Walsall 1-0 Carlisle United: Survival wait goes on after Earing sends Blues to Good Friday defeat

Jack Earing's goal for Walsall late in the first half was enough to extend a winless run to four games for the Cumbrians.

Paul Simpson's side were uninspired in their attacking efforts at the Banks's Stadium, though they remain ten points above the drop zone with four games to go.

The 19th-placed Blues also lost captain Morgan Feeney to a second-half injury as they were beaten by Michael Flynn's Saddlers.

Earing produced the decisive moment in first-half injury time as his shot spun past Mark Howard after Carlisle had struggled to see off a home attack.

Morgan Feeney had to go off injured

Carlisle had sporadic openings, Kristian Dennis with a good early chance and Dynel Simeu heading wide late on, but the Blues did not threaten enough against their fellow strugglers.

United boss Simpson made one change to his side, handing a start to Norwich loan forward Tyrese Omotoye at the expense of midfielder Danny Devine.

On the bench, there were returns for Lewis Alessandra and Jack Armer, while Corey Whelan and Magnus Norman were absent through illness, Gabe Breeze taking the latter's role as sub keeper.

Walsall manager Flynn made four changes, recalling keeper Carl Rushworth along with Donervon Daniels, Tyrese Shade and George Miller, with Jack Rose and Stephen Ward dropping to the bench, and Liam Kinsella and Conor Wilkinson out injured.

Tyrese Omotoye on the attack

The hosts forced the first chance when Brendan Kiernan had the run on Simeu, but could only prod his shot wide.

United, starting in a 3-4-3 formation, then had a great opening when a Brennan Dickenson header saw Dennis run at the home defence, only for Rushworth to save the striker's low shot.

Simeu and Walsall's ex-United man Hayden White both went into the book for fouls when their respective opponents counter-attacked.

From there it was Walsall who had the better of the first half, with Rod McDonald doing well to block an Emmanuel Osadebe shot as Flynn's sde played some neat football in the United half.

Kiernan saw a headed chance deflected wide while Earing and Joss Labadie were off target from the edge of the box.

United's attacking was sporadic at best, though they did get an opening on 33 minutes when Jon Mellish broke down the left and Omotoye received his cross in useful space, but the loan man's shot was blocked.

Dynel Simeu battles in the air

Walsall then broke from a United corner as Osadebe fed Kiernan, but Howard was well placed to make the save.

Omari Patrick was next to try his luck for the Blues but his shot from the edge of the box curled wide of the far post.

Feeney then made his latest well-timed interception as Tyrese Shade went through - but from Walsall's next attack, in first-half added time, they scored.

They had several bites at it as, first Osadebe got to the left byline and his cross was turned towards his own goal by Simeu, Howard making a fine stop.

Feeney got in the way of the next shot but Carlisle couldn't clear, and Earing's attempt spun past the keeper and into the bottom right corner.

Jack Earing fires the Walsall winner

It was the midfielder's first goal in 20 games and gave the Saddlers the interval advantage.

Simpson declined to change things at the break, and Walsall's Kiernan shot just wide from 20 yards early in the second half.

United then suffered an injury blow on 54 minutes when Feeney went down hurt in the centre circle and, despite treatment from physio Ross Goodwin, couldn't continue.

That brought Joe Riley off the bench as Carlisle reverted to 4-3-3, with Reece Devine and Miller unable to make the most of Walsall's next opening.

Gibson failed with a free-kick attempt for the Blues before feeding Omotoye on the break, the forward cutting inside and rifling wide.

Paul Simpson looks on as United lose

Simpson then made a double change, sending on Tobi Sho-Silva and Jack Armer for Dennis and Omotoye, Flynn responding by introducing Devante Rodney for Kiernan.

Carlisle were on the front foot more as they chased a leveller but struggled to force serious chances, despite a number of late set-pieces, Simeu heading a Gibson corner wide in six added minutes as they fell to a second straight defeat in front of 678 vocal travelling fans.

The Cumbrians, at least, lost no ground in the survival race, Oldham's 2-0 defeat to Northampton keeping the gap ten points, with other strugglers Barrow and Stevenage picking up wins.

Walsall: Rushworth, White (Leak 84), Daniels, Monthe, Devine (Ward 88), Labadie, Kiernan (Rodney 72), Earing, Osadebe, Shade, Miller. Not used: Rose, Perry, Mills, Menayese.

Goal: Earing 45.

Booked: White, Rushworth.

United: Howard, Simeu, Feeney (Riley 54), McDonald, Mellor, Dickenson, Mellish, Gibson, Omotoye (Armer 68), Patrick, Dennis (Sho-Si. Not used: Breeze, D Devine, Alessandra, Roberts.

Booked: Simeu

Ref: Martin Woods.

Crowd: 5,114 (678 United fans).