Carlisle United 2-1 Stockport County: Adu-Adjei and Armstrong earn win

But there was another midfield injury concern for the Blues a week before the big kick-off, with Dylan McGeouch forced off after just 18 minutes at Brunton Park.

AFC Bournemouth loanee Adu-Adjei, on his first appearance, could have scored twice early on before putting United ahead with a smart finish on 25 minutes.

League One side Stockport levelled early in the second half with a counter-attacking goal by Kyle Wootton.

But half-time substitute Armstrong restored Carlisle’s lead in the 68th minute, applying the finishing touch to a Ben Barclay long throw.

United also hit the post through Jon Mellish in a much more encouraging display than their previous two friendlies, while Stockport failed to take some late chances in front of an 1,880 crowd.

Simpson handed Adu-Adjei an immediate start after his loan move from Bournemouth this week, the forward lining up in attack alongside Charlie Wyke - who had the captain's armband.

There were home debuts for Archie Davies, Cameron Harper and Terell Thomas, and first Brunton Park outings since their summer return to Aaron Hayden and Wyke. Absent from the squad, though, was Taylor Charters.

Stockport, who also played against Blackburn on Friday evening, included ex-Blues loanee Jack Diamond in their XI, which was a mixture of first-teamers and trialists, with young prospects on the bench.

Things got under way in bright sunshine, all United’s fans on the west side of the ground, opposite which some of the East Stand changes were visible, namely the new executive box areas.

Adu-Adjei then got an immediate sight of goal after just 20 seconds, benefiting from Wyke’s pressing as Stockport wobbled at an aerial ball. The new signing spead through, but Ben Hinchliffe saved his low finish.

It would have been some start from the loanee. Carlisle began on the front foot generally, Cameron Harper alert down the left and testing Stockport with some well-aimed deliveries. On the other side, good link play between Harrison Neal, Adu-Adjei and Josh Vela was pleasing on the eye.

As was the next great opportunity handed to Adu-Adjei, this time when Harper drove onto a clearance, fired the ball low into the six-yard box and the new signing just needed to keep his first-time finish low…but instead got underneath it, sand-wedging it high over the bar, his head falling into his hands.

Adu-Adjei (partially hidden) puts Carlisle ahead (Image: Barbara Abbott)

At least he was in the right areas, and more would duly come. For Stockport, Louie Barry was a tricky danger down the left but they struggled to create chances of any sort, with Terell Thomas watchful in the middle of Carlisle’s defence.

United’s pressure on the ball in Stockport’s half seemed their best route, rather than gliding between the lines, while Davies looked sharp on the right.

But then – the latest injury concern, in a position which could really do without more, McGeouch going down and unable to continue, Barclay summoned from the bench into the sitting midfield position.

Carlisle remained the more threatening side when they moved into Stockport’s half. Davies and Neal almost unlocked the visitors with crosses, a fired delivery by the overlapping Jon Mellish examined Hinchliffe, and corners by Davies and Harper were of testing standard.

From one, the opener came, as Stockport battled to deal with a Davies cross but Carlisle kept it alive in the box – then Adu-Adjei sneaked behind the shoulders of the visiting defence, and finished smartly as Hinchliffe advanced. Good predatory work from the new signing – and this time the goal his awareness warranted.

A while later, Neal tested Hinchliffe with a curler, while Dave Challinor’s side struggled to apply chances to Barry’s ventures down the left. Callum Camps always looked to recycle things in midfield, but Diamond was so far peripheral in the No10 position, while Stockport were often slow in the face of United’s press, which generated more half-chances – Mellish almost on the end of a Harper corner, and Vela driving a shot against a defender.

By the interval supporters could certainly reflect on a more encouraging display, and hopefully Carlisle’s confidence would grow as a result. Instead, though, the Blues fell into the recent habit of conceding soon into the second half.

With Armstrong replacing Adu-Adjei at the break, United rode a brief injury concern to Vela, who was able to stay on, but couldn’t shut down a Stockport attack as the visitors won the ball in the Blues’ half, Diamond went against a backpedalling defence, and Wootton found space to finish ruthlessly past Lewis.

Parity for Stockport – but it was almost overturned within two minutes, as Mellish ran into space on the left and drove a shot across Hinchliffe but against the right-hand post. The County keeper denied Mellish moments later and United, at least, had worked their way back onto the front foot again, more crosses testing Hinchliffe and his colleagues.

Cameron Harper on the attack for Carlisle (Image: Barbara Abbott)

At the other end, Lewis had to be alert to deny Jayden Fevrier after he had wriggled into a good position near the byline, and after that the visitors made a couple of changes, while Simpson sent on Georgie Kelly for Wyke.

It was, in the event, the earlier striking sub who got Carlisle back on the horse, Armstrong showing good instincts to dispatch a far-post chance on 68 minutes after Stockport had buckled under a Barclay long throw – a welcome sight, certainly, for the striker poaching successfully this close to the new campaign.

Dan Butterworth replaced Vela for the last 15, with the visitors’ performance showing little intensity or quality for a period of the closing stages. Carlisle almost burgled a third, Butterworth robbing Rhys Watson in the Stockport box but defenders blocking Harper’s way to goal as he arrived to finish.

There were then two late scares, both supplied by Stockport sub Che Gardner, who first weaved in from the left and saw handball shouts dismissed, and who then arrived onto a pass from the right but failed to beat Lewis from a promising position.

Carlisle’s task here was to secure the confidence of victory, an interception preventing Gardner from teeing up Wootton three minutes from time, and United closing things down to the end, earning an enthusiastic send-off from supporters as they left the pitch: a better springboard for 2024/25, certainly, than had risked being the case a few days earlier.

United: Lewis, Thomas, Hayden, Mellish, Davies (Ellis 86), Harper, McGeouch (Barclay 17), Neal, Vela (Butterworth 76), Adu-Adjei (Armstrong 46), Wyke (Kelly 65). Not used: Breeze, Smith, Lavelle, Allan.

Goals: Adu-Adjei 25, Armstrong 68.

Stockport: Hinchliffe, Mingi (Trialist 53), Touray, Trialist (Mapengu 65), Trialist (Watson 65), Diamond, Camps (C Johnson 71), Fevrier, Bailey, Wootton, Barry (Gardner 71). Not use: Metcalfe, Lawless, H Johnson.

Goal: Wootton 50.

Ref: Simon Mather.

Crowd: 1,880 (120 Stockport fans).