What we learned from Carlisle United's win at Salford City

1 AWAY-DAY DÉJÀ VU

Carlisle United haven’t won away from home very often in recent times, or even at all, really, but when victories on the road have come along they’ve looked remarkably similar.

Indeed, their last three away wins have had some of the exact same features: namely coming thanks to a goal from a defender, from a set-piece, against a home side playing in red and white and with a clean sheet tacked on.

April 9: Cheltenham Town 0 Carlisle United 1, the winning goal scored by Sam Lavelle following a corner.

A (relatively) familiar sight from a Carlisle away win... (Image: Richard Parkes)

September 21: Swindon Town 0 Carlisle United 2, the first goal scored by Sam Lavelle from a corner.

And now November 9: Salford City 0 Carlisle United 1, the winner scored by Ben Barclay from a corner.

Too many lesser days have, of course, interspersed those results, yet each win has carried a similar identity, and that is less about style of play, patterns and so forth as the more obvious qualities of resolve, an ability to ride the tough and better parts of a game, and offering a certain threat from dead-ball situations too.

Barclay’s goal on Saturday was the Blues’ fifth set-piece goal of the campaign and, in the defender’s case, his third for United. His other two also counted for plenty: a backheeled winner against Barrow in 2023’s promotion push, and a certain play-off semi-final winner against Bradford City a few weeks later.

Defenders, if you include wing-backs and wherever Jon Mellish may have been playing at the time, have accounted for six of United’s 13 league goals so far this term, with strikers contributing five and midfielders two.

Plenty of scope for those in the latter categories to offer more. But it's certainly good to see United showing an ability to win a game in the manner they did, once again.

2 SUPER SUBS

Here’s an interesting and not initially easy United trivia question.

Who, before Ben Barclay, was the last Blues player to come off the bench and score a winner?

It’s been a while – 20 months in fact. Not since Ryan Edmondson came on at Swindon Town to head the winning goal in March 2023 had a United sub managed to claim the decisive moment in a game.

Carlisle's subs made a positive impact on Saturday (Image: Richard Parkes)

It doesn’t happen as often as you’d think, or think it should, bearing in mind the time before that was October 2022, and Omari Patrick’s two-goal cameo against Hartlepool United.

Saturday, at least, brought genuine game-changing contributions from the bench, and not just in terms of Barclay.

Other substitutes had a positive impact and this was a classic case of United utilising their squad in order to go the distance: the way Paul Simpson used to talk about ‘starters’ and ‘finishers’.

Harrison Biggins had a particularly good effect on Carlisle’s play, the loanee refreshing midfield as he came on for Callum Guy. He almost picked up one assist with a searching cross that Aaron Hayden headed into the side-netting – then did get one with the whipped corner which Barclay converted.

Kadeem Harris, the new signing, also showed some pleasing zip as well as versatility in his cameo.

The 31-year-old displayed some good positional wiles as well as sharpness on the ball, operating predominantly in the inside-left area but also showing the awareness to drift to the right to create an overload in the build-up to that crucial late corner.

As well as those who went the full distance to get the points, those who came on to change things up certainly earned their win bonus.

3 SOLID BASE

If you consider Carlisle United’s FA Cup tie against Wigan Athletic as a clean sheet – which it certainly was by the end of normal time – then they’ve also done something seen all too rarely in recent months.

It’s now two shut-outs back-to-back. Which may not sound exceptional – but, where Carlisle are concerned, is certainly a step forward.

The previous time they enjoyed a run of clean sheets lasting more than one game it was the spring of 2023, when Simpson’s promotion-chasers kept the back door locked against Tranmere Rovers, Walsall and Northampton Town.

Sam Lavelle led United's defensive defiance (Image: Richard Parkes)

United’s basic defensive stats against Salford were sound. Between them, the starting central defensive trio of Terell Thomas, Sam Lavelle and Aaron Hayden made 24 clearances, Barclay also providing a well-timed one shortly after his goal.

Lavelle, who was particularly outstanding, led the way with six aerial wins, and this sort of contribution was important in a game which, certainly in the opening periods, was marked by Salford’s willingness to get the ball wide, frequently to Luke Garbutt, and aim crosses into the middle.

This was more palatable fayre for United's rearguard than Salford’s occasionally more fluid football, but Carlisle did enough to see that off too, Gabe Breeze stepping up well with saves on his first league appearance since January.

Another example of the familiarity of Carlisle’s wins this season, meanwhile, came in the wider stats. For all the long-term intention to make United a progressive possession team, all three of their league victories in 2024/25 have come when they’ve had less of the ball than their opposition (it was 55 per cent versus 45 on Saturday).

These are the circumstances in which a struggling team often has to be comfortable, like it or not, and credit that United, ultimately, were here.

4 WHO CAN BE CAUGHT?

For the first time in a little while, the Blues can turn their attention to the League Two table with the idea of hauling back and overtaking rivals, should they prove able to build on Saturday’s win.

With this in mind it is worth looking at not just the strugglers directly in front of them, but who else may be showing the signs of drifting into a dangerous position.

The form table, based on the last six games, sees Newport County at the bottom, with one win, one draw and four defeats in that period.

Who could be in United's sights if they can build on their efforts at Salford? (Image: Richard Parkes)

Nelson Jardim’s side are 15th, and eight points above Carlisle, but with recent trajectory that implies a further slide is on the cards.

Should United at the very least stay in contact over the next few weeks, their trip to Rodney Parade on December 7 could be a meaningful one in the present struggle.

Gillingham’s form is the joint worst, though they are in eighth and not on United’s radar right now.

Yet fourth-bottom Colchester United very much are: the only side in the fourth tier not to win any of their last six games, an injury-time goal needed to rescue a point at Barrow on Saturday. The U’s are two points above Carlisle and not in the kind of current form that hints at a resurgence.

Swindon Town have the same six-game record as Carlisle – one win, two draws and three defeats – and are the side most immediately at risk of being bypassed by Carlisle and/or bottom side Morecambe (who also won on Saturday). The Robins are a point above the Blues, two above the Shrimps, and next go to an Accrington Stanley side third in the form table after four wins, a draw and a defeat from their most recent six.

It's rarely wise to expect anything other than volatility in League Two, and Carlisle, firstly, must do another solid job at Bromley next for the above to remain in clear sight. At least, after Saturday, we can dare to contemplate it.