Carlisle United: 15 top last-minute goals from last 30 years

Here are 15 of the best/most dramatic from the last 30 years. Any favourites – and any we’ve missed?

1 JEFF THORPE V SCUNTHORPE

Not one but two late goals from Cockermouth’s finest on this barmy away day in September 1994. First the substitute curled home an equaliser. Then this leaping header made it 3-2 – and the deckchair army went ballistic.

2 MATT JANSEN V HULL CITY

Along the tense home straight of a promotion push in March 1997, as the Hull defence parted and a 19-year-old prospect guided it home with last-minute nerve for a 1-0 win. It was the supremely talented Jansen’s first goal for the Blues.

3 JIMMY GLASS V PLYMOUTH ARGYLE

Yeah, you might know this one. Shall we watch it for the millionth time? Yes.

4 SCOTT DOBIE V CHESTER CITY

Down to nine men, no shots on target, a grim relegation six-pointer – then, out of nowhere, a United break and a rocket from Workington’s Scott Dobie in added time. A 1-0 win and pandemonium in the away end in April 2000.

5 RICHIE FORAN V HALIFAX TOWN

A corner, a retrieval, a lofted return into the box, a control and stabbed finish from Foran, a 2-2 draw…and Roddy Collins’ Blues were safe a few games from the end of 2001/02.

6 KARL HAWLEY V MANSFIELD TOWN

On the back of another memorable last-minute goal – Michael Bridges against Notts County – came this dramatic moment at Field Mill, as United’s top scorer Hawley scored the scrappiest of his 26 that season to earn a 1-1 draw, but it was the most meaningful, as it sent Paul Simpson’s Blues to League One in April 2006.

7 SCOTT DOBIE V YEOVIL TOWN

Another entry for Dobie in this list, and one of those so-near moments. When the west Cumbrian drove the winner in this 2-1 springtime victory in 2008, it seemed John Ward’s Blues were Championship-bound. Alas not.

Scott Dobie (Image: Stuart Walker)

8 RICHARD OFFIONG V EXETER CITY

The list of Offiong goals for Carlisle starts and ends with this one in January 2010, but it was a highly dramatic effort indeed, the striker popping up in the right place to steer a last-gasp winner at Exeter City in a ding-dong 3-2 away contest.

Richard Offiong (Image: Matt Minshull)

9 FRANCOIS ZOKO V OLDHAM ATHLETIC

Three goals down? No sweat. This was a classic comeback from Greg Abbott’s Blues in October 2011, as they swept back at Paul Dickov’s Latics – and the goal to make it 3-3 was classic Zoko, a backheeled flourish to bring the house down.

Zoko to the rescue... (Image: Stuart Walker)

10 LEE MILLER V HUDDERSFIELD TOWN

Come for the pass – a silky, airborne masterpiece by Danny Livesey – and stay for the backpedalling header by Miller which flummoxed Terriers keeper Alex Smithies and sent delirious fans tumbling down the Warwick Road End in March 2012.

11 CHARLIE WYKE V EXETER CITY

Exeter played Keith Curle’s United off the park for long spells. But they reckoned without the predatory work of Wyke who, in his best Blues spell, somehow found space deep into added time to snatch a 3-2 win in the autumn of 2016.

12 JOHN O’SULLIVAN V EXETER CITY

All that joy, then all that pain. Carlisle, in 2017’s play-off semi-final second leg, came back from the dead and, after Jason Kennedy scored from a few inches to make the deficit one, along came O’Sullivan to head home a Nicky Adams cross and make it 2-2. Mad celebrations, extra-time looming…only for Jack Stacey then to burst the bubble.

13 DANNY GRAINGER V NEWPORT COUNTY

You can take your pick of a couple of Grainger goals, such as a right-footed missile that earned an injury-time draw with Portsmouth. Yet this one in 2018 was even sweeter: the bouncing ball, Grainger running the angles through his head, and then putting that left peg to perfect use with a rising, top-corner arrow to win it 3-2. Glorious.

14 MORGAN FEENEY V OLDHAM ATHLETIC

The Simmo revival of 2022 featured a few memorable late strikes, a couple of which were provided by Tobi Sho-Silva, not to mention Jordan Gibson’s late penalty winner against Northampton. Feeney’s header at Oldham, though, symbolised Carlisle’s recovery better than anything: a defiant leap to head home Callum Guy’s free-kick, earning a 2-1 win in the back yard of a relegation rival. Lovely.

15 RYAN EDMONDSON V SWINDON TOWN

Sometimes you don't have to move very far at all. In the dying moments at the County Ground, Edmondson – just back from injury – eased himself to the back post and nodded Owen Moxon’s corner clean into the net. Cue more barmy scenes.