Carlisle United 1 Wycombe Wanderers 3: Blues lose last home game

Wycombe comfortably got the better of Paul Simpson's relegated Blues to make it 29 league defeats in the 2023/24 campaign.

Alfie McCalmont scored on his return to the side but Garath McCleary's double and Richard Kone's goal earned the visitors the points.

And it was largely another reminder of why United are plummeting back to League Two with Wycombe's first two goals particularly bad from a Carlisle defensive point of view.

Keeper Harry Lewis was at fault for the first, converted by McCleary following a corner, and after McCalmont equalised, Kone pounced on Sam Lavelle in the United box to make it 2-1.

Veteran McCleary headed home again for Wycombe to make it one point from the last ten home games in statistically the worst home season in United's league history.

The game, which saw a professional debut for teenager Aran Fitzpatrick late on, unfolded in front of a crowd of 6,538, which meant Carlisle's home average this season in the league is 8,000 - their best since 1975/76.

Simpson brought McCalmont and Jordan Gibson back into the fold after their recent disciplinary-related absence, McCalmont starting in midfield with Gibson on the bench.

There were three changes to the XI with Fin Back and Jack Diamond also coming back in, Paul Huntington and Jack Ellis dropping to the bench and Jack Robinson out injured.

Joshua Kayode was not in the squad as 18-year-old Fitzpatrick was among the subs after his recall from his loan spell at Workington Reds.

Mid-table Wycombe's boss Matt Bloomfield made seven changes from the side that had started in their midweek win at Port Vale.

Jon Mellish, breaking from midfield, appeared to be held as he tried to reach a pass early on before Harrison Neal went into the book for a foul on John McCarthy. 

Jack Diamond on the attack for United (Image: Ben Holmes)

Wycombe's football was brighter in the early stages, Freddie Potts going close from outside the box.

And then they took the lead in the 15th minute, Carlisle conceding an avoidable corner before Lewis failed to deal with Luke Leahy's far-post delivery, the ball breaking back into the six-yard box where McCleary converted.

Carlisle, though, responded after they'd survived more Wycombe attempts from Kone and Josh Scowen.

And the leveller came just before the half-hour when Georgie Kelly attacked down the left and fed the overlapping Mellish, whose cross flashed away from Luke Armstrong but was attacked by the arriving McCalmont, who found space to finish clinically across keeper Franco Ravizzoli.

It was a more even contest from there with Jack Armer and Mellish looking to create things down the left for Carlisle.

At the other end Lewis saved from Leahy and then denied Potts as things reached the interval at 1-1.

United, though, soon conceded into the second half and it was another dire one for the Blues, as Lavelle had the ball in the box after a scramble but failed to prevent Kone pouncing to score.

The latest of many deflating moments this season was followed by a near miss by Wycombe's Dale Taylor, before McCalmont cleared the bar with a free-kick for United.

Lavelle then went down injured for the second time in the game and had to come off, Simpson making a triple change as Diamond and Kelly were also replaced.

Paul Simpson (Image: Ben Holmes)

The substitutions saw Paul Huntington, Gibson and Anton Dudik come on, the latter for his second professional appearance, which soon saw him into the book for a foul on Leahy.

Carlisle could not find a route to goal and then found themselves 3-1 behind when McCleary got in front of Armer to head home a cross from the left.

That was the cue for a number of Blues fans to head to the exits, Gibson hitting a free-kick straight at Ravizzoli as United tried to fight back late on.

Simpson handed youth team player Fitzpatrick his first senior outing with five minutes of the 90 remaining, the 18-year-old replacing Armer on the left of United's defence.

Barclay made a well-timed challenge to prevent Wycombe sub Kieran Sadlier going through for a fourth, while Armstrong headed a Gibson cross over in added time as Carlisle's dismal season suffered its latest defeat.

Simpson and the players carried out a lap of appreciation for the fans still in the ground after full-time, with United having one remaining game, at Derby County next weekend, before their return to League Two.

United: Lewis, Back, Armer (Fitzpatrick 85), Lavelle (Huntington 65), Barclay, Mellish, Neal, McCalmont, Diamond (Gibson 65), Kelly (Dudik 65), Armstrong. Not used: Breeze, Harris, Ellis.

Goal: McCalmont 29.

Booked: Neal, Dudik.

Wycombe: Ravizzoli, Forino, Low, Leahy, McCarthy, Scowen, Potts (Butcher 57), McCleary (Jacobson 88), Kodua (Sadlier 57), Kone (Vokes 80), Taylor (Wheeler 80). Not used: Shepperd, Tafazolli.

Goals: McCleary 15, 75; Kone 49.

Booked: Potts.

Ref: Ben Speedie.

Crowd: 6,538 (298 Wycombe fans).