Bristol Rovers 3 Carlisle United 0: Blues slump to third bottom after latest defeat

Pressure on boss Chris Beech increased as Antony Evans, Sam Nicholson and Harvey Saunders struck for Bristol Rovers.

It was a third consecutive game without scoring for United, who have taken one point from their last five games.

It leaves Carlisle firmly in a relegation battle after 11 games of the 2021/22 campaign, having won just two of their league games so far this season.

And again they failed to do enough against fellow strugglers.

Chris Beech on the touchline during the defeat at Bristol Rovers (photo: Richard Parkes)

Evans fired the home side in front shortly after United had gone close after the half-hour mark.

The Blues could not find a way back and sub Nicholson doubled the deficit late on before Saunders went through for an injury-time third.

It came on a day when Beech made four changes, with Lukas Jensen getting his league debut in goal in place of the sidelined Magnus Norman.

Lukas Jensen (photo: Richard Parkes)

Outfield saw recalls for Danny Devine, Zach Clough and Lewis Alessandra, with Jonathan Dinzeyi and Gime Toure dropping to the bench, and Joe Riley out of the squad.

Both Riley and Kelvin Mellor had picked up training-ground injuries, the Blues said, though Jordan Gibson and Manny Mampala returned to the squad.

Rovers boss Joey Barton recalled Aaron Collins, Harvey Saunders and Luca Hoole.

The game began with an end-to-end spell that lacked quality in the final third.

Devine, starting at right-back, headed away a dangerous Collins cross before United, via Alessandra, couldn't finish off some promising counter-attacks.

Evans bobbled a shot wide for Barton's side while card-happy ref Charles Breakspear booked Morgan Feeney, Devine and Cian Harries in quick succession.

Carlisle came close just after the half-hour mark, when Callum Guy fed Alessandra in space but Clough saw his shot blocked, while keeper James Belshaw adjusted to keep out a Brennan Dickenson drive.

And three minutes later the home side broke to score, as Collins found room on the right and Rovers switched it to the left to Evans, who beat Devine before firing across Jensen.

Zach Clough is set up by Lewis Alessandra but sees his shot blocked

Ex-Blues captain Nick Anderton then came on for the hosts in place of injured Junior Brown, while Alessandra was next into the book for dissent as Jack Armer was penalised for a foul.

United came close after the break when a Dickenson flick put Clough in, but keeper Belshaw rushed from his line to save the attempted lob.

Dickenson was then denied by a Luca Hoole block as he fired the ball in low from the right.

Carlisle's booking tally went to five as Armer and Guy saw yellow in quick succesion, before Beech, having already introduced Gibson for Alessandra, sent on Tristan Abrahams for Young and later brought on Taylor Charters for Armer.

Guy had a 25-yard shot easily saved before Jon Mellish became the sixth Blues player booked, for a foul.

Sub Gibson saw two attempts blocked after a rapid break but Carlisle remained short of serious chances.

The expressions of United chairman Andrew Jenkins, left, and director of football David Holdsworth, right, say it all (photo: Richard Parkes)

And they were finished off in the 86th minute when two home subs combined, as Thomas's cross was tucked inside the far post by Nicholson.

Saunders added a third when put clean through as Carlisle's dire form continued, the Cumbrians now just three points off bottom place.

Bristol Rovers: Belshaw, Brown (Anderton 37), Taylor, Harries, Hoole, Coutts, G Whelan, Saunders, Evans, Anderson (Thomas 68), Collins (Nicholson 78). Not used: Ward, Westbrooke, Pitman, Martinez.

Goals: Evans 35, Nicholson 86, Saunders 90

Booked: Harries, Saunders, Thomas, Whelan

Carlisle United: Jensen, Devine, Armer (Charters 72), Feeney, C Whelan, Guy, Mellish, Dickenson, Clough, Alessandra (Gibson 53), Young (Abrahams 63). Not used: Breeze, Dinzeyi, Mampala, Toure.

Booked: Feeney, Devine, Alessandra, Armer, Guy, Mellish

Ref: Charles Breakspear.

Crowd: TBC