The Cumbrians dismal run continued on the loosing end of a five goal thriller at Bloomfield Road.
In torrential rain Carlisle found themselves three goals down only to pull two goals back and almost snatch a point.
Manager Ian Atkins was left to ponder again. He said: " We need to start games like we played when down to 10 men. I need to bring players in who know the Third division and will scrap for everything to earn the right to win. I know the players I want and just need the go ahead."
The home side got off to a flying start after five minutes when Carlisle born Paul Simpson fed John Hills in on the left and the full back calmly slotted past Peter Keen.
As the home dominated the early exchanges Simpson had a thunderous 25 yard free kick turned over the bar by Keen on nine minutes.
With twenty minutes gone Simpson's wicked left footed in-swinging free kick was turned just round the post by the incoming Hills.
The Cumbrians should have got back in the game on 36 minutes but Stephan Lemarchand failed to control Dobie's through ball when one on one with the keeper.
The Seasiders increased their lead with a minute remaining of the half when Hills near post cross was turned in by John Murphy.
Two minute into the second half Peter keen turned Paul Simpson's free kick over the bar.
The Cumbrians were reduced to ten men when Carl Heggs received a second yellow card for a crude challenge on Danny Coid.
Ironically Carlisle started to produce the better football once down to ten men, particularly when Dave lee came on for Mark Thurston.
On 65 minutes Stuart Whitehead headed wide from Lee Maddison's corner but fell further behind five minutes later. Richard Willens got away and Phil Clarkson hammered home his resulting cross.
Carlisle immediately pulled a goal back when a Maddison cross was headed home by Scott Dobie.
With the Cumbrians now getting on top goalkeeper Peter keen got on the score sheet after 78 minutes in bizarre fashion. His long clearance upfield took one bounce over opposing keeper Jon Kennedy and into the net. A frantic final five minutes saw the Cumbrians force six corners but that elusive equaliser would not come.
Mike Corry
KEEPER'S 90 YARD GOAL IN VAIN
A 90 yard goal from Carlisle keeper Peter Keen was in vain as the blues crashed to their eighth defeat in nine games. Keen had replaced Luke Weaver in the Carlisle goal as they once again lined up with the usually ineffective 5-2-3 formation. Although Carlisle had some early possession it was Blackpool who took the lead after 5 minutes. Birch was left exposed down the right as the ball came to the seasiders suspiciously offside looking left back John Hills. The linesman though failed to flag for offside so Hills tried his luck and controlled the ball blatantly with his arm. The only three people who missed the handball were unfortunately wearing black and Hills ran on to drive the ball past Keen. The rest of the half was extremely poor - Carlisle's best chance fell to Lemarchand but 'Pool keeper John Kennedy gathered the ball at his feet. Keen made a good save from a free kick - the sort of effort that Weaver has been letting in recently. Blackpool went two up on the stroke of half time when Hills crossed to John Murphy whose shot hit Keen's near post before rebounding off the luckless keepers head and into the net.
The second half was just five minutes old when Carlisle forward Carl Heggs was red carded for his second needless booking of the match. Heggs was already due a suspension for reaching five bookings and after his terrible recent performances few Carlisle fans will shed any tears over his upcoming suspension. It was an indictment of the manager's faith in Heggs that the teams performance actually improved by at least 100% after his red card. David Lee, inexplicably left on the bench again, came on for Thurstan on the hour. As usual Lee - who bears an uncanny resemblance to CUFC mailing list supremo Phil Jones - inspired Carlisle to play some football. It was unfortunate then that Blackpool extended their lead after 70 minutes when Phil Thompson found acres of space in the box after a cross from Blackpool's right. Carlisle's reply was immediate as Dobie challenged in the air and the ball looped into the net. The goal was somewhat dubiously given to Dobie although it looked like the last touch had been off the shoulder of the Blackpool defender. Carlisle got even further into the game after 80 minutes when Keens ninety yard clearance bounced outside the box and zipped off the wet turf over the helpless Blackpool keeper. Carlisle's excellent away following now sensed the chance of a point as the ten men Cumbrians piled forward. With Whitehead moving into midfield and Lee always dangerous Carlisle forced several corners and free kick around the box. However they failed to capitalise on the uncertainity of the Blackpool keeper as the Seasiders held out for their thrid consecutive win.
