Carlisle United 1-1 Charlton Athletic: Lavelle goal starts Piatak era

The defender fired home in the 62nd minute to earn the Blues a point in front of a 10,477 crowd that included the club's new owners.

Carlisle had to come from behind after Corey Blackett-Taylor's opener early in the second half for Charlton.

But captain Lavelle's finish - his first goal for the Cumbrians - gave the big crowd something to cheer at the start of a new era at the club.

The action, which saw a solid debut for new signing Josh Emmanuel, unfolded on a day of buoyant spirits at United's ground as their new American owners began their regime.

The fan zone outside the ground was busy with new stalls, a giant big screen and the Piatak family mingling with supporters and also visiting the club's bars and lounges.

The Florida family then received a huge welcome when they walked onto the pitch 15 minutes from kick-off, three days after completing their takeover of the club.

The Piatak family, including (left to right) Patty, Tom snr, Jenna and Nick, got a big welcome from fans (Image: Ben Holmes)

Fans waved 'Own The North' flags and chanted, 'USA, USA', the Piataks returning the applause to all sides of the ground, some of the family punching the air and then the six all lining up and bowing towards the Main Stand.

Blues manager Paul Simpson handed new signing Josh Emmanuel his debut with Owen Moxon back in the side after injury and Corey Whelan given an outing in defence.

On the bench, Terry Ablade was not involved as Simpson - without suspended duo Joe Garner and Alfie McCalmont as well as a host of injured players - included youth team duo Aran Fitzpatrick and Josh O'Brien.

Visitors Charlton made two changes from their previous league game, with Conor McGrandles and Scott Fraser coming in for Tyreece Campbell and Louie Watson.

Charlton's Blackett-Taylor was an early threat with his dangerous running while Emmanuel, at right wing-back, lifted the home crowd with a second-minute burst.

Real chances, though, were sparing, Jordan Gibson testing keeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer from long-range, before Blackett-Taylor, for the Addicks, had an effort blocked.

United line up for a corner in the first half (Image: Ben Holmes)

Michael Appleton's side had a dominant spell in possession and could have scored when Alfie May cut in from the right, but a vital Ben Barclay sliding challenge denied him.

Beyond that, serious openings were elusive at both ends as Carlisle put in some attentive defending to keep the visitors at bay.

Gibson again tried his luck from distance while Fraser was denied from 20 yards by the diving Tomas Holy, who also took command at a series of set-pieces.

Moxon rifled over the bar from 25 yards as United broke but the Blues lacked real presence in an attacking sense despite their good endeavour across the pitch.

Charlton, too, were unable to make the most of their best work, a Blackett-Taylor run causing ricochets in the box which did not trouble Carlisle.

The visiting dangerman then came closest to an opener when he evaded a challenge before rifling against the angle of post and bar in the 38th minute.

Gibson remained United's most likely route to goal with a number of shots from outside the box while, late in the half, he was onside as he broke from the left, cutting in to be denied by the keeper from a tight angle.

Ben Barclay makes a vital block to deny Alfie May (Image: Ben Holmes)

Moments later, Luke Plange rose well to meet a Jack Armer cross but Maynard-Brewer saved for the visitors, as Tayo Edun then blocked an Emmanuel attempt.

Carlisle reached the interval after 45 determined minutes but in search of that elusive moment in the Charlton territory.

But the visitors started the second half the brighter and after George Dobson almost fed Miles Leaburn, and Blackett-Taylor was denied by Holy, they opened the scoring in the 54th minute.

May was involved, feeding the overlapping Tennai Watson, and his low cross eluded defenders and found Blackett-Taylor arriving from the left to clip the ball home.

Charlton celebrate Blackett-Taylor's opener (Image: Ben Holmes)

United now had to step things up and a dangerous Gibson cross deserved a finishing touch, but neither Plange nor Mellish, who started in midfield, could reach the inswinging delivery.

The leveller, though, was not long in coming and it arrived via their former Charlton player.

First, Gibson gathered the ball on the left and his ball for the overlapping Armer benefited from a deflection. Armer's low cross picked out Lavelle, up from an earlier set-piece, and the captain drove the ball low past Maynard-Brewer.

Jack Armer celebrates with scorer Sam Lavelle (Image: Ben Holmes)

The visitors almost hit back straight away through Leaburn, but Holy denied him from a tight angle, while May then saw a dangerous low cross go unrewarded.

Simpson made a triple change with 20 minutes to go, Ryan Edmondson, Maguire and Dan Butterworth replacing McGeouch, Plange and Emmanuel, who got a warm ovation after a positive debut.

Barclay cleared a Blackett-Taylor attempt after the Charlton man knocked it past Holy, and the Blues keeper then made an alert save as Michael Hector met a near-post May corner.

The visitors remained on top in search of a late winner, Holy once more in the action as he saved a Leaburn header, with United offering little hope of a second goal themselves.

The Blues mounted some late pressure but it ended in a draw which keeps United third bottom, now two points below the safety line ahead of Tuesday's trip to bottom side Reading.

United: Holy, Barclay, Whelan, Lavelle, Armer, Emmanuel (Butterworth 70), McGeouch (Edmondson 70), Moxon, Mellish, Gibson, Plange (Maguire 70). Not used: Breeze, Robinson, Fitzpatrick, O’Brien.

Goal: Lavelle 62.

Charlton: Maynard-Brewer, Jones, Hector, Watson, Edun, Dobson, McGrandles (Watson 86), Fraser (Campbell 77), Blackett-Taylor, May, Leaburn. Not used: Walker, Thomas, Ness, Tedic, Asiimwe.

Goal: Blackett-Taylor 54.

Ref: Leigh Doughty.

Crowd: 10,477 (964 Charlton fans).