Carlisle United 0-1 Cheltenham Town: Lewis error sees Blues slump

The Blues keeper failed to prevent the ball spinning in off the post after his initial save from Ethon Archer's shot in the 17th minute.

It was followed by another performance full of Carlisle's familiar shortcomings as they went seven without a win in League Two.

Supporters booed at the end of another exasperating spectacle which increases the pressure on new boss Mike Williamson and his team, who remain second bottom.

And the day was compounded by a serious-looking injury to Charlie Wyke, who was stretchered off on the hour mark having come off the bench at half-time and taken to hospital for a scan to his injured ankle.

Charlie Wyke was stretchered off with a serious-looking ankle injury (Image: Ben Holmes)

Carlisle's woes show no sign of easing and this performance, in front of a 6,064 crowd, did little to offer any hope of the Blues getting out of serious relegation trouble.

Cheltenham could have added more goals before half-time while Harrison Biggins missed a good chance to equalise after the break.

United applied late pressure but could not avoid suffering a tenth defeat in 14 league games as their miserable 2024/25 goes on.

Williamson made four changes to the XI that started Tuesday's 3-1 defeat at Walsall.

Ethan Robson was handed his first start in midfield, and there were recalls for Ben Barclay, Taylor Charters and Dominic Sadi.

They took the places of Harrison Neal, Josh Vela, Aaron Hayden and Jon Mellish.

Sam Lavelle was passed fit to play despite breaking his nose on Tuesday, while Wyke was back on the bench after illness.

Cheltenham made one change to their side, defender Sam Stubbs returning in place of Joel Colwill.

The visitors threatened in the first minute through Archer, whose cross was dealt with by the Blues, before a long Lewis kick gave Cameron Harper - back on the left today - the chance to attack.

Terell Thomas competes for a corner (Image: Ben Holmes)

That opportunity faded, but Carlisle appeared to have started with good pace, Sadi going close when cutting in from the right and firing just wide from 20 yards.

Cheltenham responded as George Miller almost set up Jordan Thomas - and then United conceded in miserable fashion.

The first Archer chance had been defended but then the left-sided attacker cut in again and shot low. Lewis parried it but the ball spun up and the keeper failed to grasp it as it went in off the post.

• Carlisle United v Cheltenham Town - as it happened

It was the latest grim spectacle in terms of Carlisle conceding this season and the spell that followed saw the Blues totally devoid of confidence as the crowd's anxiety grew.

After Luke Armstrong failed to reach a ball forward, Cheltenham looked to increase Carlisle's worried, Jordan Thomas and Luke Young testing United with shots and an unconvincing Lewis punch followed by the Robins hitting the outside of the post.

United, other than when they fed Sadi on the right, struggled to put any meaningful attacks together, though Callum Guy, picking up a cleared Biggins cross, bobbled a shot narrowly wide in the 33rd minute.

Cheltenham then blew a great chance of a second, as Lewis intercepted Miller's header from Harrison Sohna's cross, but the ball dropped to Stubbs - yet the defender slashed it over the bar with the goal gaping.

Lewis then saved a Thomas shot with his feet after Archer had sped away from Barclay, but the half-time whistle brought boos from plenty of home fans at the worrying nature of Carlisle's display.

Williamson sent on Wyke for Charters at the break but Carlisle almost conceded five minutes into the second half, Jordan Thomas unable to keep his shot down after Lewis had parried Lewis Payne's shot.

The second half was then marred by what looked a serious injury to Wyke as he was fouled from behind by Young.

Physios and medical teams were quickly on and, after several minutes of treatment, the Blues substitute was stretchered off.

Williamson used that moment to make a triple change, with Tyler Burey, Mellish and Neal all coming on, Barclay and Robson also replaced.

Carlisle survived another scare when Thomas' pass inside to Mellish was cut out, before the Blues were aggrieved when Young, already booked, tripped Guy but ref Scott Jackson declined to show a second yellow card.

Cameron Harper on the attack for Carlisle (Image: Ben Holmes)

The Blues then missed their best chance so far to get back into things, when Harper got down the left and his low cross looked perfect for the sliding Biggins, but the midfielder cleared the bar from close range.

Carlisle were then aggrieved at referee Jackson as he failed to spot an aerial foul on Guy, and the exchange of opinions on the touchline saw bookings for Blues coach Ian Watson and Cheltenham No2 Ashley Vincent.

United applied more pressure as the game moved into the last ten minutes, Biggins' finish from a Burey cross blocked, then Burey firing another delivery from the right which was just out of the reach of Harper and Armstrong in the middle.

The Blues and their fans had further frustrations with referee Jackson, but their search for a goal remained elusive, Armstrong failing to benefit from a ricochet when pressing in the Cheltenham box late on.

Bowman came on in added time against his home-city club as Cheltenham held off late United pressure, the Cumbrians now four points adrift in the fourth-tier drop zone, some fans showing their anger to Williamson as the players and coaches headed for the tunnel after the game.

United: Lewis, Barclay (Mellish 60), T Thomas, Lavelle, Harper, Sadi, Guy (Vela 90), Robson (Neal 60), Charters (Wyke 46, Burey 60)), Biggins, Armstrong. Not used: Breeze, Hayden.

Booked: Robson, Neal, Mellish, Sadi, Watson (coach).

Cheltenham: Day, Young, Bennett, Stubbs, Payne, Sohna (Bakare 85), Young (Pett 72), Bradbury, Archer, Miller (Bowman 89), J Thomas (Colwill 89). Not used: Taylor, Norkett, Dulson.

Goal: Archer 17.

Booked: Stubbs, Young, Payne, Vincent (coach).

Ref: Scott Jackson:

Crowd: 6,064 (134 Cheltenham fans).