CARLISLE recorded their first win of the season at Gay Meadow following a solid defensive performance and quality finish from Ian Stevens.
The Cumbrians had to defend for long periods but were strong when required and produced the best move of the match after 83 minutes to win the game. Carl Heggs looked to have handled in midfield but rode his luck to feed Scott Dobie down the right. Dobie got to the byeline and whipped a cross into the feet of former Shrewsbury favourite Stevens, who volleyed home.
Jubilant manager Ian Atkins said: "This win will give the lads the confidence they have been lacking so far. We competed for every ball and Richard Prokas and Steve Soley were outstanding in midfield. The players started to believe in themselves in the second half. "The goal was the best move of the match and we will try to take the positive things into our match at Kidderminster on Saturday."
The match started brightly, both sides going close. A fourth-minute Ross Davidson header clipped the Carlisle bar, but the visitors should have taken the lead after seven minutes when a through-ball from Prokas found Dobie in space but he shot weakly with only Town keeper Ian Dunbavin to beat.
Former Sunderland winger Sam Aiston was seeing a lot of the ball down the Shrewsbury left and proved a constant threat to the Cumbrians' defence. A 16th-minute slip by Julian Darby let in Chris Freestone who pulled his shot wide.
Freestone again went close on 42 minutes when his header was cleared off the line by Darby. On 49 minutes Freestone broke free only to see his shot saved by Weaver.
As Carlisle came more into the game, Dobie headed wide on 71 minutes from a Mark Birch cross.
The result will give the Cumbrians a timely boost with another difficult away game at the Aggborough Stadium on Saturday.
Mike Corry
Former Shrewsbury striker Ian Stevens grabbed a late winner to give Carlisle their first away win of the season and yes it is still August. At the other end another ex Shrewsbury player Mark Winstanley put in an impressive man of the match performance as he continued his excellent early season form. It was the type of away performance that Carlisle fans haven't seen for many years as they soaked up intense pressure from Shrewsbury then hit them with a killer blow on the break.
Shrewsbury had much of the early play and hit the woodwork with a looping header from Davidson after just 4 minutes although Weaver seemed to have the ball covered. Carlisle's first chance of the match came after 7 minutes. Prokas played in a lovely through ball behind the Shrewsbury defence and Dobie ran on with just the keeper to beat. His weak shot looked like it might sneak in but Dunbavin got down well in the Shrewsbury goal to save.
Shrewsbury continued to dominate the possession and a mad goal mouth scramble where the Shrewsbury forwards appeared to get in each others way ended with Julian Darby clearing off the line. Luke Weaver made an outstanding save from former Carlisle forward Chris Freestone who climbed all over Whitehead at the back post to get his header in. It was just as well that Weaver got down as the referee did not penalise Freestone for his obvious indiscretion.
It was Weaver again who turned a Freestone volley round the post with another excellent save at the start of the second half. Although Shrewsbury again dominated possession Winstanley and Whitehead were equal to anything the Shrews attack could throw at them. Carl Heggs helped out with some good tackles at left back in a David Reeves stylie and Soley began to win some good balls in the middle of the field. Matthew Pitts who had replaced the injured Hemmings once again aquitted himslef admirably at left back. Julian Darby was lucky to escape a red card when he fouled a Shrewsbury player who was through on goal. The referee gave him the benefit of the doubt as Winstanley was running back alongside him.
As Shrewsbury began to push forward space began to appear in their defence. Heggs cross was taken off Stevens' head by a defender when Stevens was poised to end his early season goal drought. However he didn't have to wait much longer. A few minutes later Heggs won possession and sqaured the ball to Birch on the half way line. He played the ball down the line for the hard working Dobie who got ahead of the defender and pulled the ball back from the byeline. Stevens came steaming in at the near post and volleyed Carlisle into the lead with a great finish.
The game became somewhat more "competitive" in the closing stages with Dobie and Soley booked for innoccous challenges whilst the Shrewsbury players were allowed to punch both Heggs and Soley and Ravenelli's bootboy Freestone got away with a very late tackle on Dobie.
It was with some comfort that Carlisle saw out the remaining 10 minutes or so of the match. Indeed Stevens nearly had another chance but the goalie came out and caught the cross in front of him. Stevens was replaced by Lee as injury time began and the blues ran the clock down to record a vital away victory.
Team
Weaver 8, Birch 7, Hemmings 6, Winstanley 9, Whitehead 8, Darby 6, Soley 8, Prokas 7, Dobie 7, Stevens 7 , Heggs 7
Subs
Pitts (for Hemmings 54)
Lee (for Stevens 90)
Not Used: Tracey, Carrs, McAughtrie
Att : 2,912
Away Fans: Approx 250
Chris Kearton
Ex-Shrewsbury Town striker Ian Steven's late strike gave Carlisle United all 3 points at Gay Meadow tonight as Ian Atkins men secured a classic smash and grab raid to leave the Shrews empty handed again.
Sh*t is too good of a word to describe this performance, the Shrews had almost 90% of possession yet their inability to create clear chances or play with obvious passion was there to see. Yet it all started well for the Town, with the first half full of Carlisle on the back foot and the home side trying their best to produce passing football.
Barely 10 minutes was on the clock when Ross Davidson saw his looping header hit the cross-bar to the relief of the small following from up north. Carlisle rarely threatened although it took an excellent saving tackle from full-back Gareth Hanmer to make sure that Dunbavin's goal stayed in-tact in the first half.
Chris Freestone wasted an excellent opportunity when clean through on goal, seeing his right-footed volley skew well wide after superb sprinting had given him the chance. The Shrews then amazingly didn't take the lead after amazing scenes saw Steve Jagielka, Nigel Jemson and Ross Davidson all have efforts blocked when only a matter of yards out.
However the second half never got going, and while the Shrews controlled possession, efforts on goal were few and far between, although not for effort from the front two of Freestone and Jemson. Town clocked up a massive number of corners, but the seemingly lack of predatory instinct again meant the visitors goal was un-challenged.
As time went on, the crowd became restless, and Carlisle secured the classic smash and grab raid as a right-winged attack lead to the ball falling at Ian Stevens feet, and from only a matter of yards out the ex-Shrews man fiercely fired the ball into the top of the net. The signs were there from the beginning, Ian Atkins produced an excellent display of tactical ability to ensure the victory.
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