A well-earned point in Cumbria

Carlisle City 2-2 Whickham

A depleted Wickham squad battled to earn a point in Cumbria on Tuesday night.

Dan Field opened the scoring in the first half before Jordan Palmer replied.

Palmer gave Carlisle the lead in the second half and then an own goal brought The Lang Jacks level.

After controlling the game early on and playing some tidy football, Whickham had the ball in the net after 13 minutes. 

Scott Robson crossed into the box and a flick on sent the ball to Callum Munro who headed in but the flag went up shortly after for offside.

Minutes later the ball was in the net and this time it counted.

Dan Marriott whipped in a corner into a perfect area which was met by an unmarked Dan Field who volleyed sweetly to give Scott Simons no chance.

Halfway through the half Dom Agnew was sent to the sin bin for dissent

On the cusp of Whickham regaining the 11th man, Jordan Palmer met a cross and bundled the ball into the net to equalise.

On stroke of halftime Jordan Holt struck from 25 yards towards the corner but Tom Dawson produced his first of what would be multiple smart saves to deny him.

The hosts almost took the lead shortly after the break as Holt found a yard of space on the edge of the Whickham box and shot narrowly wide of Dawson’s post.

Another Carlisle shot from the box came close soon after, this time from Kieron Olsen, and Dawson was equal to it.

The Cumbrian side turned the game on its head 20 minutes into the half as Palmer cut into the box and had time to guide a shot across goal into the bottom corner.

Whickham upped the ante straight after and equalised within two minutes as Robson received a long ball out wide and spun his man with ease before crossing into the six yard box for a defensive mix up caused the ball to just go over the line.

The Lang Jacks tried to push on and produced to well-worked move created by Dom Agnew as he played an incredible through ball to cut open the home side which substitute Jamie Nash latched onto and crossed in towards Robson, who was 6 yards out, but the ball just missed him.

The full side worked incredibly hard for the point, with notable mentions to Kieran Galbraith playing 90 minutes after not kicking a ball in 11 months.

Youngster Sam Johnson played in an unfamiliar position at right wing-back and produced a tremendous performance.

Tom Dawson made his debut in goal and made a string of top quality saves.

Whickham XI: Dawson; Johnson (Nash 76’), Field, Galbraith, Agnew, Lincoln-Barrow; Peareth ©, Richardson; Marriott, Robson, Munro.

Unused Subs: Cassap, Horsefall.

Man of the Match: Kieron Galbraith

Referee: Dan Forbes