the extra man, finding space to pass better and at last exert better pressure. When they struck back, it was Wright who got them their lifeline with a left-footed shot that looped off Halsall and went over McKellar.

United had some 15 minutes to see their victory through and with Jack Ashurst at the forefront of things, defending well against the Leeds front line, it seemed they would hold on for a well-earned win.

It was, though, not to be, and when the equaliser came it was 20-year-old Sheridan who helped set it up, the midfielder crossing for Andy Ritchie whose shot was saved by McKellar, only for Neil Aspin to force the ball in.

It was a harsh outcome for the Cumbrians against a Leeds side also including future top-flight stars Denis Irwin and Andy Linighan, and left Stokoe’s men 15th in the table. McKellar, happy to be back in the mix, was keen to focus on the positives of the 2-2 draw.

O’Riordan’s double was high among those. “You don’t often see two goals like them twice in a match,” the keeper said. “The team turned it on for the fans and that was the most encouraging aspect.”

United went on to a 16th placed finish, never managing any serious sort of winning streak, their opponents ending seventh. The following campaign saw the Blues’ decline accelerate, as they were relegated to the third tier and then, even more gloomily, went down to the basement division a year later.

United: McKellar, Haigh, Ashurst, Rushbury, McCartney, O’Riordan, Bishop, Halsall, Shoulder, Halpin, Hill. Sub: Robson.

Leeds: Day, Irwin, Linighan, Aspin, Hamson, Lorimer, Sheridan, McCluskey, Gray, Ritchie, Wright. Sub: Sellars.

Crowd: 5,484.