Carlisle City lose to league leaders after 92nd-minute winner

Carlisle City lost to Northern League Division Two leaders Heaton Stannington at Gillford Park – going down to a 92nd-minute winner.

The result was harsh on City who probably didn’t do enough to win but did not deserve to lose either.

The win leaves Heaton nine points clear at the top of the table with 11 games left to play.

They are managed by Dean Nicholson, a former Workington midfielder who played when Reds last played in the first round of the FA Cup at Bury in 2007.

The game saw very little creativity in the opening quarter with City struggling to get their prolific front two into the match.

A cross from McAndrew in the 28^th minute flew over the City six-yard box and Kirkup, not for the first time, was forced to concede a corner. This flag-kick was met by Esdaille but he headed wide at the back post.

Kelly’s clearance was weak in the 32^nd minute but Luke could not capitalise as he shot too high. Hopper produced a lively run down the right on 33 minutes but the City defence closed him down, and the hosts broke forward to win a corner at the other end which led to nothing.

Despite forcing several corners Heaton did not get anything on target until the 39^th minute when Murray did well, diving to his left to parry a shot from Hopper.

The resulting corner was cleared by Kirkup. As half-time approached, Hopper and Stephenson both had shots blocked before Hopper then headed wide.

City failed to score a first-half goal for the fourth game in succession but supporters were comforted by the prospect of another second-half revival which they had seen before.

The signs were encouraging as Palmer won a corner in the 46^th minute and Regan fumbled the cross but the ball was hacked to safety. A poor Regan clearance then led to another City corner which was cleared by Hopper, and Irving then headed wide.

The rush of early corners to City continued and Kirkup was unlucky to see his low shot blocked by a defender.

In the 53^rd minute, a penalty was awarded to Heaton as Kelly followed Hopper away from goal and a slight touch on the Heaton striker was followed by a spectacular fall with the referee awarding a generous spot-kick.

Justice was perhaps done as McAndrew’s shot bounced down from the frame of the goal before being cleared.

City responded on 57 minutes as Kerr won a corner and this brought their first real chance as a strong Kirkup header beat Regan but was cleared off the line by McAndrew, quickly redeeming himself.

A foul on Irving gave City a free-kick opportunity but Palmer’s cross was easily claimed by Regan. The game was still proving frustrating for spectators as the quality was low and little was being created.

City then made a change as Kingsley Grandison, a former Man City youth team player who has most recently been at Penrith, came on for his debut in place of Kerr.

A foul on Irving after 72 minutes saw Palmer’s free-kick flighted just too high for the climbing Bowman. Another Stephenson shot on 75 minutes was much closer to the City goal but still Murray was not tested.

In the 85^th minute, City did come close to going ahead as an excellent right-wing cross from substitute Shiel was met firmly by Palmer but saved well by Regan, and the rebound was fired over by Grandison.

Palmer saw another cross cleared before there was heartache for City in the 92^nd minute. A right-wing cross seemed to bring hesitation to the City defence, possibly sensing an offside decision, and McBryde was left in space to shoot past the helpless Murray.