Carlisle United 0-2 Notts County. Blues punished again

Alassana Jatta and Scott Robertson capitalised on poor defending to put the Magpies in command by the break.

Mike Williamson's side applied better pressure in the second half, Cameron Harper hitting the crossbar amid a persistent spell from the Blues.

But it was not enough to prevent them falling to a seventh defeat in nine as they remain third bottom of League Two.

Williamson made two changes to his XI from the defeat to Grimsby Town - dropping Charlie Wyke in the process.

The striker and captain began on the bench with Ben Barclay also among the substitutes, Terell Thomas and Jon Mellish both coming back into the United side.

Jack Robinson was back among the subs, while visitors Notts made four changes, with Kellan Gordon, Robertson, Lewis Macari and Jatta taking the places of Robbie Cundy, Conor Grant, Nick Tsaroulla and David McGoldrick.

Cameron Harper goes close early on (Image: Ben Holmes)

Carlisle's new coaches - goalkeeping coach Tom Weal and head of performance Toby Frost - were at Brunton Park for their first game, hours after their appointments were confirmed.

On the pitch, United - with Mellish back in a central defensive three - were given a scare in the opening seconds when Sam Austin broke into space down the left, but his cross was too far in front of Jatta.

Carlisle then broke from a Notts corner, Archie Davies leading the counter and the overlapping Cameron Harper seeing his shot blocked.

Jordan Jones examined the visitors with a couple of crosses but then Carlisle conceded in depressing fashion.

They were completely caught out by a long goal kick from home keeper Bass, Thomas failing to prevent the ball bouncing beyond Carlisle's back line and Jatta alert to it as he ran through, beat Harry Lewis to the ball and clipped it home.

Carlisle almost levelled three minutes later but Dominic Sadi's low show was saved by Bass, and then Harper's free-kick was held by the visiting No1.

United's attacking was eager but their defensive work was sometimes hesitant, while their attempts to play out from the back increasingly stressful.

Austin almost created something from the County right, while Dan Crowley was often dictating things in the middle for the visitors.

Carlisle re-emerged with a Jones cross which Luke Armstrong glanced wide - but then they conceded again, when a deep Notts cross was turned back from the byline and Robertson found space to rifle it home.

United players react after conceding (Image: Ben Holmes)

Home fans grew increasingly frustrated with United's flawed passing game and Jatta almost punished the Blues again when they crumbled in their own half a further time.

Early into the second half Notts came on the attack again and Jatta, unmarked, sent an overhead kick wide.

The Gambian frontman then shot over the bar when played into space on the edge of the box.

Carlisle applied some pressure before the hour mark with Harrison Biggins close from 25 yards, Cameron Harper denied at close range and Jones curling a shot into Bass's midriff.

Williamson then sent on Wyke and Harrison Neal for Armstrong and Josh Vela as United continued their search for a way back, Notts responding with two changes as Nick Tsaroulla and Jevani Brown came on.

United had optimistic penalty appeals turned down when Wyke's header struck a County defender, as they put on more persistent pressure, Wyke then heading a Harper cross wide and Neal close following a short corner.

Carlisle then should have pulled one back when Neal won it on the edge of the Notts box, received it back from Wyke, but saw his shot blocked, Jones then arriving to finish but also denied at close range.

Jordan Jones sends over a cross (Image: Ben Holmes)

Home fans applauded off the superb  Crowley when he was substituted, and Harper then came closest for United when he volleyed a Jones cross against the bar.

Carlisle forced a series of corners, Biggins having a shot blocked on the line in the dying seconds as United's latest defeat was sealed.

United: Lewis, Davies, Harper, Thomas, Lavelle, Mellish, Vela (Neal 64), Biggins, Jones, Sadi, Armstrong (Wyke 64). Not used: Breeze, Neal, Ellis, Robinson, Barclay, O’Donoghue.

Booked: Vela.

Notts County: Bass, Gordon, Platt, Abbott, Macari, Bedeau, Crowley (Scott 83), Austin, Palmer, Robertson (Tsaroulla 68), Jatta (Brown 68). Not used: Slocombe, Hinchy, Brown, Martin, Cundy.

Goals: Jatta 10, Robertson 35.

Booked: Saunders (asst mgr), Platt, Abbott, Bedeau

Ref: Zac Kennard-Kettle.

Crowd: 5,594 (407 Notts County fans).