Carlisle United 1-2 Nottingham Forest U21s: last-gasp loss in Trophy

A 93rd-minute strike by sub Archie Whitehall handed a Group C victory to the visitors minutes after teenage debutant sub Jake Allan had fired Carlisle level.

The late goal, in front of a 1,102 Brunton Park crowd, saw Carlisle's three caretakers - Steven Rudd, Mark Birch and Jamie Devitt - start on a losing note.

The academy coaching trio handed debuts to three young players - Sam Hetherington starting and both Allan and Freddie O'Donoghue coming off the bench.

Full debutant Dominic Sadi sparkled at times but Joe Gardner shot Forest U21s into a first-half lead and then, after Allan's 88th-minute levelled, Whitehall struck at the death.

United's caretaker regime made eight changes to the XI named by Simpson in his final game in charge.

Sub Jake Allan, 18, equalised on his debut (Image: Richard Parkes)

As well as Hetherington's debut there was a first start for Sadi, a first outing of the season for Gabe Breeze in goal, returns from injury for Cameron Harper - who also made his competitive debut - and Dylan McGeouch, and call-ups for Sam Lavelle, Jack Ellis and Luke Armstrong.

Anton Dudik was in the squad for the first time this campaign while those senior players not involved in the squad included Terell Thomas, Archie Davies, Jordan Jones, Aaron Hayden, Josh Vela and Ben Barclay.

Warren Joyce's Forest line-up included the former United loanee Fin Back as the clubs met for the second time in consecutive seasons in the Trophy.

United's caretaker trio received applause before the game from the small crowd in B and C Stands and the Paddock.

When things got under way, Carlisle were on the front foot immediately, Jack Ellis finding Luke Armstrong in the second minute with a good through-ball, keeper Aaron Bott denying the Blues frontman.

Sadi then saw an attempt blocked before Harper whipped a shot just wide of the top-left corner.

Sam Hetherington, 18, was in the XI for his first-team debut (Image: Richard Parkes)

United were on top against their young visitors, Bournemouth loanees Sadi and Adu-Adjei combining deftly for an attack through the middle, while a break from Forest's Gardner was eventually stopped in its tracks by the Blues defence.

At the other end Hetherington almost marked his debut with a goal when Adu-Adjei, fed by Jon Mellish's long pass, put him in, but the visitors got back to block as the 18-year-old checked onto his left foot.

Carlisle, operating with a back four - a move away from Simpson's preferred 3-5-2 - continued to have the better of things, Adu-Adjei firing a shot just wide and Harrison Neal denied by a block in the box.

A Forest U21 raid then caused concern as Gardner attacked a retreating defence, but Kyle McAdam was offside as his shot was eventually saved by Breeze.

Then, though, the visitors struck.

Ref James Westgate played an advantage after Mellish had fouled Jack Nadin on the Forest U21 right, and when the initial cross broke, Gardner arrived and saw a first-time shot deflect past Breeze.

A timely Ellis challenge denied the visitors another before Adu-Adjei failed to direct a shot past Bott from the edge of the Forest U21 box, and Sadi then saw a shot deflected wide as the visitors went in ahead at the break.

United's caretakers handed 17-year-old O'Donoghue his debut at the start of the second half, Ben Williams also coming on as Harper and McGeouch were replaced.

Dominic Sadi turned on the style but Carlisle were beaten (Image: Richard Parkes)

Some silky skill from Sadi got United on the front foot early in the half and, moments later, an Ellis cross broke for Armstrong who was denied a leveller by keeper Bott.

Sadi then headed over from a good position as the flag stayed down when several Blues players got behind the Forest U21 defensive line as Williams lofted in a cross.

The visitors then almost doubled their lead after outflanking United down the left, Gardner making headway before supplying James Sinclair, whose powerful finish brought a good save from Breeze.

Carlisle responded with Ellis doing well to feed Armstrong, whose shot from a tight angle was parried by Bott, the keeper again denying Armstrong moments later after a good Hetherington delivery.

An even better chance was then presented to Armstrong as Forest failed to play out from the back but the frontman, with a free shot, couldn't get it past Bott, and then Sadi curled a shot inches past the left-hand post as United maintained strong pressure.

Adu-Adjei, fed by Sadi, shot across goal and wide before United's caretakers replaced Hetherington with fellow teenager Aran Fitzpatrick, who duly set up Sadi for another chance the loanee put wide.

Allan was next to be introduced for his debut - and five minutes later the youngster fired Carlisle level, arriving from the right to retrieve a cross, stepping inside his man with composure and then finishing clinically.

The 18-year-old academy product's strike clearly delighted the three academy coaches in caretaker charge - but Carlisle were then caught in added time when Kyle McAdam got behind the Blues defence, squared it and Whitehall arrived to power a shot high past Breeze to win it for the visitors.

Caretakers Steven Rudd, Jamie Devitt and Mark Birch pictured before the game (Image: Richard Parkes)

The attendance, meanwhile, was Brunton Park's 13th lowest (non-Covid affected) crowd of all time.

United: Breeze, Ellis, Harper (Williams 46), Lavelle (Allan 83), Mellish, McGeouch (O’Donoghue 46), Neal, Sadi, Hetherington (Fitzpatrick 78), Adu-Adjei, Armstrong. Not used: Lewis, Wyke, Dudik.

Goal: Allan 88.

Booked: Neal.

Nottm Forest U21: Bott, Abbott, Back, Gardner (Thompson 69), Powell, Perkins, Perry (Newton 46), Hammond, Nadin, McAdam, Sinclair. Not used: Griffiths, Cahill, Whitehall, Brown, Modupe.

Goals: Gardner 31, Whitehall 90.

Booked: McAdam.

Ref: James Westgate.

Crowd: 1,102 (56 Nottm Forest U21 fans).