Walsall 3-1 Carlisle United: Jon Colman's big match verdict

It’s as familiar and recurring as Mrs Brown’s Boys at Christmas and, if anything, even less funny. This defeat was the archetype of what we were told to fear, what was the risk, of trying to transition into a possession team when you do not have the attacking schemes or, it increasingly appears, the players to do anything with that possession or to prevent it from causing your own problems.

Can we be more like, I don't know, Walsall, please? You know, a side that penetrates, goes after opportunities with pace (if only), with sharp elbows, with devil, even if they don't have that much of the ball? Carlisle, after conceding an early goal (hello, old friend) were reasonable in the middle third. They kept it, played it, worked it, sometimes centrally, sometimes wide, and if the stadium manager had allowed it, they might still be there, doing exactly that.

Naturally, there was no threat, not really, unless you count a few crosses that didn’t find their man, a couple of shots from outside the box or a general lack of cohesion in the task of transferring the ball to the other lot’s net when things get serious.

Walsall duly scored twice more, as easy as pie, and Jon Mellish’s consolation goal was so far after the event it nearly got locked out. This is a supposed fresh start, an imagined evolution to a more modern style of play, but the evidence was painfully jarring for those in the BAT Fabrications Stand. “You’re not fit to wear the shirt,” many of the travelling 335 sang. A ninth defeat of the League Two season was delivered, the relegation zone continuing to wrap its arms around the Blues, its hold ever tighter, the fears ever greater.

Walsall, at the other end, keep on rising. This was never likely to be the most comfortable staging post in United’s season. All the same: don’t give this display the luxury of forgiveness. It offered virtually nothing to suggest any sort of climb is on. Who can say with any confidence that United, this United, will get out of this?

Aaron Hayden battles with Jamille Matt (Image: Richard Parkes)

On we go, then, to the next game, the next 90 minutes of desperate hope, the next episode of faith that Mike Williamson can find some of the right answers, instead of a different version of the wrong ones. It’s now seven without a win in all competitions. That right there is the culture at Carlisle, one that’s ingrained. It will be a miracle if this season is anything other than tortuous, or worse, until the very end. Some in the fanbase are already asking whether it's time to act on Williamson's rolling contract, after eight games. These are bleak, concerning times.

Williamson’s latest selection spin involved two changes; Aaron Hayden back out of the treatment room, and Josh Vela also recalled, with Taylor Charters and Dominic Sadi benched and Charlie Wyke absent from the squad through illness. It was another attempt to find a way, some solidity, in a side largely lacking those qualities lately. In contrast, an unchanged XI and bench for the Saddlers reflected their progress to date.

Anyway, to the second minute, and United cut into straight away. The Walsall press was hot, Carlisle’s handle on the ball was dismally cold, Harrison Neal's control from Sam Lavelle's pass was dire, Jamille Matt fed Nathan Lowe, and the young forward’s finish was low and true, in off the post.

The impressively vocal cluster of Blues fans had a painfully close view of that, and sang their way through the frustration. “How **** must you be, it's only 1-0," they asked of Walsall. By then there were five minutes gone, and we had already had the latest example of Carlisle doing a good job of proving they weren't up to the style requested.

Gallows humour is essential in United’s position. It was almost required again when, after a switch from left to right, Connor Barrett cut past Mellish, but the Walsall man finished weakly from a good position.

Josh Vela on the attack for Carlisle (Image: Richard Parkes)

Mellish was operating at left wing-back, with Cameron Harper on the right: another new idea, another unlikely shake of the pieces. Carlisle duly built some calmer spells of possession, spent some time in Walsall’s half, and to that extent it was not a bad response, yet it was also deceiving, for it lacked any of the incisiveness that Matt and Lowe had shown for the hosts.

From Carlisle’s spells with the ball, and Mellish’s energetic rumbles, sort-of-chances emerged. Hayden failed to meet a good Callum Guy free-kick with due conviction, Harrison Biggins flashed a cross the wrong side of Harper, then the latter laid the ball back to Guy, whose shot hit a red shirt and spun behind.

Territorially, it was fair, though United’s final ball was, at best, hopeful rather than convincing, and at worst...well, just bad. The hosts were reliant on the counter-attack or the ball over the top: one of which, from keeper Tommy Simkin, gave Lowe a sudden chance behind the Blues defence which he could not take.

Harper, moving in from the right, then rattled a shot past the near post and there was, again, the illusion of the possibility of something for Carlisle. Yet one also sensed Walsall were reasonably content with the balance of play, given their own particular strengths and muscle memory. The away fans kept singing, United kept playing, their possession percentage high but their ability to do something in the last third no closer to turning up.

As for their own third…well. You know how it is. Gentle Walsall pressure, another goal, this time early in the second half: Matt winning a header without enough objection, Jamie Jellis speeding in and shooting across Lewis. Watch and learn, Carlisle. Don’t just watch, as you did here.

United's owners, the Piataks, watch the latest Blues defeat (Image: Richard Parkes)

And from this point on, there was no hope at all. Walsall spied more blood in the water and scored a swift third, Carlisle repeatedly unable to clear a free-kick, the pinball reaching Matt and the Saddlers captain finally accepting the chance.

"You're not fit to wear the shirt," echoed again, with greater gusto. Williamson made a triple change but the general effect was like climbing Everest in socks instead of bare feet. United found a little late direction, Tyler Burey adding pace, the substitute winning a corner which Mellish, at close range, turned in. Carlisle had the ball again in the closing stages, passed it, played and…well, you know the rest. As familiar, as disturbingly relentless, as this season is becoming.