Newport County 1 Carlisle United 1: Nobody has drawn more games in League Two than Carlisle United, and here was the latest example why: another jumble of the bad and the good, the feeling that a really good team is hiding somewhere in those blue or maroon shirts, if only they would allow themselves to break out.
This draw at Rodney Parade moved the Blues up a position to 12th. It kept their tally of league defeats on one from nine games. This is nirvana after some of the starts to recent seasons. And yet…
It could quite clearly be better. Paul Simpson did not even bother with the pretence in his post-match interviews, and as much as United’s fighting spirit is intact – this was a fifth draw of 2022/23, four of which have been earned when coming from behind – the road still to travel remains long.
“I just think that if we want to do anything, we’ve got to better than we were in this game,” said Simpson. “It’s as simple as that.”
It is – and it also isn’t. Being better is a journey of various complex things for this Carlisle team, which is having to be reimagined on a weekly basis because of injuries.
It’s to their and Simpson’s credit that they are keeping results so honest when plagued by so many tweaks, tears and strains. The other side of the matter is that they are having to dig deep in nearly every match to pull a result out of the flames.
It is keeping the day when we know United’s best team, their most reliable structure and most consistent image somewhat distant. Are they still a three-at-the-back team, or is 4-3-3 – the way they finished on Saturday – currently a better bet, given the absentees?
Are they better as a ball-playing scheme, or one that’s more effective when extra physicality is ladled into the mixture, such as in the second half at Rodney Parade?
Can Simpson and the players find a way to bring that fightback fire from minute one, instead of an indeterminate point in the second half? Are they equipped to grab a game by its lapels from 3pm, or is this more eventful stuff just the way it has to be for an evolving squad?
Don’t expect instant answers. All along these early ventures you find yourself going one way, towards praise or criticism, before coming up against a reason to go back the other direction.
On Saturday, the initial feelings were relatively sour. United had some good first-half moments but they got lost in a lack of ruthlessness and stone-cold battle. Come the closing stages, they were chasing.
And yet – chase they successfully did. Simpson’s switches paid off, United gained more muscle and legs, Corey Whelan swept in an equaliser and only the crossbar prevented victory against a home side living on their nerves.
All that considered, 12th is about the size of it. It’ll be eighth if they win their game in hand at Grimsby Town on Tuesday. Again – it shows a platform is in place, if only they can seize things.
Saturday’s skirmish in the sun brought Whelan in at the 11th hour after Morgan Feeney’s hamstring went in the warm-up. How reassuring it must be for Simpson that Whelan is such a reliable customer for such moments.
The rest of the side flirted with the idea of doing something against a Newport team that started energetically in search of a leg-up after four straight defeats. They aimed the ball forward, and wide, early, and swept in behind it.
This gave United certain counter-attacking opportunities but these only led to inaccurate finishes from Owen Moxon and a Kristian Dennis break which seemed to end up in treacle.
Jack Stretton, on his full league debut, was fated to spend the day running and battling with big centre-halves who, for all his toil, had his physical number - yet there were several stages between his loss of the ball and the 30th-minute moment Nathan Moriah-Welsh nipped between Tomas Holy and Paul Huntington to score for Newport.
Carlisle then went about their familiar way of inventing good opportunities without the devil to take them. Fin Back shot straight at Nick Townsend, Dennis lost his balance at a Jon Mellish cross, and there was also a need for the Blues to get more of their retaliation in first when Newport’s bigger players shrugged and smothered United players.
It took Simpson until the hour mark to make his conclusive move on this, putting the Mellish wrecking ball into midfield and, five minutes later, introducing Jayden Harris and Sonny Hilton from the bench.
Carlisle now had size, in the case of Harris and Mellish, and fresh zip, in the case of Hilton, in Newport’s half (Jordan Gibson was withdrawn for his own good as he skirted a second yellow card). Stretton and Hilton fanned to the left and right either side of Dennis, and their hard-working midfielders put their shoulders back and cracked on.
It produced enough impetus to force pressure, corners and finally a goal, when Callum Guy’s delivery fell for Whelan and he smacked it in from the middle of the box.
One of many Micky Demetriou long throws almost burst this sudden balloon, but Carlisle survived that and then very nearly sneaked victory, when Huntington volleyed against the crossbar and Hilton, in his brightest showing yet, just cleared the bar after a beetling run.
Victory was not to be. “It’s a point away from home, and if we do that in every away game and we win our home ones, then we’ll be ok," said Simpson. "But I’m not daft enough to think it’s going to be that straightforward."
The knowledge they will keep finding ways to complicate matters is about the only certainty that clings to United right now. We could be deep into this season before it’s joined by others.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here