Carlisle United shared the points in a dour struggle with Hartlepool United at Borough Park last night.
The only consolation for fans after an instantly-forgettable clash was that it was another point for the locker marked survival.
Three successive home games have produced five points – not designed to trouble the top half of the table but certainly enough to suggest those below are being gradually left behind.
The Blues could have made a flying start, however, after great work by Brennan Dikenson to control a Mark Howard clearance and whip in a dangerous cross which only required a touch. Omari Patrick, given his first start since his return, could not quite get there.
Jordan Gibson, after his sensational strike against Bradford City, is always prepared to have a go and when he got the chance from just outside the area the steam was taken out of it by a defender and provided keeper Ben Killip with an easy stop.
The game had started promisingly, although it didn’t ever ignite, with Carlisle certainly enjoying early ascendancy.
After his debut fireworks there was expectancy whenever Tyrese Omotoye got on the ball but when he went on a run the final shot was high, wide and not so very handsome.
Carlisle offered a threat from a corner won by Omotoye but Pool eventually cleared when Rod McDonald had initially caused a problem with his header back into the six yard box.
Dickenson was prominent at both ends in the first quarter of the game. After tracking back to make a vital tackle in Pool’s first serious attack he was narrowly wide with a shot which beat Killip but flashed just wide.
Generally, however, the game had dimmed after a b right enough start and there were long passages of play littered by mistakes.
United were forced into a change on 36 minutes when Kelvin Mellor was forced off by an ankle injury which gave a new signing Joel Senior his first taste of League football.
Patrick had the best chance of the half soon after but his quickly taken volley was parried away by Killip. Then Callum Guy flashed a low drive inches past the post.
Hartlepool hadn’t offered much threat but they could have taken the lead when Marcus Carver got clear but he was impetuous and shot well wide.
Dickenson, who had been Carlisle’s best player in the first half, went closest when he drove a free-kick over the wall but saw it hit the bar and rebound into the six yard box. Patrick’s follow-up effort was blocked.
New boy Senior was impressing with his forward runs and on a couple of occasions United should have done better from his crosses.
Hartlepool had done all their best work in defence yet they could have snatched an unlikely victory. Luke Molyneux put in a dangerous cross into space and the onrushing David Ferguson hit a great shot on the run which somehow Howard got to with outstretched legs to turn onto the bar.
Both sides went close in a lively finish to what had been a largely drab affair.
Jon Mellish’s close-range shot was blocked twice by Killip and on the follow-up the Carlisle midfielder shot into the side-netting.
In driving rain there was time for one last Hartlepool attack and Howard had to make another outstanding save, this time getting down to keep out a sharp, downward header from Reagan Ogle.
