Carlisle United 0 Wigan Athletic 2 (AET): And the cold truth is: repeat this at Salford, or it counts for nothing. Either produce the same defiance, the same match-long will, the same bodies-on-the-line unity when league points are at stake, or this rather surreal afternoon of FA Cup spirit will vanish from the memory as soon as it appeared there.
Sorry to jump forward so quickly. But all that matters now, as United’s players drag their jaded limbs around the house for the rest of the weekend, is that they can do it again when it truly matters. Not that it didn’t matter here but…well, you know.
There can be no concealing of this again, now it has been out in the open – Carlisle playing with this much character when events are set against them, this much discipline and patience and tank-emptying effort, this much skill in certain spells too.
Expectation will be higher when United trot out again. There might not be quite so many circumstances to rage against. Then again: the risk of relegation ought to be enough. In which case, the fire shown at Brunton Park against Wigan must be the start, must be repeatable, not a single-episode show.
Perhaps, all in all, this is how Carlisle must learn to see themselves, at least in the short-term: underdogs, warriors against the prevailing odds, rather than own-the-north strivers who imagine they should be higher. If this is what can take shape when they are up against it, then that needs to be the psychological position in League Two from here.
For it was there impressively at Brunton Park, even in defeat. United laid it on the line against Wigan and, for once, could come off the pitch without a hundred pointed criticisms stabbing into them. Carlisle’s ground, its home support, was at its most invigorated all season, too. One can only hope this was a day when things reunited in a positive and lasting way.
Let us see. There is still great distance to travel, many things to add to this team. If one is being critical of this largely impressive effort it is that United did not score when well placed. Partly that was their own doing, partly it was down to terrific goalkeeping by Sam Tickle.
Otherwise, though, many more ticks than crosses on this cool, autumnal FA Cup first round day. Carlisle were in Wigan’s faces to begin with and might have scored inside two minutes. After Ethan Robson’s 14th-minute red card – Mike Williamson says an appeal is likely – it turned into a ten-man display of resilience and welcome zeal.
One or two individual points to make, too. Chiefly: if Gabe Breeze does not start in goal at Salford, the explanation will be interesting. The young Cumbrian was outstanding here and a couple of moments in the melee stood out: first, an athletic save from Scott Smith and then, just as impressively in its own way, a commanding claim at the corner that followed.
Just play him, Mike, however highly you think of Harry Lewis. If this was not an application for a run in the side with the worst conceding record in the land, what is? Terell Thomas, too, gave his most polished performance in a Carlisle shirt and there were good hints at the zip Tyler Burey could provide once he’s closer to peak levels.
It was a compelling cup tie throughout, a tale of many chapters that you raced through. First, Dan Adu-Adjei, back from injury, tested Tickle very early on. Wigan’s possession game would soon develop but not before Robson, pursuing a 50-50 ball, slid in with Steven Sessegnon, his challenge enough to see the red card springing from Martin Woods’ top pocket.
Brunton Park foamed with a sense of injustice. This feeling set the tone for the defiance that came next. Sessegnon was booed to the heavens for the rest of the first half and while Wigan had more of the ball, Carlisle’s depleted side forced the better chances: Taylor Charters breaking the defensive line to cross for Adu-Adjei (header saved), Wigan hacking an Aaron Hayden effort off the line.
Shaun Maloney, the visiting boss, was all frustrated gestures and headshakes. Thelo Aasgaard’s footwork offered angles for Wigan but they produced nothing as credible as United’s next chance, when Burey burned down the right and his cross so nearly fell for Charters and Jon Mellish.
Maloney made three changes, sparing Sessegnon more grief, taking that aspect of sting from the remainder. The League One side duly stretched the game better and the second half developed into a backs-to-wall story for Carlisle, once Mellish had headed a Dominic Sadi corner wide.
Wigan, having been sterile, applied more focus to their game around the box and in wide areas. Calvin Ramsey, arriving from the right, drew a splendid save from Breeze and United’s runners started to tire, Burey cramping up, Adu-Adjei also withdrawn on the hour.
Carlisle, without quite the same dynamism from there, now had to accentuate their defensive lines and concentration above all else. Aasgaard failed with two headed chances, while Silko Thomas and Jonny Smith on left and right grew in threat. Dale Taylor hit the post, Breeze saved from Scott Smith, Silko Thomas failed to force in a close-range chance, namesake Terell looked a class act with his aerial defending and decisions on the ball.
More Wigan chances passed, more scrapes; extra-time, an achievement in itself for Carlisle. Yet 30 minutes of the same resilience was going to be a big ask without an outlet. United counter-attacks were now rare and eventually Wigan found the chance that counted, Silko Thomas crossing, Scott Smith finishing.
And then, the last dramatic chapter: Carlisle testing Wigan’s stomach anew but finding Tickle immovable. The keeper's save from Sadi’s goalbound half-volley was high-class and then, after Sam Lavelle flirted with a red card when holding Joe Hugill – ref Woods deemed the challenging fair – Luke Armstrong got his head on a cross, and Tickle’s reflexes were stunning again.
The denouement then came when Breeze vacated his net for a 120th-minute Carlisle corner, Wigan cleared it and Jonny Smith went up the pitch to score. Yet the noise went up almost immediately: loud, defiant and Cumbrian once more. The critical task facing the players now: relocate that sound, again and again.
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