WEDNESDAY 2nd SEPTEMBER 2009

CARLISLE CITY 1-3 HARRABY CATHOLIC CLUB

In an unusual occurrence, both sides lined up with a Gillford Park player in their
ranks- Kyle Armstrong for City and Dave Wallace for Harraby. City changed
formation for the game, with Short, Hill and Foster playing at centre-back and
Holliday and Amato playing as wing-backs. City were without the suspended Bell and
Priest, ironically dating back to disciplinary problems from the Harraby fixture at the
end of last season. Armstrong was one replacement up front, and James Burton also
started the game.

Harraby won the game’s first corner within ninety seconds of the kick-off, following
Shiel’s run. Taken from the left, Swift’s flag-kick was headed goalwards and Kilgour
did well to clear the ball over the bar. City responded with a corner of their own, in
the 4th minute, as the ball deflected off Blake. Short’s kick was punched clear by ex-
City keeper Wills. A decent City move involving Kilgour, K. Armstrong and
Blaylock eventually broke down just outside the Harraby box before City created a
fine chance in the 5th minute. Holliday’s cross was perfect for Blaylock and the
midfielder’s header seemed to be goal-bound, but Wills produced a fine save, with
Amato putting the rebound wide.

Blake tried his luck with a shot from distance, that was comfortable for Bradley. After
11 minutes, Archibald’s shot was saved by Bradley, although the linesman’s flag was
raised a few seconds earlier. Casey then won the next Harraby corner, as his cross
went behind off Short. Taken from the right wing by Swift, the ball was cleared as far
as Douglas, with his cross finding Archibald, and Bradley did well to save a sharp
shot. Hill required treatment for an injury before being able to continue.

In the 17th minute, Swift found Douglas, who won a corner off Foster. Swift’s kick
was cleared by the City defence. As Harraby began to exert strong pressure, Balmer
won another corner, off Short. Swift’s kick was awkward, and had to be headed
behind by Blaylock. Taking corners from both wings, Swift was being kept busy and
his next delivery was headed clear by Holliday.

In the 21st minute, Blake’s 30-yard drive was deflected for yet another corner. Swift’s
kick was cleared but, in the 23rd minute, Harraby took the lead. Swift’s ball down the
right found Douglas, and the ex-Carlisle United player’s cross was neatly finished by
Archibald from 8 yards out.

Shortly after the goal, Balmer was fouled as he ran towards the City box and referee
Best played a “rugby-union type” advantage, before giving Harraby the free-kick.
Blake’s shot was blocked by the City wall. After 28 minutes, strong play in midfield
by Blaylock sent K. Armstrong into space on the left but his cross was cleared. Amato
then shot wide from 25 yards.

In the 32nd minute, Harraby were awarded a penalty as Douglas’ ball was chased by
Balmer inside the City area, and Foster obstructed the Harraby winger, with referee
Best pointing to the spot. Shiel’s penalty was not well-struck and was saved by
Bradley, but Shiel followed up to convert the rebound and put his side 2-0 up.
Straight after the goal, Harraby’s Casey was booked for a foul, with Hill’s resulting
free-kick finding Amato, who crossed to Kilgour, and Wills produced a fine save to
keep the header out. In the 35th minute, Amato was booked for dissent following the
intervention of linesman Pattinson.

Another Harraby corner in the 36th minute, taken by Swift, was headed wide. This was
quickly followed by another as City failed to register as an attacking force. Hill
cleared the corner on this occasion. City’s miserable first half grew worse after 43
minutes as Shiel latched onto a loose ball fully 35 yards out, and drove an
unstoppable shot into the top corner, for a fine goal.

Manager Steve Bellas marched his players to the dressing-room at half-time, for some
stern words, whilst the crowd debated how long the remaining light would last. The
game had not kicked off until 6.40 and the gloom was rapidly descending.

