Carlisle United 0 Sutton United 2: Carlisle United can spare us the exasperation of a long transfer deadline day if the only answer attainable is another tyro from the Under-23 market, another spin of that particular wheel.
Anything's better than nothing, perhaps. But if League Two’s worst scoring team exits this window without more substantially sorting its attacking problems then the Blues will be unnecessarily dicing with danger, even with their eight-point cushion.
United are very much back to the sterile form that had been briefly interrupted in midwinter. The need for a centre-forward to glue all their flimsy parts together screamed so loudly from this performance it almost damaged the ears.
If Carlisle can’t go further than before – financially, if needs be – to bring in a surer thing, then this period of window shopping will go down as a failure, and will leave the Cumbrians at the mercy of a revival from a couple of those sides beneath them.
The idea that a truly effective No9 is hiding in a closet somewhere, just waiting for the Football League’s fifth lowest ranked team to flash its limited budget at them, may be far-fetched.
Yet so is the idea the Blues can confidently proceed with what they have and assume it’s enough. It might be, but not by much. Defeats like this do nothing for your confidence that everything will be ok.
Since Keith Millen’s side defeated Bradford City with impressive vigour it’s been a growing struggle again. They have one goal to show from their most recent six hours of football.
At Brunton Park, they have nine from 14 games: an atrocious record, frankly; down there with United’s historical worst.
And so, while Oldham flounder and Scunthorpe struggle and Colchester tread water and Barrow hit the wall, Carlisle are still in this, the misadventures of last summer continuing to haunt them, the precariousness of their recent improvement plain, the bold aggression of Sutton United far too much for them on this windy afternoon.
Even Richie Bennett, a player who had a moderate United career, would improve Carlisle in terms of basic focal point. His height and willingness allowed Sutton’s nippier attackers, such as goalscorers Isaac Olaofe and David Ajiboye, to menace the Blues in Saturday’s key spells.
In other departments, Millen’s side were deficient. In the first half they were short onto first balls, second onto second balls, hectic in the pass, unimaginative in attack. After the break, against visitors sitting back on their lead, they were better, but still toothless.
There was really not a great deal else to take from proceedings. Millen gave selection a spin, handing a debut to defender Dynel Simeu and restoring Corey Whelan to midfield, but any idea this would temper Sutton’s confident raiders proved misplaced.
There was, to begin with, lots of low-grade, wind-affected fayre both ways, with Storm Malik initially the game’s 23rd player. Sutton, though, were keener in their anticipation of opportunities. Craig Eastmond held midfield ground and others nipped onto clearances and Bennett’s flicks between the lines.
Carlisle had received enough warning by the time Olaofe was sharpest onto a clearance and found room to drill a shot past Mark Howard. They hit the post in response through Jack Armer, but Sutton then punched another hole, Bennett feeding Ajiboye and the visiting number seven showing strength and persistence to score the second.
Any temptation to blame the prevailing wind for Sutton’s growing dominance could now be laughed out of town. Matt Gray’s team attacked effectively, with ideas, purpose. Enzio Boldewijn, cruising in from the left, examined Howard, while Rob Milsom tested the keeper with an inswinging corner.
At least United’s No1 was on his mettle. On half-time, he saved a Bennett finish off the line. If only those in front could have been as decisive. Carlisle had been poor on the ball and, when set-pieces came their way, dismal in the delivery.
So it remained even when they upped things in the second half. Omari Patrick attempted to get things going from various angles, but Carlisle remained short of authority down the middle.
The introduction of Jordan Gibson gave them a little extra ball-carrying, and their midfield distribution improved from poor to moderate. Joel Senior, too, offered a degree of impetus from right-back.
But…you know the rest. From a few flickers, Tyrese Omotoye, a young striker struggling to revive the memory of a bright debut against Bradford, had his solitary sight of goal shut down by defenders. Jon Mellish, meeting a cross, found Ben Goodliffe perfectly placed on the line to clear a goalbound header.
Gibson gave Dean Bouzanis a rare extension in the Sutton goal. Otherwise: lots of futility, and one last valiant contribution from Howard, who saved from Boldewijn from the sort of late chance Carlisle had simply failed to carve out.
There were boos and, it also felt, a little agitation at the final whistle. Sutton are decent, but nobody should settle for this as a representation of attacking football from the team in blue.
It’s far from good enough and dispiriting that we’re this far into January without United having sorted it. Doing so before the deadline might be hard; the consequences otherwise, though, might yet be harder.
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