A second half fight back after a poor first half performance was not enough to stop Carlisle slumping to their 14th defeat in 16 games. It was a case of uphill struggle all the way after keeper Matty Glennon dispelled the myth that Carlisle now have a goalkeeper who doesn't flog a goal a game when his goal kick went straight to a Hull forward who smashed it back past the on loan stopper. Carlisle went two down after failing to clear a corner. It looked like Whitehead was going to get a block in but he slipped and the ball was struck home. The band of 100 Carlisle supporters lined up in single file to try and keep dry under the overhang of the adjacent supermarket were spared further agony when Glennon made a good save from a lob. Despite the tireless work of Scott Dobie Carlisle had few chances with a weak Stevens header their best effort.
The second half saw some semblance of a fightback as Carlisle hoofed the ball forward at every opportunity. Heggs replaced Hemmings (God forbid we should fetch Halliday on and try and play some football). After numerous corners they pulled a goal back when Whitehead nodded a corner back for Connelly to Smash home. Carlisle were then denied a blatant penalty when Heggs was shoved in the back. Galloway's free kick was well saved by the Hull keeper. They huffed and puffed but depressingly failed to create any clear chances as Hull hung on for the three points.
Verdict:
Carlisle look at their most dangerous when they try and play football. However they seem content to hoof the ball up at the earliest opportunity instead of looking for some width. Individual errors are still costing us points, proving to be the difference between us and the opposition. If tales of a Viking take-over are to be believed (and lets face it the news and star has been talking a lot of rubbish lately) the new owners could do worse than appoint a manager who wants to play football and who doesn't put their faith in the likes of Donkeys such as Birch and Heggs. I do of course apologies for criticising the great Ian Atkins but I wouldn't trust him to spend any sort of transfer kitty we might get under supposed new ownership (which I'll believe when I see it). Forgive me for being negative but its hard to be anything else after trailing to Hull and back to watch such a performance.
Chris Kearton
Two sloppy goals condemned Carlisle to another defeat and their sixteenth game without a clean sheet. Not since their 1-0 away win at Kidderminster on September 2nd have the Cumbrians been able to keep their goals against column clear.
This was certainly a game the Cumbrians should have got something out of, particularly in the second half when they dominated for long periods and pulled a goal back through Gordon Connelly.
Now three points adrift at the foot of the table, manager Ian Atkins is all too aware of the mounting problems facing a club in limbo. Michael Knighton's sale of the club appears again to have stalled leaving nothing but speculation to comfort the long suffering fans.
Atkins said: " We beat ourselves again today and I've said that too many times now. The thing that disappoints me, and I keep saying it to the players, is why do we have to wait until we go down until we start. I thought defensively we were poor. Defence has to be a strong point, especially down the middle, but I thought we could have been a lot better today. When you look at the amount of work their keeper had to do, compared to ours, you would have thought we were the home side. These are games we should be getting something out of but we have got to start quicker."
The Tigers seventh minute opener, was gifted courtesy of a hapless goal kick by Matty Glennon. The ball fell to David Brown who cannoned a spectacular thirty yard shot across the bemused Glennon into the top corner.
Seven minutes later Scott Dobie should have equalised but headed weakly at home keeper Paul Musslewhite from Mark Birch's cross.
Hull's early dominance brought a second goal on 23 minutes when a poor defensive header from Lee Maddison, fell at the feet of Ian Goodison, who rifled home from twelve yards.
Gary Brabin almost extended the Tigers lead on 31 minutes, but Glennon got back to turn his 35 yard chip over the bar.
With four minutes of the half remaining, home keeper Musselwhite had to save spectacularly to keep out a header from his own defender Goodison.
Two minutes after the restart a Clint Marcelle shot was cleared off the line by Richard Prokas. This virtually proved to be last seen of the home side as an attacking force as the Cumbrians took control of the game.
