Whitley Bay 0-0 Carlisle United

Pre-season "Friendly"

It was basically a youth team with Barr and Anthony playing as well. The match was a pretty boring 0-0. Some of the Carlisle Directors were standing there next to us and they all looked well dodgy. I'm not impressed with the new keeper either. The youths were not too bad. No-one stood out and we didn't create much but then they didn't either.

Chris Kearton

This was basically a youth team plus Graeme Anthony in midfield and Billy Barr marshalling in a central defensive berth.

As Chris Kearton said, there was very little meaningful action to report. Both teams huffed and puffed but neither looked capable of creating much - Whitley Bay lacked talent and CUFC lacked experience. Anthony hit the post with a curling free kick, but apart from that he had a pretty poor game. Gav Skelton looked the most effective CUFC player. I don't know who was between the sticks, but he flapped at a few crosses and spilled a couple of regulation shots. If I'd known we were that short of goalkeeping cover I'd have taken my own gloves and boots along.

For most of the match Knighton stood on the terraces a few yards away from me. He'll probably be bleating in the media about being in touch with the regular supporters. I'll offer long odds on the likelihood of him standing a few yards from me on the Paddock terraces on Saturday.

Anyway, enough of this pre-season preamble. The tuning-up is over, the overture complete. May the curtain rise and let us be on with the show. In the wake of the great escape, let us escape to greatness, or, failing that, a comfortable mid-table berth. Ladies and gentleman of the list: hold on to your mojo, baby.

Cheers,

David O'Brien

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