SATURDAY 13th SEPTEMBER 2008

CARLISLE CITY 2-6 SHANKHOUSE

The game went ahead after a morning pitch inspection but it was a close call, and
conditions were extremely heavy. City fielded a new central defensive pairing in
Nigel Nichol and James Yallop, and Jamie Heath returned after missing the last few
games.

It was a quiet start to the match as most of the game was contested in midfield. In the
6th minute, Lupton’s blocked shot arrived at the feet of Burton who sidefooted
powerfully towards goal but Dent saved well. Within seconds, Lupton broke clear of
the Shankhouse defence but full-back Brown recovered well to clear the danger.
Heath’s cross was fumbled by Dent and the visiting keeper was relieved to see the ball
hacked clear. In the tenth minute, Shankhouse were awarded a corner by the referee,
who over-ruled his assistant, not for the last time in the game. The corner kick was
easily cleared.

Shankhouse were struggling to make any early impression on the City goal but
Johnson did hit the target from a free-kick, saved by Lindsay. In the 13th minute,
Cumersky’s intelligent pass sent Burton running clear and his attempted lob beat Dent
but sailed wide. Three minutes later, Amato did well to keep the ball in play close to
the bye-line and Heath found Bell, who forced Dent to save his shot. Lupton then shot
well wide from distance.

In the 20th minute, Lupton’s cross from the left was headed back by Heath, but
Blacklock cleared the danger. In the 21st minute, against the run of play, Shankhouse
took the lead when a loose ball broke to Phillipson and he shot firmly into the net
from 15 yards out. City looked stunned by this turn of events and took a while to get
back into the game. In the 26th minute, Cumersky’s cross was punched away by Dent.

Shankhouse were soon back on the attack and created a great chance for Phillipson
but the linesman’s flag and a possible handball gave City the free-kick. In the 29th
minute, Sherlaw turned and shot with Lindsay out of position, but the ball was just
wide. A foul on Bell by Cole earned City a free-kick in a promising position but
Cumersky’s floated ball was claimed by Dent.

After 35 minutes, Shankhouse scored again when Blacklock turned well on the edge
of the box before shooting powerfully past Lindsay. Four minutes later, a neat
Shankhouse move sent Gustard running into the City area, with Nichol covering well
before being fouled. A City free-kick dropped invitingly to Lupton, just inside the
Shankhouse box, but his deflected shot looped into the arms of Dent. This was soon
followed by as shuddering collision between Bell and Dent as the City striker chased
a through ball. The Shankhouse keeper stayed down in obvious discomfort, and
referee Lewer did well to move Bell away from looming confrontation with the
Shankhouse defenders.

Shankhouse were now creating chances at will, and Gustard’s right wing corner fell to
Bell on the edge of the box, with his drive only just clearing the bar. Gustard was
starting to threaten with his clever forward play and Yallop had to block his shot after
43 minutes.
HALF-TIME CITY 0-2 SHANKHOUSE

Dent’s injury meant he was unable to continue in the second half, and he was replaced
by Bruce. The change was almost superfluous as, in the next five minutes, all the
action was at the opposite end. Within sixty seconds of the restart, Shankhouse scored
their third goal, when a fine ball from Blacklock was converted in some style by
Gustard. Within another minute, it was four as Johnson waltzed round Lindsay and
scored with ease.

It was almost a carbon-copy in the 49th minute, as Johnson again danced past Lindsay,
but this time he squared the ball and Gustard lashed home his second goal. In the
space of four minutes, a difficult task for City had become mission impossible.

City’s first change saw the limping Bell replaced by Wood, making his first
appearance of the season. After 51 minutes, Johnson sliced his shot well wide, before
City made another change as Cawson came on for Kelleher. Within three minutes,
Cawson won City a penalty as he was tripped very close to the edge of the box. Wood
calmly converted the spot kick.

City made their last change in the 56th minute, as Simpson replaced Burton. After 61
minutes, Sherlaw’s shot was deflected for a corner, taken by Gustard but headed over
by Johnson. Four minutes later, more fine play between Gustard and Johnson ended
with Gustard shooting just wide. Slack play at the back by Shankhouse saw the ball
presented to Heath and his left-wing cross was returned by Simpson, before
eventually falling to Cumersky who shot wide.

Johnson shot powerfully for the visitors with his effort only just missing, before
Gustard crossed well from the right, and the ball was just too strong for his
colleagues. In the 71st minute, Heath’s shot was saved by Bruce. Gustard then
embarked on a long run from midfield, with Yallop backing off in front of him.
Gustard played a neat 1-2 with Johnson but then shot too high. Shankhouse brought
on Watson for Keen after 77 minutes. Sherlaw shot left-footed just after this, and his
effort was just wide.

In the 80th minute, Sherlaw, Johnson and Watson combined, with Yallop having to
rescue City. Cumersky’s corner saw Bruce jumping high to claim the ball, and a free-
kick was given. In the 82nd minute, City pulled another goal back, as Heath and
Cumersky set up Lupton for a shot at goal. The Shnakhouse keeper spilled the ball
and City skipper Cumersky nipped in to slot home the rebound.

However, any lingering hopes of a comeback were dashed on 87 minutes as

Phillipson found Johnson, and the Shankhouse striker fired past Lindsay for his
second goal of the match.

The first twenty minutes of the game gave no hint of the drama to follow but the
nightmarish defending on either side of the interval will haunt City for some time.

TEAMS CITY- Lindsay, Foster, Amato, Nichol, Yallop, Heath, Burton, Cumersky,
Kelleher, Lupton, Bell. SUBS- Wood, Simpson, Cawson, Jamieson.
SHANKHOUSE- Dent, Brown, Moran, Bell, Cole, Blacklock, Phillipson, Sherlaw,
Johnson, Gustard, Keen. SUBS- Watson, Wilson, Bruce.

REFEREE- S. Lewer
BOOKINGS- None