SATURDAY 16th AUGUST 2008

CARLISLE CITY 3-1 BLYTH TOWN

City took to the field with last week’s 5-2 defeat still very fresh in the memory. The
side showed five changes from last weekend, with Chris Kelleher, Peter Cawson and
Jamie Heath all stepping up from the subs’ bench and Giuseppe Amato and Steven
Rooke also starting. The players left out from last week were Mike Holliday, Michael
Hodgson, Scott Munro, Graham Lupton and Jonny Coulthard.

Blyth had the better of the early exchanges and came close when Foster had to block
Fuller’s header at the back post, following a good cross from Lisle. The corner, taken
by Lajevard, was punched away by Lindsay. The City keeper was again in action as
he saved from Fuller who latched onto a long throw. In the 5th minute, a great turn
from Taylor was followed by a thumping shot that was not far wide.

Blyth continued to dominate and a right-wing corner taken by Lajevard was headed
on by Robinson, but Taylor put his shot wide. Neat footwork from Hubner won City a
free-kick 30 yards from goal and Amato’s set-piece found Barclay but his header was
easy for Earle, in the Blyth goal. Taylor was again close for Blyth when he forced
Lindsay to save at close range.

In the 10th minute, Heath’s shot was blocked with the rebound falling to Cumersky,
who moved the ball to Kelleher but his shot was too high. Three minutes later, Heath
was wide from 25 yards and he then found Kelleher who forced Earle to save at the
expense of a corner. Cumersky’s delivery from the right eventually landed at the feet
of Cawson on the edge of the box, but he fired wide. After 18 minutes, Heath was
crudely fouled by Cowie and Amato flighted his free-kick to the back post. Kelleher
tried to control the ball but stumbled over it and the chance was gone.

Blyth threatened on 22 minutes when Fuller’s pass to the right found Lisle, who beat
Amato but shot narrowly wide. Two minutes later, Hubner linked with Kelleher and
Earle had to produce a fine save to keep the shot out. The ensuing corner was wasted.
Kelleher came even closer on 26 minutes when his fine strike rebounded off the base
of the post. The game’s first booking on 29 minutes went to Robinson, after a foul on
Kelleher. The resulting free-kick led to City’s first goal. Cumersky’s well-flighted
cross caused problems and Kelleher latched onto the ball to score.

Two minutes later, Burton headed wide before Rooke had to be alert to head clear a
cross from the Blyth left. Lindsay required treatment as he dived to clear a scramble
in his goalmouth. In the 36th minute, Taylor looped a shot high over City’s bar and
then loose play in City’s own penalty area left Fuller in a good position but he shot
wide.

HALF-TIME- CARLISLE CITY 1-0 BLYTH TOWN

In the second period, an early long throw for Blyth fell to Race who shot straight at
Lindsay. In the 49th minute, Blyth almost forced an equaliser when Fuller and Taylor
combined with the latter producing a fine save from Lindsay, and Taylor rolled the
rebound across the goal area. A weak goal-kick from Earle dropped to Heath but the
City man’s shot was comfortable for the Blyth keeper.
In the 53rd minute, neat play involving Kelleher, Burton and Heath ended in a City
corner. From the flag kick, the ball dropped to Heath and his shot from 10 yards
shaved the outside of the post. Cawson then saw his shot deflected into the arms of
keeper Earle.

On the hour mark, the visitors equalised. There seemed no danger as Fuller collected
the ball inside the area, but a quick turn and shot found the back of the City net. Blyth
were only level for two minutes as Kelleher was fouled right on the edge of the
visitors’ area. Amato stepped up to take the free-kick, and neatly curled the ball
around the wall and into the far corner.

Burton then had a good chance to extend City’s lead but he chipped his shot over the
bar. Play controversially continued as a Blyth player lay injured on the field and City
had two chances to score but the visitors managed to clear their lines. After 70
minutes, a Foster cross was headed too high by Burton, and this proved to be the
striker’s last action, as he was replaced by Bell. City were playing with greater
fluency now, and Cumersky, Heath and Kelleher linked up to force a corner.
Cumersky crossed the ball to Cawson, standing outside the penalty area and his shot
was on target but saved easily by Earle.

In the 79th minute, City went 3-1 ahead as a right-wing throw was flicked on by Heath
into the path of Bell, and the substitute ran on confidently to shoot past Earle. Blyth
tried to fight back into the game and Lindsay had to dive to save an effort from a
right-wing corner. After 82 minutes, a short back-pass was seized on by Race who
tried to round Lindsay, but the City keeper deflected the ball for a corner. With five
minutes remaining, Cumersky was booked. Cumersky then forced a City corner after
breaking away down the right. The corner led to nothing but City held possession
comfortably in the closing moments, and gained their first three points of the season.

TEAMS- CITY- Lindsay, Foster, Amato, Rooke, Barclay, Hubner, Kelleher,

Cumersky, Burton, Cawson, Heath. Subs- Dearling, Simpson, Jamieson, Bell,
Lupton.
BLYTH TOWN- Earle, Orr, Johnson, Hetherington, Robinson, Race, Lisle, Cowie,
Fuller, Taylor, Lajevard. Subs- Hickon, Miller, Barnes, Day.

REFEREE- Kevin Mulraine.

BOOKINGS- CITY- Cumersky. BLYTH- Robinson.