The second half resumed in familiar fashion, with Swift’s 47th-minute corner being
punched away by Bradley. Two minutes later, Amato took a chance with a wild
tackle, leading to Combe’s free-kick being cleared by Kilgour. The other player on a
yellow card, Casey, then flew into a challenge with Foster but escaped the attention of
the referee. In the 53rd minute, Balmer won a corner off Amato, and Swift’s kick was
punched away by Bradley, before falling to Douglas but the Harraby man ran the ball
out of play.

City made a change in the 54th minute as Rooke came on for Amato. Rooke’s first
touch was to find K. Armstrong with a fine cross, but the header was disappointingly
wide. Short then won a corner, as his cross deflected off Combe. The kick was taken
quickly, from Short to Blaylock, but the cross was wasted. In the 57th minute, City’s
two Armstrongs combined, and Kyle hit the target from 25 yards, with Wills saving.

On the hour, veteran striker Milne replaced Burton for City, and within a minute, the
score was 3-1. Blake’s back-pass was horribly short and Holliday nipped in quickly
to loft a clever shot over Wills.

Harraby’s first substitution saw Bainbridge replace Casey. In the 63rd minute, Bradley
saved two shots in quick succession from Douglas and Bainbridge. The City keeper
was clearly in some pain throughout the second half as he struggled to kick the ball.
In the 67th minute, Combe’s pass freed Balmer on the right, and his cross was miscued
by Foster towards his own goal, with Bradley clutching the ball on his line. After 70
minutes, Foster’s free-kick was headed wide by Holliday.

After 72 minutes, Blaylock found K. Armstrong inside the Harraby box, with the City
striker falling amidst some shouts for a penalty, waved away by the referee. Balmer
then became the second Harraby player to be cautioned, after fouling C. Armstrong.
City made their final change, with Rowell coming on for K. Armstrong.

Rowell was soon into the action as he linked with Milne, who created a fine chance
for Hill. Wills again produced a fine save to push the ball behind for a corner. A well-
struck flag-kick by Short flew dangerously across the area before falling to Rowell,
who seemed to be pushed in the back, but referee Best again ignored penalty appeals.
Hill was possibly lucky to escape a caution as he handballed a goal-kick by Wills,
with the resulting free-kick being cleared. In the 76th minute, Douglas shot wide from
a good position.

Douglas then went on a mazy run through the City defence, with his shot saved by
Bradley. In the 79th minute, Bradley saved again, as Douglas set up Shiel. Douglas
was having a fine spell as he again ran at City, but Archibald wasted the chance as the
ball came over. In the 81st minute, Wallace fouled Rowell, and Short’s free-kick was
fumbled by Wills, with the ball disappearing under a ruck of bodies, before being
cleared.

At this stage, the game was being played in pitch darkness with linesman Peter West
running his touch-line almost 10 yards onto the field. In the 85th minute, Douglas was
fouled by Hill, and Swift’s free-kick was headed into Bradley’s arms. Wills was
forced to leave his goal-line to kick clear and, in the 86th minute, Rowell was fouled
but Short’s 25-yard free-kick was well wide.

In the 87th minute, it looked through the gloom as if Douglas became the third
Harraby player to be booked.

The referee sensibly blew for time on the stroke of 90 minutes, and City were left to
reflect on a second successive defeat.

TEAMS- CITY- Bradley, Holliday, Amato, Short, Hill, Foster, Kilgour, C.

Armstrong, Blaylock, K. Armstrong, Burton. SUBS- Milne, Rowell, Rooke, Major,
Yallop.
HARRABY- Wills, Combe, Blake, Wallace, Elliott, Casey, Swift, Shiel, Balmer,
Archibald, Douglas. SUBS- Holliday, Lamonby, Bainbridge, Casson.

REFEREE- Paul Best

BOOKINGS- Amato (City) Casey, Balmer, Douglas (Harraby)

MAN OF THE MATCH- Bradley (City), Douglas (Harraby)