After 69 minutes the Cumbrians got back into it, from their eighth corner of the half, when a poor headed clearance fell to Gordon Connelly to drive home through a ruck of players.
On 81 minutes thirty yard free kick from Mike Galloway was brilliantly turned over the bar by Musselwhite but further pressure would not bring the Cumbrians that elusive equaliser.
Mike Corry
We REALLY should have got something out of the second half.
Number of chances were unbelievable.
Saying that, Hull were a lot better side than recent opposition, particularly the tricky Clint Marcelle. But we need to stop backing off these sort of players and giving them so much time and space.
Now, Chris Kearton mentioned width. We only really have width on the left-side. Connelly is quite honestly one of the worst examples of wingers I have seen (bar Adrian Clarke - coincidentally ALSO from Southend!). He's not such a bad player - but a winger who just has no ability to beat defenders is pretty strange.
Birch - I think that's a bit of unfair criticism of him. He didn't have a particularly good game on Saturday - but a number of players didn't. In the previous few games he had been brilliant.
May just be me, but I reckon Birch could do a good job on the right-wing. More willing to take on defenders than Connelly - and is a fantastic crosser of the ball.
Don't believe what the papers/radio say - Connelly was poor yesterday. There was a mix up in the Hull programme so Lacey seemed to think he played well where as it was infact Galloway who did.
Heggs came on - first thing he did was run towards his own goal.
Chris Mc - Looking at Halliday lately he has lost a lot of that tubby fat he had - he looks sharper and more alert than when he first returned.
I also need to mention the disgusting behavior of the Hull fans here. Before the game it was mentioned they had got in trouble for throwing objects onto the playing field in previous games and had been reported for it.
So, the idiots proceeded to throw coins on the pitch, one of them catching Mick Galloway on the head (tho he was also elbowed in the face by Gary Brabin - but the ref failed to notice). Galloway had to go off several times to have the wound on his head attended to.
The weather was atrocious for the first half - second half no rain at all! The first goal was a mistake by Maddison, but the pouring rain I suspect meant the players barely saw a thing.
Anyways, next week vs Lincoln... I think we really need to win this game - they are in poor form and we really do need to sort this out.
Lets hope the takeover does happen this week - Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish or whatever - as long as he cares I don't mind!
Lee Rooney
First goal was a mistake by Glennon who scuffed his goalkick along the deck however Brown took two tocuhes and belted the ball straight back into the top corner. Keeper had no chance
Lee Gardner
I don't agree (with Lee Rooney). I thought Hull were useless. They looked powerless up front and crowded men into the penalty area. It was no wonder we had so much of the ball in the second half.
I was confused (over Galloway and Connelly) as well. Not helped by the fact that No 13 didn't have a name on his shirt. I thought this was Connelly and that it was Galloway on the wing.
I thought it was Connelly who was elbowed. But you are right it was that animal Brabin who did the damage. Someone threw something at the Carlisle dugout in the second half which landed with a large bang on the perspex surround.
On Sunday I saw a similar sort of game at St James Park where Liverpool had most of the pressure but couldn't convert their chances. To add insult to injury Newcastle paraded a number of ex-stars on the pitch before the game Bob Stokoe, Ivor Broadis and Peter Beardsley (lound cheers from both the Newcastle and Liverpool fans) added to this I was sitting just along from David Wilkes who is now coaching at Newcastle and then of course Mick Wadsworth was on the bench.....
David Wilkes told me that the staff at the ground on a matchday was almost bigger than Carlisle's home gates at the moment. His first question to me was about how Carlisle got on at Hull, though. And how Brightwell got on. The truth is that the sod played better than he ever did for us....
Regards
Malcolm Fawcett
That "large" thud noise was quite funny actually. I think someone tried to jump over the wall in the stand, or something like that, walked down the steps and slipped, fell down and smashed his head against the dugout! I know I shouldn't, but I couldn't stop laughing it was so funny to see!
Lee Rooney
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