Carlisle United 2-3 Grimsby Town: Blues lose late on

Harvey Rodgers' 90th-minute header cost the Blues, who had led 2-1 heading into the last ten minutes.

Carlisle were ahead at the break, goals from Sam Lavelle and Dominic Sadi coming either side of Luca Barrington's leveller.

United impressed in the first 45 minutes but struggled to stay in control in the second half and were punished when Lewis Cass levelled and then Rodgers won it.

The defeat, in front of 7,510 fans, kept Carlisle third bottom of League Two on a day which long looked to be heading towards a more positive outcome.

In the end it is a sixth defeat from eight with United still at the wrong end of the table, unable to build on the previous weekend's win at Swindon Town.

Mike Williamson before the game (Image: Ben Holmes)

Williamson, who received a warm reception from home fans at his first Brunton Park game, made two changes to the XI for his first Brunton Park game at the helm.

Josh Vela and Sadi came back into the side, with Jon Mellish dropped to the bench and Dylan McGeouch out of the squad.

Fit-again Terell Thomas was back among the substitutes.

Grimsby's side featured three changes, Barrington, Doug Tharme and Donovan Wilson coming in for the suspended Kieran Green, the injured Charles Vernam, and Jason Dadi Svanthorsson, who dropped to the bench.

Both sides were seeking consecutive league wins for the first time since March 2023, and Carlisle were quickly on the attack, and thought they should have had a second-minute penalty when Charlie Wyke went down in the box.

Ref Sebastian Stockbridge, though, waved Carlisle's appeals away.

United, with Jordan Jones an attacking left wing-back and Cameron Harper moving inside as part of the defensive unit, had Wyke, Sadi and Luke Armstrong as an attacking trio, and the Cumbrians remained on the front foot.

At the other end Harry Lewis dealt with a Denver Hume cross after a Ben Barclay error, but Carlisle got back on the attack and, after a Sadi cross forced a corner, United opened the scoring.

Sam Lavelle celebrates the opener (Image: Ben Holmes)

Harper's delivery from the right was flighted to the near post and Lavelle's run was excellent - as was his finish, as he headed home.

Grimsby keeper Jake Eastwood was badly hurt in the process and, after several minutes of treatment, had to be stretchered off, applause ringing around Brunton Park for the stricken gloveman as substitute Seb Auton came on.

Wyke bobbled a shot at the replacement keeper from a Lavelle pass and Sadi was then denied after a bright Carlisle attack.

Grimsby then hit back against the run of play when United were caught out by a long, low pass through the middle, Barrington running through to finish across Lewis.

Dominic Sadi puts United 2-1 up (Image: Ben Holmes)

But Carlisle's response was immediate and Bournemouth loanee Sadi duly arrived from the left to score his first league goal from close range as Archie Davies flighted an excellent cross from the right.

In response, Hume sent in a dangerous Grimsby cross which his team-mates were inches away from reaching, before Lavelle timed a tackle well to thwart Wilson.

Then, late in the half, Carlisle forced three chances for Sadi through some hungry attacking play, the loanee first shooting high and wide, then twice denied by Auton after quick United breaks.

The Cumbrians were well worth their interval lead, and Grimsby responded with another change at the break, Cass replacing Tyrell Warren.

The visitors had a big chance to level on 50 minutes when Wilson went clean through, assistant referee Emmanuel Edet's flag staying down despite the Mariners man appearing offside - but, as he reached the box, Lewis saved well at his feet.

Grimsby keeper Jake Eastwood had to be stretchered off after Carlisle's opening goal (Image: Ben Holmes)

Carlisle then survived a Grimsby free-kick but things were more scrappy as the game reached the hour mark, United receiving a trio of bookings to Vela, Sadi and Barclay as ref Seb Stockbridge's decisions came in for home criticism.

Lewis was alert to save a Wilson shot while Wyke's miscontrol on the edge of the Grimsby box saw a Blues opportunity fade, Jones then hitting the wall with a free-kick as Carlisle looked for a killer third.

It would not come and Grimsby came further into things - and after Lewis saved well from sub Cameron Gardner, the visitors levelled, getting a cross in from the left following a corner, and Cass rising highest to head in off the post.

Lewis Cass gets in front of Cameron Harper to make it 2-2 (Image: Ben Holmes)

The Mariners went close again moments later and Williamson, in the 87th minute, made his first changes, Mellish and Thomas on for Biggins and Sadi.

But Carlisle were then hit again as, after Gardner forced a corner, the Mariners found space from a short corner to cross from the left, and defender Rodgers got up to head past Lewis.

United could not find a way back and it was a deflating finish to Williamson's Brunton Park bow.

United: Lewis, Davies, Harper, Lavelle, Barclay, Vela, Biggins (Mellish 87), Jones, Sadi (Thomas 87), Armstrong, Wyke. Not used: Breeze, Neal, Ellis, Dudik, O’Donoghue.

Goals: Lavelle 12, Sadi 27.

Booked: Vela, Sadi, Barclay.

Grimsby: Eastwood (Auton 16), Warren (Cass 46), Hume, Rodgers, McJannet, Tharme (Gardner 79), Barrington (Ainley 68), McEachran, Khouri, Wilson (Svanthorsson 79), Rose. Not used: Carson, Pyke.

Goals: Barrington 24, Cass 81, Rodgers 90.

Ref: Sebastian Stockbridge.

Crowd: 7,510 (445 Grimsby fans).