Carlisle United manager reacts to 2-2 draw with Stevenage

Simpson said the character the Blues showed to come from behind twice was rewarded in their 2-2 draw.

The United manager was critical of how his side conceded both home goals, but was pleased with how Carlisle otherwise stood up to Steve Evans’ table-topping side.

“You have to come here and put a right shift in. We’ve done it. We thoroughly deserve a point,” said Simpson after the clash at the Lamex Stadium.

“I really do believe if we’d been more consistent about the way we competed and tracked runners, I think we could easily have got three.

“People might say we had a bit of luck with [Stevenage’s] offside goal, whether it was offside I don’t really know, and they were complaining our first goal was offside – I haven’t seen it, I ain’t got a clue.

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“I thought we did a lot of good things at a tough place. These are a really difficult side to play against but thankfully we’re able to take something home with us.”

Carlisle’s first away point of the League One campaign came after Sean Maguire and Joe Garner both cancelled out Jamie Reid goals in either half.

Sub Garner made it two goals in two league games with his late header in front of the travelling fans.

“I can’t really say I felt it coming, I just hoped it was coming,” said Simpson of the second equaliser.

“Before they scored the second I thought we were going to get a second goal. Then you get the stuffing knocked out of you and they had a little bit of control in the game.

“Thankfully we kept going, kept plugging away, kept probing, trying to create opportunities.”

United’s subs helped salvage the game with Alfie McCalmont, Terry Ablade and Garner coming on early in the second half, and Luke Plange also arriving late on.

The changes featured on a sweltering day when temperatures rose to 30C in Hertfordshire.

Sean Maguire opened his United account in the first half (Image: Barbara Abbott)

“I always have those what-if scenarios, although I made the three changes early because I was conscious of not just doing one and wasting one stoppage," said Simpson.

“I couldn’t take a chance with Jordan Gibson staying on because he had a yellow card, and the ref spoke to him – I think he said something – and Stevenage were desperately trying to get him sent off.

“I thought the lads who came on all gave us a different dimension, Alfie showed energy, Joe and Terry are a handful, and I’m delighted they were able to help get us something out of it.”

At the other end Carlisle had to defend a barrage of Stevenage set-pieces, one of which saw Carl Piergianni hit the crossbar.

United were also indebted to keeper Jokull Andresson for a series of fine saves against his former club.

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On the trial by set-piece, Simpson said: “I thought we dealt with it really well.

“Probably we had a spell when JJ [Kayode] went off, who was marking Piergianni, where he [Piergianni] got some free headers, but then we changed it and Jon Mellish went up against him – he was competitive and made it more difficult.

“On the whole I thought we defended set plays really well, which is a big part of being successful if you come to Stevenage, with the way they are.”

Simpson said he had wanted to protect Jordan Gibson, left, from a potential red card (Image: Barbara Abbott)

While Stevenage claimed United’s first goal by Maguire was offside, and rued the offside decision that denied them a third goal shortly before Garner levelled things, Carlisle also had penalty shouts turned down at 2-1.

It came as sub Ablade was fouled by Dan Sweeney with the Blues feeling the challenge had taken place inside the box. Ref Darren Drysdale awarded a free-kick.

“A few of our players were telling him it was a penalty. I haven’t seen it again, it would be wrong for me to make an opinion on it,” said Simpson.

“You don’t get things like that at this ground, you don’t get those sorts of decisions. I’d be clutching at straws to say it was a penalty.”

United, meanwhile, were backed by 428 vocal fans in a 4,228 crowd and Simpson could not speak highly enough of their support.

“They’re proper football supporters. They will follow this football team all over the place,” he said.

“We can’t thank them enough for that. It makes such a difference to us, when you come out and see those numbers, and the noise they make.

“Then to be able to go and thank them at the end, on the back of getting a really big point…it’s so important for us.

“We need to keep together. I’ve said it before, we’re going to have some tough days, but if they stick with us and we stick with them we won’t go far wrong.”