Carlisle United 2-0 Grimsby Town: McCalmont & Gibson send Blues second

They both found the net in a devastating end to the first 45 minutes against Grimsby at Brunton Park.

First, McCalmont scored his second goal in three starts with a measured finish in the 36th minute.

Recalled Gibson then capped a decisive counter-attack with a precise low shot shortly before the break.

That was enough for Paul Simpson's side to claim the points - and move up a place in the automatic promotion zone thanks to Stevenage's surprise defeat at bottom side Rochdale.

Grimsby hit the post through George Lloyd, while United lost defender Paul Huntington to a groin injury in the second half.

But it was otherwise another positive afternoon in their promotion challenge in front of a 6,561 home crowd.

Simpson made one change to his side, Gibson recalled in place of Joel Senior at right wing-back, Senior having been one of the players affected by illness in the latter stages of the week.

Simpson again went with Omari Patrick and Joe Garner in attack, while Grimsby made seven changes after their cup exploits, with Andy Smith, Danny Amos, Otis Khan, Brynn Morris, Mikey O'Neill, Lloyd and Tom Dickson-Peters replacing Luke Waterfall, John McAtee, Josh Emmanuel, Anthony Driscoll-Glennon, Gavan Holohan, Harry Clifton and Danilo Orsi.

And it was the visitors who made the brighter start, enjoying more of the ball in the opening stages and fashioning the first chance for Alex Hunt, whose shot from 20 yards was blocked by Morgan Feeney.

Another attempt by Dickson-Peters was intercepted by the same defender who, at the other end, had penalty appeals turned down after battling with Niall Maher at a Jack Armer corner.

Alfie McCalmont is congratulated after the opener (Image: Barbara Abbott)

Grimsby then came down the left and went very close when Khan ran onto a Lloyd flick, got the better of Gibson and curled a low shot inches wide of the far post.

Carlisle grew into things midway through the half but initially struggled to create, an Armer cross going begging, before Grimsby broke and almost opened the scoring through Lloyd.

His low shot from the front of the box, though, was saved sharply by Tomas Holy.

United heeded the warning and upped their game in the last 15 minutes of the half - and it was enough to see them in front.

Callum Guy tested Crocombe from outside the box - and then, on 36 minutes, the Blues struck.

An attack down the right had fizzled out but Grimsby's attempt to play out from the back was then intercepted by Patrick, and McCalmont was alert to the chance - steering a lovely low shot beyond Crocombe's dive.

That heralded Carlisle's best spell so far as they went close again when Garner had a deflected effort blocked, Jon Mellish was denied at close range and Garner almost set up McCalmont for another.

But then they did double their lead in the 44th minute, thanks to another menacing counter-attack involving the influential Garner, before Owen Moxon passed to Gibson on the right, and United's number seven got the better of his man before finding the bottom left corner with a precise low finish.

Jordan Gibson celebrates the second (Image: Barbara Abbott)

His third strike of the season gave United a welcome cushion at the break, and after Grimsby made a half-time change - Emmanuel for Dickson-Peters - Carlisle nearly grabbed a third early in the second half.

Patrick, though, could not get his finish on target after Mellish fed him to the left.

Patrick and Gibson continued causing Grimsby problems with their runs on either side, with Patrick denied a penalty after breaking down the left, and Armer's appeals also ignored as he went down when Moxon's corner came in.

At the other end Carlisle kept the Mariners at bay, effectively denying them chances, while McCalmont almost got another when he volleyed just over following a Gibson cross and an Armer attempt.

United then suffered a blow on 70 minutes when the impressive Huntington went down and couldn't continue, Corey Whelan coming off the bench to replace the defender.

A crowd-pleasing moment of skill by Moxon to beat Morris kept home fans' spirits high, while a rare Grimsby near-miss came on 77 minutes when Emmanuel's cross was headed against the outside of the post by Lloyd.

Simpson made a triple change late on, as Dennis, Gordon and Senior all came on, Gibson denied a third by Crocombe but Carlisle's latest victory  - and 14th clean sheet of the season - in little doubt the longer things went on.

United: Holy, Feeney, Huntington (Whelan 70), Mellish, Gibson, Armer, Guy, Moxon, McCalmont (Senior 81), Patrick (Dennis 81), Garner (Gordon 81). Not used: Kelly, Harris, Robinson.

Goals: McCalmont 36, Gibson 44.

Booked: Huntington.

Grimsby: Crocombe, Efete, Smith, Maher, Amos, Khan (Taylor 65), Morris (Wearne 85), O’Neill (Clifton 85), Hunt (Khouri 65), Dickson-Peters, Lloyd. Not used: Pearson, Emmanuel, Scannell.

Booked: O’Neill, Khan.

Ref: Marc Edwards.

Crowd: 6,561 (428 Grimsby fans)