Big match verdict: Carlisle United 2-3 Salford City

That’s right – Harrogate, the bogey team, that place of postponements, cold defeats and a kryptonite effect on Carlisle. Because of their victory at Mansfield Town, the play-offs are all but sorted for the Blues.

So – thanks Harrogate. Love you. The next issue is how United will be able to attack the end of season shoot-out (assuming they avoid an eight-goal-swing calamity on May 8). It’s a given that they’ll do so with the spirit that’s taken them this far. They’ll also more than likely have to do so with a few extra sticking plasters, given the injury and suspension blows they suffered in this defeat to a Salford City side who, let’s be fair, were better than Carlisle over 90 dramatic minutes.

In one such case the sight of Jamie Devitt limping out of what’s left of this promotion push was regrettable indeed. The additional sight of Jon Mellish shoving his way to a red card made you bite your fist in frustration.

Salford's winning goal hits United's net (Image: Ben Holmes)

The latter leaves a bigger hole to fill, and for three games too. At least United are not short of practice in covering absences this season. This one, though, they could have really done without.

Paul Simpson was of the opinion that Mellish’s banishment, for stupidly returning Elliot Watt’s initial push, was the game’s key moment. It seemed telling that when Salford won the game, a couple of minutes after Carlisle seemed to have saved it, the goal came from the area Mellish would normally have been defending.

As that episode is unpicked, the bigger issue is what Simpson does without one of his major players. Sutton, where Carlisle will surely get the mathematics done, will see the answer, which will then have to be good enough to see United into a couple of high-stakes games against someone just like Salford.

Callum Hendry opens the scoring for Salford (Image: Ben Holmes)

Here the Blues go again, then: addicts to the scenic route. It must again be remembered that their position remains a very good one, in the context of where they’ve come from. The top three may have slipped over the horizon on Saturday but the bigger picture of their campaign remains positive.

It now boils down to just how positive. This game saw the worst and best of this aspirational United – an inferior first half, followed by a proper rumble of a late fightback, bellowed on by more than 10,000 fans. The painful finale simply reminded us of the size of the job now to get to Wembley and make this not just a good season but a glorious one.

Salford, from the beginning until half-time, were more fluent in their movement, more comfortable in their shape. Carlisle’s 4-3-3 did not make enough tactical objection to Neil Wood’s side as they found holes through and beyond United in wide areas.

Paul Huntington shows his anger to ref Seb Stockbridge (Image: Ben Holmes)

Louie Barry was a skilful menace, Luke Bolton a speedy threat, Matt Smith a bulwark up top. They came close when a Smith header was turned against his own post by Owen Moxon, and after United had a couple of token chances, the visitors pressed their foot down.

They sliced and diced the Blues in the 24th minute as Barry fed the overlapping Bolton and Callum Hendry finished past Tomas Holy. They nearly scored again in the four minutes that followed, before they did on 28 – Bolton given freedom through the middle and even allowed a heavy touch before his shot went through Holy’s palm too easily.

Carlisle did not have the pace, defensively, to rein Salford in, nor the substance themselves to push the visitors back. Their attacking was paltry, Kristian Dennis and Moxon only having a couple of sighters, and the first half ending on an agitated note – Ryan Edmondson picking up a brainless booking for dissent – and with the need for fundamental change.

Joe Garner heads United back into it (Image: Ben Holmes)

Alfie McCalmont for Edmondson, and a reversion to 3-5-2, were Simpson’s moves this way, and Carlisle built better pressure at last. There looked a case for a penalty when Mellish ran past Liam Shepherd and was held, but Salford somehow emerged with a free-kick from the erratic whistle of Seb Stockbridge.

There were other appeals, and another nearly moment when Ben Barclay sidefooted wide, but it was not until Simpson made a triple change that Carlisle looked properly refreshed. Jack Robinson, on the left, was a bright arrival, Jordan Gibson was a necessarily more attacking option on the right, and Joe Garner showed some of his old devil as he converted one offside goal, then powered in one that counted from Moxon’s free-kick.

Kristian Dennis collects the ball after equalising (Image: Ben Holmes)

Moxon did more than most to drive United back at Salford, and it was from his fine cross that things pivoted again – Garner hauled down, penalty given, Watt shoving Mellish, Mellish shoving Watt, Watt collapsing theatrically, Mellish sent off, Dennis scoring, Carlisle level but…more precarious than they should have been.

Salford's staff celebrate their winner (Image: Ben Holmes)

Bolton underlined that with a smooth run and classy, curling finish which the depleted Blues (who later lost Jamie Devitt to a hamstring injury which left the sub devastated) just could not contain. Salford, after ten added minutes, secured a big win and cavorted in front of their 469 fans. Then came the Harrogate news, which made an agonising day feel better.

And Carlisle, after it all, still have a promotion chance: something worth keeping in clear view today. They’re not going to do this the easy way - to say the least - but, then, we knew this already, did we not?