Carlisle City continued their good run of results with a comprehensive 5-0 win in Northern League Division Two at Blyth Town.
There is a long history of great games between these two sides but not since 2016 when they went their separate ways – City briefly into the North West Counties and Town into the Northern League, where they have just begun their second adventure, after resigning in 2018.
Town were beaten heavily in the Vase last week-end and manager Mick Connor responded with a savage nine changes, only Ditchburn and Skivington keeping their places.
City made just the one change from their midweek draw at Redcar Town, as Kirkup returned in place of Jake Simpson, with the versatile Atkinson moving to a forward position.
The visitors began brightly and there were two good chances for Palmer in the first seven minutes, both saved by Corkhill.
The second chance showed great honesty by the City forward who could easily have fallen under a strong challenge from Hodgson. There was also a shot over from Kerr before the first home attempt as Brannan fired wide.
Murray saved well on eight minutes as he dived left to tip away Ditchburn’s shot for a corner which was cleared by the City defence.
Simpson’s 15-yard shot was saved by Corkhill before City took the lead in the 22nd minute as Kerr’s cross from the right was touched delicately past Corkhill by Atkinson from 10 yards.
Town then enjoyed a little spell of pressure although City won another corner which was caught easily by Corkhill.
In this Town spell, Ditchburn looked quite a handful and he wasted a chance with a poor shot before a better effort in the 29th minute was pushed away by Murray for a corner. From the flag-kick, Murray was forced into another save as the defence struggled to clear.
City then re-asserted their control with a fine second goal on 34 minutes. Kerr showed great pace to burst past Hodgson on a left-wing break before cutting inside and firing a vicious drive past Corkhill for his first goal of an injury-disrupted campaign.
Palmer’s free-kick was punched clear by Corkhill and then just before half-time City’s leading scorer was found by Atkinson but saw his shot blocked by Groves.
City were sloppy in their play in the early stages of the second period and they were lucky that Ditchburn could not take advantage of his chance on 47 minutes.
City then appeared to make the game safe on 56 minutes as Palmer was on the spot at close range to tap in his eighth goal of the season.
It could have been four in the 59th minute as Atkinson’s angled drive beat Corkhill but was cleared off the line by Groves.
Substitute Irving was fouled to win a free-kick in a dangerous position, and Atkinson’s shot was deflected out for a corner which had to be headed clear from the home goal-line.
Town were now struggling to make much of an impact and In the 76th minute, City were awarded a rather generous-looking penalty as Simpson fell under the challenge of two home defenders. Irving stepped up to take the kick and hammered it straight down the middle for his eighth goal in his last eight games.
Town did have a chance on 78 minutes but this was headed wide by Skivington, and substitute Lowery fired wide from 25 yards.
As City pressed forward towards the end, Simpson’s left-wing cross was headed narrowly over his own goal by Dodds.
The home side won a 90th-minute corner that was cleared, and Longcake broke well only to see his shot saved by Corkhill.
However, City were able to put the icing on their cake as Longcake’s left-wing cross was calmly side-footed in by substitute Johnstone, with the last kick of the game.
