Stevenage 0 Carlisle United 0: Carlisle United and Stevenage shared the points after a scrappy, goalless encounter at the Lamex Stadium.

Neither side could find the attacking quality needed to win the mid-table tussle.

Keith Curle's side went close with a pair of free-kicks in a tight first half, while sub Hallam Hope was denied by home keeper Tom King after the break.

Darren Sarll's team forced a couple of saves from Jack Bonham but there was little in the way of clear-cut changes.

The stalemate, played on a heavy pitch, saw United move up a place to 12th in League Two but now nine points outside the play-off places.

On 16 minutes, Jamie Devitt curled a set-piece just wide after Ben Wilmot had fouled Richie Bennett.

And on the stroke of half-time Danny Grainger hit a long-range effort on target which King had to push away.

It was an even first 45 minutes on a heavy pitch, which was cutting up after rain and snow at the Lamex Stadium.

Clint Hill and Sam Cosgrove both returned to the Carlisle team, with Mark Ellis and Reggie Lambe making way.

Early on Devitt failed to make the most of a good crossing chance before Stevenage's Matt Godden shot across goal.

A Ben Kennedy cross was glanced just wide by Tom Pett, before Kennedy's volley was blocked by Grainger.

Cosgrove failed to take a good chance to open the scoring when sent through by Devitt, the striker failing to chip keeper King.

James Brown volleyed over the bar as United, often sending the ball up to their two big strikers, had some decent spells in the home team's half.

Stevenage had to substitute defender Joe Martin late in the first half due to injury, Terence Vancooten coming off the bench.

Brown had a shot blocked after the break while Bonham was sharp off his line to deny Godden.

Cosgrove failed to make the most of a Devitt cross before Joyce shot over from the edge of the box.

Hope, on for Bennett, was quickly into the action when played in by Cosgrove, but King saved.

Mike Jones' deflected shot briefly troubled King while Danny Newton's shot off target was the best of what Stevenage offered in the dour closing stages.

Defender Hill rejoined the squad having spent most of the past week in Spain with his ill father.

Cosgrove, meanwhile, returned from the injury that saw him also miss Tuesday's FA Cup defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.

Stevenage manager Darren Sarll named an unchanged side for the game, which saw a travelling support of 361 Blues fans in the 2,476 crowd.

Stevenage: T King, Henry, Wilmot, J King, Martin (Vancooten 43), Pett, McKee, Smith, Kennedy (Samuel 74), Godden, Newton (Franks 90). Not used: Fryer, Wilkinson, Wade-Slater, Conlon.

United: Bonham, Liddle, Hill, Parkes, Brown, Grainger, Joyce, Jones, Devitt, Bennett (Hope 66), Cosgrove (Lambe 76). Not used: Bacon, Nabi, Ellis, O'Sullivan, S Miller.