Carlisle City followed Saturday’s FA Cup exit with their first defeat of the season in the Northern League last night.
They went down 1-0 at West Allotment Celtic after a lack-lustre performance in what was a really poor game of football.
A mixture of suspensions. injuries and general mid-week unavailabilities didn’t help the City cause and they will look to pick themselves up for Saturday’s FA Vase tie at Padiham.
Manager Jim Nichols said: “It was a really poor game but even so we should have been going home with a point.
“We switched off at a throw in and the lad knocked one in from 25 yards and apart from a couple of half chances for each side that was about it.
“It didn’t help that we had no forward options on the bench and that a midfield player had to play in the centre of defence but that’s what can happen for mid-week away games when you don’t carry a big squad.
“We have an FA Vase tie on Saturday and will have our suspended defenders back next Tuesday when we are at home to the best team in the League, Ashington. Our new signing Callum Birdsall will be available for then as well.”
West Allotment had been beaten 7-0 by Workington in the FA Cup on Saturday so the win and the clean sheet was well received by the home side.
The goal that won it came on 20 minutes when poor marking at a home throw-in left Shane Jones in space and he hit his shot past an unsighted Steve Townsley.
It was often a lethargic display from City with few opportunities until a foul on Aaron Bradbury in the 78th minute did give them a promising opportunity 25 yards out.
The free-kick from Sam Atkinson was hit poorly into the wall but Josh Simpson’s shot on the rebound forced Gladstone into his only meaningful save of the night.
They went down 1-0 at West Allotment Celtic after a lack-lustre performance in what was a really poor game of football.
A mixture of suspensions, injuries and general mid-week unavailabilities didn’t help the City cause and they will look to pick themselves up for Saturday’s FA Vase tie at Padiham.
Manager Jim Nichols said: “It was a really poor game but even so we should have been going home with a point.
“We switched off at a throw-in and the lad knocked one in from 25 yards and apart from a couple of half chances for each side that was about it.
“It didn’t help that we had no forward options on the bench and that a midfield player had to play in the centre of defence but that’s what can happen for mid-week away games when you don’t carry a big squad.
“We have an FA Vase tie on Saturday and will have our suspended defenders back next Tuesday when we are at home to the best team in the League, Ashington.
“Our new signing Callum Birdsall will be available for then as well.”
West Allotment had been beaten 7-0 by Workington in the FA Cup on Saturday so the win and the clean sheet was well received by the home side.
The goal that won it came on 20 minutes when poor marking at a home throw-in left Shane Jones in space and he hit his shot past an unsighted Steve Townsley.
It was often a lethargic display from City with few opportunities until a foul on Aaron Bradbury in the 78th minute did give them a promising opportunity 25 yards out.
The free-kick from Sam Atkinson was hit poorly into the wall but Josh Simpson’s shot on the rebound forced Gladstone into his only meaningful save of the night.
