Carlisle United 1-1 Crewe Alexandra: Penalty denies Blues

The Blues led from the second minute after Sadi shot Mike Williamson's side in front.

But third-placed Crewe levelled in the 81st minute when sub Georgie Kelly was penalised for a challenge and Jack Lankester scored from the spot.

The point was enough to take United out of the League Two relegation zone as they went five games unbeaten in all competitions.

But there was frustration for the Cumbrians as they failed to see their early lead through to what would have been a highly welcome victory.

Jack Lankester levelled for Crewe from the spot (Image: Ben Holmes)

Sadi put them ahead very early on and United, with captain Sam Lavelle outstanding, held off Lee Bell's side to the break.

Things remained finely poised through an anxious second half and Crewe eventually got a way back when Lankester was upended by Kelly, before sending Gabe Breeze the wrong way from the spot.

Sam Lavelle and Cameron Harper were involved in the move that created the opener (Image: Ben Holmes)

Both sides enjoyed chances to win it with Carlisle moving up to 22nd on a day their closest rivals, Swindon Town and Morecambe, were not in league action.

The game also saw the return of fit-again winger Jordan Jones as a second-half sub, in front of a 5,839 crowd for the early kick-off at United's ground.

Williamson made one enforced change to the XI that started the 0-0 draw with Doncaster Rovers, as the suspended Jon Mellish was replaced by Ben Barclay, himself back from a ban.

Jones, returning from injury, was among the substitutes for the Cumbrians but Luke Armstrong was not in the squad.

Crewe's XI had two changes with Lankester and Lewis Billington coming in for the suspended Ryan Cooney and injured Omar Bogle.

And United made the perfect start, scoring inside the first two minutes after Kadeem Harris had been fouled on the left.

Cameron Harper's free-kick was cleared, but Lavelle held it up well and worked it back to Harper, whose well-aimed cross to the far post allowed Aaron Hayden to head down for Sadi, whose first-time shot spun past keeper Filip Marschall.

Carlisle maintained their positive start with more pressure seeing Harper have a shot blocked.

Crewe keeper Filip Marschall holds on under pressure from Dan Adu-Adjei (Image: Ben Holmes)

Crewe, though, then settled into a period of possession as they looked for gaps in the United defence and with runners over the top.

Lavelle had to make a strong tackle to prevent the Railwaymen getting through, before Bell's visitors picked up two bookings in the space of a minute, James Connolly for upending Harris and Billington for a foul on Ben Williams.

Gabe Breeze, in United's goal, had to be alert to snatch a Crewe ball which Shilow Tracey was chasing.

The keeper then dived to his right to parry a Lankester shot.

At other times United gave the ball away too cheaply in their own half, either from their play at the back or from their own throws.

Kadeem Harris is brought down (Image: Ben Holmes)

But they almost caught Crewe in similar fashion when Sadi tackled Mickey Demetriou in the visiting box, keeper Marshall seeing off the danger.

Breeze was then tackled by Tracey as Crewe pressed United, who survived the scare.

Lavelle was often in the right place to limit Crewe's attacking threat, the captain covering well behind Hayden as he tackled the raiding Tracey down the visiting left.

United struggled to create anything further as the half went on but their defensive appetite was clear, a couple of strong Callum Guy challenges further lifting the crowd as Lavelle once again intercepted Tracey.

Crewe threatened when Harper's poor pass was intercepted and he dragged down Tracey outside the box, but when a low free-kick made its way back out to Joel Tabiner, his shot was too straight to worry Breeze.

In first half added time Hayden was then in the right place to clear after Lankester turned Lavelle, Crewe having won possession back after a Carlisle drop-ball.

United struggled to retain the ball in the early stages of the second half whilst fans in the Warwick Road, spotting former Blues keeper Tomas Holy in the Main Stand, sang the former Blues keeper's name.

Breeze, after treatment, had to hold onto a dangerous low Crewe cross before the visitors made a triple change.

One of the subs, Adrien Thibaut, almost found a way through when linking with Tracey, but Lavelle timed his challenge superbly.

United, after Sadi was denied by a low Marschall save, then made a triple change of their own, Jones back into the fray along with Dylan McGeouch and Harrison Neal.

Georgie Kelly was then introduced, and soon after he was almost on the end of a Williams cross as Carlisle worked their way up the pitch impressively from their goal kick.

Jordan Jones, left, made his return as a second-half sub (Image: Ben Holmes)

And they almost fashioned a second when Sadi, now at wing-back, found space on the right but when Adu-Adjei looked to finish his low cross, Demetriou denied him with a strong block.

And Crewe then took that as their cue to level, as United struggled to clear their lines and Kelly was penalised for his challenge on Lankester as the visiting man moved to the left of the box.

Lankester duly sent Breeze the wrong way from the spot to make it 1-1.

Crewe then almost carved out a second in the 88nd minute but Tracey couldn't get enough contact on a cross from the right.

In ten added minutes, Carlisle pushed for a winner, an underhit Demetriou pass almost giving Kelly a chance but Marschall was out of his box to save Crewe.

Georgie Kelly can't reach a late cross (Image: Ben Holmes)

Later, a Jones cross eluded the sliding Kelly at the far post.

And a final set-piece in the dying seconds saw Barclay have a volley blocked as things ended level at Brunton Park.

United: Breeze, Hayden (Ellis 90), Lavelle, Barclay, Williams, Burey (McGeouch 68), Harper (Kelly 74), Guy (Neal 68), Sadi, Harris (Jones 68), Adu-Adjei. Not used: Lewis, Vela.

Goal: Sadi 2.

Booked: Harris, Jones, Kelly, Neal.

Crewe: Marschall, Williams, Demetriou, Sanders (Thibaut 63), Connolly (Knight-Lebel 63), Holicek (Breckin 90), Billington (Finney 63), Conway, Tabiner, Lankester (Lunt 84), Tracey. Not used: Booth, Powell.

Goal: Lankester 81pen.

Booked: Connolly, Billington.

Ref: Elliot Bell.

Crowd: 5,839 (394 Crewe fans).