Ian Atkins must question his team selection and tactics. Carlisle have played well with a 4-4-2 formation but look uncomfortable with 5 at the back leaving the midfielders to get swamped. The continued exclusion from the starting elelven of David Lee and Steve Halliday is getting beyond a joke. After last night Carl Heggs must be dropped from the squad for Saturday's game. Matthew Pitts and Craig McCaughtrie must also deserve a chance at the expense of Birch and Inglis. Carlisle are at their best when they try to play football yet too often the ball is hoofed up the middle making life easy for oppostion defence. Atkins says he wants to sign four new players over the next week - lets hope he gives some of the players currently warming the substitutes bench an extended run in the first team.
Team
Keen, Birch (McAughtrie 90), Maddison, Winstanley, Whitehead, Inglis, Thurstan (Lee 60), Prokas, Dobie, Heggs, Lemarchand
Not used: Halliday, Darby, Johnson
Chris Kearton
while the Keen goal raised a few smiles and gave the chance to try and scramble a result. over 90 minutes we only came to life after 70 minutes of the match when 3 goal down and 1 man down ( i thought that heggs dismissal may improve our play at the time) i'd still rather see Weaver in goal as he still seems more confident than Keen.
other points to note:no outfield player scored last night - our first being an own goal, blackpool first goal looked a clear handball (i've never seen a 3rd div player control a 40yd pass that accurately the ball dropping from his arm/chest some 2 yds from his boot with only the keeper to beat)neverthe less it was a great crossfield ball. second blackpool goal hit post then rebounded back off Keen's head before hitting the net.
i think we've got to give a start to Lee as we at least seem to get some service into the forwards, there seem few of the rest of the squad that can actually get a good cross in.We may actually get a result from a game if we can get ahead instead of having to chase every game.unfortunately from current form unless we improve or change the squad we're gonna be stuck at the bottom all season.
Maybe halliday/tate could be a good combination if they played to the strengths we've seen before from them - a good target man and someone with skill in the penalty area to create chances.
i assume the Tate thing was just a rumour or is anything happening on this front.
Andy Peacock
Another very poor performance from Utd, lacking in ideas and too readily giving the ball away.
Where do we go from here ? our "midfield" showed no creativity, our only way forward was to punt high balls in the direction of Heggs or Dobie.
Heggs can have no excuse for his sending off, committing niggling fouls from the kick off, he was particularly late with two heavy challenges.
The only bright spot was the introduction of Lee, he must have earned himself a place in the starting line up on Saturday.
Over the whole 90 minutes I dont think we had a proper shot on goal, from where I stood Dobie didn't score the ball was actually headed into his own net by a Blackpool defender.
Keen's goal was a spectacular fluke, aided by the driving wind and rain, his long drop kick bounced on the edge of the area and cleared the stranded Blackpool keeper.
I'm not sure Keen is the answer to our goalkeeping problems --- although not to blame for any of the goals, his unwillingness to leave his line and claim cross-balls added to the nervousness of our defence.
I can't see when this bad run of results are going to end ------ as Atkins says " we are just not good enough!!"
Ian Scott
Atkin's has lost the plot completely.
He keeps changing the system from 5-2-3 to 4-4-2 therefore the defence is never a settled unit. Keeps playing that w@nker Heggs who only seems intent on picking up stupid, needless bookings and tries to get himself sent-off.
Leaves his best players warming the bench.
Had Lee and Halliday started last night in a 4-4-2 formation we probably would have earned atleast a point or maybe all three. We were the better team once Heggs left the field and we were forced to switch to 4-4-1 with Whitehead pushed forward into midfield.
Peter Keen gets the ball and scores a goal. Luke who?
Craig Moore
Whilst I wouldn't quite go to the poetic lengths of Craig, I have to admit to a little bit of confusion over Atkins tactics and apparent lack of belief in some of the more skilful players at Brunton Park.
I can only think that Lee still can't make 90 minutes and that he's establishing himself as the boss with Halliday rather than letting Halliday think he's indispensable and therefore okay to go out drinking 10 minutes before kick off.
I think Atkins also hints at a long-ball strategy in the near future - read the article on Al's site today.
Roger Porthouse
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