Birtley Town vs Carlisle City

Recap

Birtley fell to their second home defeat of the season on Saturday as a single second-half Jordan Palmer goal ensured Carlisle took home all three points.

The two sides had previously met over in Cumbria just eleven days ago so that performance, and the chances we created, was still pretty fresh in the mind. This encounter was played in torrential conditions as it lashed it down all day, making any bounces on the pitch extremely fast.

BIrtley were buoyed by the recent signing of forward Liam Thear from neighbours Dunston and the frontman went straight into the starting lineup alongside Callum Smith. Returns to the matchday squad for Dale Burrell, Kaleb Young and Matty Ward boosted numbers.

There were four minutes on the clock when the first real chance of the game arrived – one of very few for the visitors – Jordan Irving’s strike forcing Max Campbell to parry the ball out for a corner. Perseverance from Kyle Wharton forcing the attacker into overhitting his touch meaning the ball drifted out for a goal kick.

Birtley’s first chance of the game came in the 12th minute with Smiggs and Thear linked up resulting in the new lad hitting his first shot in Birtley colours from the edge of the box, unfortunately it was straight at Scott Simons in the Carlisle goal.

Five minutes later, Thear was judged offside after James Proctor’s through ball had played him in. A passage of play enabled Birtley to retain possession with a string of numerous passes with no real end product. In the 27th minute, a Carlisle corner was headed goalwards by an attacker and headed away by Lewis Exley from three yards out.

Birtley thought they’d broken deadlock in the 31st minute as the ball crossed the Carlisle line through Proctor but the flag was soon up to spoil any celebrations. The first card of the game should have been shown to Josh O’Brien after he wiped out James Proctor on the halfway line just as Birtley were looking to counter. Two minutes later Proctor himself became the first player booked for a sliding challenge as he prevented a Carlisle counter attack. Less than a minute later, he was joined by O’Brien who made another late challenge to equal the cards up. From the free kick by Thear, it was spilled by the keeper after taking a bounce in the box but he was able to reclaim the loose ball before any Birtley player could get to it.

In first-half injury time, and the final action of the half, James Proctor rattled the Carlisle crossbar after a brilliant turn by Thear played Callum Smith in. His ball across the six -yard box eventually fell to Proctor who struck the ball against the woodwork.

HALF TIME | BIRTLEY TOWN 0-0 CARLISLE CITY

Within two minutes of the restart, Liam Thear was felled in the Carlisle box and Birtley were awarded a penalty kick. Proctor stepped up but unfortunately his effort was weak and straight at Simons who made a relatively easy save. Less than three minutes later, Simons appeared to bring Proctor down in the box and although the appeals were vociferous, the referee waved them away. An unconfirmed member of the Birtley bench was booked for their protests.

Birtley were piling on the pressure with Reece Harrison seemingly enjoying plenty of space down the left hand side. His fizzed ball across the box found Proctor but he couldn’t get full control of it and the danger was cleared. Soon after, Harrison crossed again but it was too close to Simons who claimed.

It took until the 63rd minute for Carlisle to have their first attempt at goal, forcing a corner which was then headed over the bar. Proctor was replaced in the 64th minute by Malachi Ray-Tharpe before a spell of pressure from Carlisle and within five minutes had broken the deadlock after Adam Gordon’s inch-perfect cross over the defence was headed into the net by Jordan Palmer.

The two Carlisle frontmen linked up with one Jordan laying the ball off to the other one (don’t ask me which way round), firing wide of the target. A triple change for Birtley followed, looking for a way back into the game; Matty Ward replaced Callum Smith, Kaleb Young made his return after a five-game absence coming on for Captain Jake Stafford and Sean Comstock replacing Lewis Exley.

With less than ten minutes of normal time remaining, Owen Lancaster’s ball over the top of the Carlisle defence set Matty Ward away. He managed to get himself into the box before seeing his effort put out for a corner, one of three consecutive attacking set pieces as Birtley looked for an equaliser.

Wardy was back involved five minutes later when a similar ball found him 1v1. Unfortunately the bounce of the ball took it away from him quickly and Simons was out to the edge of his box to claim it. Dale Burrell replaced Joe Hailes for the final few minutes but there were no more chances created for either side.

FULL TIME | BIRTLEY TOWN 0-1 CARLISLE CITY

We created a significant amount of chances but failed to capitalise on any of them and probably conceded at the height of our possession. We move on to Shildon on Tuesday where we need to make the most of these opportunities against a side who will punish you if you allow them to.

Attendance – 124
MOTM – Joe Hailes

H2H vs Carlisle City (at Birtley)
P4 W1 D1 L2 GF7 GA8