Carlisle United’s promotion bandwagon rolled on in dramatic style with a 2-1 win at Swindon Town – but what did we learn from the game? Let’s take a closer look.

1 LEAVING IT LATE

“I might be wrong, but I don’t think we’ve had many last-minute or last-second goals like we’ve had today,” Paul Simpson said after the game.

He’s not wrong. Carlisle were certainly due one.

Only once before in the league this season had they scored in added time: Owen Moxon’s equaliser in the 3-3 draw at Harrogate Town in November.

News and Star: Ryan Edmondson, centre, heads the winnerRyan Edmondson, centre, heads the winner (Image: Gareth Williams / AH Pix)

Ryan Edmondson’s header at Swindon was, then, their first injury-time winner of the campaign.

And there was a nice symmetry in the fact it came a year to the weekend of their previous one.

That was Jordan Gibson’s penalty that clinched a 2-1 win over Northampton Town at Brunton Park – a week after Morgan Feeney had headed a winner at Oldham Athletic beyond the 90-minute mark.

United have taken other late goals this season, but those have either garnished a win or come in consolation, such as Omari Patrick at Hartlepool (82nd minute), Kristian Dennis at Doncaster (87th minute) or Dennis versus Barrow (89th minute).

Nothing, though, tops a last-minute winner. Here’s hoping they have another one or two up their sleeve during the run-in.

2 AWAY DAYS

Given that a slight majority of Carlisle’s remaining games come away from home, kicking off that run with another victory on the road was excellent for the confidence.

The 2-1 triumph at the County Ground was their eighth away win of the league season so far.

That already makes it their best season for victories on their travels since 2018/19 – when they won eight away games all campaign – and there are nearly two months of this season, and six away fixtures, still to go.

News and Star: This way to promotion? Paul Huntington points the way at SwindonThis way to promotion? Paul Huntington points the way at Swindon (Image: Gareth Williams / AH Pix)

The next record to emulate is that of the 2017/18 side, who won ten of their 23 away games.

Beyond that, United can put themselves up against past promotion sides at Brunton Park and see how they compare.

Simmo’s 2005/6 heroes, for instance, won 11 of their away games – so another three from six will match that for his current team.

Another travelling win, meanwhile, will take this side past the away-day efforts of Mervyn Day’s 1996/7 side, who won eight on the road en route to third place.

A serious standard to emulate would then be Mick Wadsworth’s 1994/5 champions, who won 13 of their away games. Match that, with five wins from six on the road between now and May 8, and the Blues will surely be up with a bit to spare.

3 SET-PIECE SPECIALISTS

We have never had to wait long for a set-piece goal from Carlisle United this season – one of many areas where they’ve improved in 2022/23.

From corners alone, they’ve scored nine of their League Two goals – more if you include those corners where the finish has not come directly, but in a second phase, when United have kept the opportunity alive (such as Jack Armer's goal on Saturday).

In terms of delivery-finish, Ryan Edmondson’s winner was the latest to come down this well-practiced route.

News and Star: Wrong way, Charlie...Austin heads a United corner against his own bar moments before Armer scoredWrong way, Charlie...Austin heads a United corner against his own bar moments before Armer scored (Image: Gareth Williams / AH Pix)

It was the striker’s second goal when converting a corner. Other such goals have come from Corey Whelan (two), Paul Huntington (two), Morgan Feeney (two) and Jon Mellish in this respect.

It was also the fifth corner from Owen Moxon which has been directly converted in the league this season.

He remains their chief supplier, but United have also shared the corner assists around, with Taylor Charters (two), Callum Guy and Jack Armer providing others.

Paul Simpson and his staff have certainly increased and widened United’s threat in this respect. Jody Morris, the Swindon boss, said they’d spent more time than normal talking about defending set-pieces ahead of the game – much good it did them when Moxon sent over that 96th-minute ball.

4 STRONG ARMER

Paul Simpson has long argued that Jack Armer needs to add goal threat to his otherwise impressive game, and the wing-back responded in style on Saturday.

His excellent half-volley that opened the scoring was his second goal of the season, and his fourth in 115 Blues appearances (including 100 now in the league).

There are many reasons why the former Preston man remains a league ever-present in 2022/23, one being his willingness to cover so much ground from minute one to 90.

News and Star: Jack Armer's attacking role was clear on SaturdayJack Armer's attacking role was clear on Saturday (Image: Gareth Williams / AH Pix)

In terms of his attacking input, a glance at some analytical areas of the Swindon game highlight how much he is attempting to offer.

According to a positional report by stats side WhoScored.com, Armer was further forward on the pitch, on average, than every Blues player apart from Omari Patrick.

This was a key part of United’s strategy in a game when, as ever, Joe Garner looked to drop in and do the line-leading aerial work, enabling others to go beyond.

It was far from Carlisle’s best attacking performance, and their general play did not display the control and poise it often does. Garner found frustration in plenty of his duels with defenders (and the ref).

But in Armer they had an ever-willing threat - and he might even have added two more to the one fine goal he took.

5 PASS MASTERS?

Another look at the data reveals the different approaches in terms of style shown by the two sides.

Swindon were a more passing-based team, reflected by their tally of 321 short passes compared with United’s 170.

The occasional allegation from opponents that the Blues are a “direct” operation deserves some nuance, though, bearing in mind Swindon also offered more long balls to the Blues on Saturday – 50 to 43.

News and Star: Jon Mellish sends the ball forwardJon Mellish sends the ball forward (Image: Gareth Williams / AH Pix)

The fact is Carlisle, despite those spells when they were on the back foot, still did the more threatening work, on balance, when they did have the ball.

They manufactured nearly twice as many crosses as the Robins (13 to 7) and, from 35 per cent possession, got more shots on target than their hosts (3 to 2), as well as winning more corners (6 to 3).

Swindon’s temptation to play from the back also cost them late on when United pressed them into conceding corners…and we know what happened from the last one of those.

It is true that United, under Simmo this season, are not a religious passing side as such.

What they are, though, is second in the league and – even when not at their best – effective at winning games.

It’s unlikely many fans would trade that in favour of a supposed silkier style with 11 games to go.