What we learned from Carlisle United's draw with Crewe

1 FOUNDATION STONES

Considering Carlisle started the day in the relegation zone and ended the afternoon out of it, let’s lean to the more positive stuff initially.

(And yes, I know, they were partly helped by the two sides closest to them, Morecambe and Swindon Town, not being in league action).

The fact is that United are in much more competitive shape as a broad idea right now, and the simple statistics bear this out considering Carlisle are now unbeaten in five games in all competitions, and haven’t lost a 90-minute game since that desolate afternoon against Cheltenham Town in late October.

United largely kept Crewe at bay and are now five unbeaten (Image: Ben Holmes)

This is quite clearly United’s best unbeaten run for a while – a low bar in some respects considering their best such sequence for all of last season was two games.

The current stretch, in this regard, is the longest since Paul Simpson’s promotion-chasers went six unbeaten from February to March 2023.

A win or a draw at Newport County would, then, equal that, and other recent runs such as the six unbeaten under Chris Beech in 2020/21.

Five unbeaten, meanwhile, is a mark United failed to reach in the whole of 2021/22, meanwhile, likewise the 2014/15 campaign.

Come away unscathed against Newport and Chesterfield Town to make it seven unbeaten, and it’ll be the best spell of this sort for more than six years: Keith Curle’s side went eight unbeaten in February-March 2018.

It might not be everything, and United are not yet winning enough to give us emphatic confidence of their survival, but the numbers are at least suggesting a better foundation is now there.

2 DRAW SPECIALISTS

It’s now three draws on the spin for Mike Williamson’s side, each of a different nature.

There was the comeback salvation at Bromley, the goalless skirmish against Doncaster Rovers and the loss of a lead to Crewe Alexandra.

Alas, Saturday’s game was the first time United have been pegged back from a leading position since September 28’s 3-2 home defeat to Grimsby Town.

Evenly-matched: United and Crewe (Image: Ben Holmes)

In terms of draws, it’s three in a row in the league for the first time since April 2023, when Simpson’s side were held by Walsall, Northampton Town and Stockport County.

It has inched Carlisle up the table in small increments, keeping them in the mix with fellow strugglers in a similar way to, say Bromley, given the division’s 20th-placed side have drawn their last four games.

Other sides have found a broadly more competitive basis in recent weeks too, such as Colchester United, whose 0-0 draw at Fleetwood Town was a fourth league game unbeaten; three of them draws, six points from their last 12, the same as Carlisle.

Accrington Stanley, in 19th, are on a similar run and hence those sides have remained just out of reach to Carlisle in their current draw habit.

Stemming the defeats was a glaringly obvious first task as United tried to get out of their October funk.

Now it must be about winning too. Three victories from 18 games is a record yearning for some work, and one win from eight at home – Williamson is still waiting for his first – cannot be a shortcoming that goes on much longer.

They still have the worst goal difference in the division (-15), the worst defensive record (30 conceded from 18 games) and the joint most defeats (ten), though those figures have moved closer to others over the last month or so.

They’ve also played more games than everyone else in the table, though that will change on Tuesday night. All of this points to United being more competitive, and certainly in the contest again, but in plain need of that extra step.

3 FIVE ALIVE

If you like your defending resolute, at times last-ditch and predominantly about timing and determination, you could find plenty to enjoy at both ends of the pitch on Saturday.

Both sides’ number 5s, both sides’ captains, gave strong performances and it’s fair to say neither particularly deserved to be on the losing side.

Sam Lavelle, for Carlisle, was as clear a man of the match as you could wish to see. Continuing his strong recent form, the 28-year-old has risen in stature over the last few weeks.

Sam Lavelle and opposite number Mickey Demetriou had outstanding defensive games (Image: Ben Holmes)

Considering Lavelle was not even in the side at the start of the campaign, and with last season’s struggles well known, his revival of late does him great credit.

Against Crewe he led United’s rearguard in a difficult contest. His 14 clearances were the most by any player, he made more interceptions (three) than anyone else, was the game’s top-tackling defender, and don’t also forget that piece of strong hold-up play which set the foundation for Carlisle’s opening goal.

Lavelle also passed the eye test in his awareness of danger, covering behind other defenders and timing his challenges impeccably.

At Crewe’s end, Mickey Demetriou also put all his experience into those occasions in the game when Carlisle threatened to pull clear of the Railwaymen.

This was most notable in the second-half chance for Daniel Adu-Adjei which met the stout sliding frame of Crewe’s skipper. A couple of minutes later and the visitors were level.

Demetriou was also in double figures for clearances (ten) and won more than double the aerial challenges (nine) of the game’s next best in this department.

The 34-year-old has been a regular opponent to the Blues over the years in a highly durable lower-league career. Broadly speaking he defended higher up the pitch than Lavelle – a consequence, over the piece, of United being deeper in protection of their early goal – but when required, Demetriou was good in the trenches.

On the basis of two outstanding number 5s, a fair result.

4 QUESTION OF BALANCE

If United did not play with quite the same flow as a couple of their recent games, a few possible reasons.

For one, they lacked the natural left-sided balance that Jon Mellish gives to their defence.

Ben Barclay will always be a willing option yet left of the back three is clearly not his most comfortable berth.

This was reflected in some misdirected passes infield when a leftie like Mellish might have been more inclined to continue down the flank.

Goalscorer Dominic Sadi is becoming indispensable to United (Image: Ben Holmes)

Crewe intercepted some of this too easily and there was a sense of United being at odds with the kind of patterns needed.

United have had a little left-footed balance in central midfield lately too and Cameron Harper has done a steady job for the most part.

Again, though, this was not his cleanest game in possession – not that others were particularly good here either, and, in his defence, his pass completion figures were still the best of all United’s starters.

Crewe’s consistency in stringing passes together was, statistically, better as a team. Where they fell down was being dangerous with their chances and half-chances, until Georgie Kelly’s misguided challenge gave them a penalty.

United, certainly in midfield where Harper partnered Callum Guy, seldom had lasting control of any part of the game and one wondered if a longer cameo for Dylan McGeouch, who is certainly a more natural ball-retainer, might have been worth considering.

A word, finally, for Dominic Sadi, who certainly earned the piece of luck he found in the second minute when his shot deflected into Crewe’s goal.

The young loanee has quietly become indispensable to United’s side, playing the full game in each of his last five appearances. Considering he’s totted up the shots lately without much joy – five at Bromley, three at Salford, three against Harrogate – it was high time one flew in.

Carlisle are going to need more goals from as many sources as possible, considering they haven’t scored more than once in a league game since that Grimsby defeat in late September. Hopefully the sight of ball smacking Crewe’s net will encourage Sadi on.