Last night, Carlisle United were held to a disappointing draw by Solihull Moors at Brunton Park. Dan Creaney gave the away side a deserved lead before Terell Thomas equalised for the blues ten minutes from time.
Mark Hughes’ side have now followed up on their opening day victory against Woking with two flat and disappointing performances at Brunton Park and have been shown that there are no easy games in the National League.
Match Review
Solihull started the better of the two sides, they were passing and moving and causing young Carlisle left-back Sam Murray a lot of problems first half with movement from Dan Creaney and Ben Worman.
Carlisle’s main attacking threat in the first half was Archie Davies down the right and in the 32nd minute he whipped a wicked cross in to the area and the Solihull defender diverted it just over the crossbar.
Right on the stroke of half time Sam Murray crossed the ball in the box and Jack Ellis saw his header comfortably saved by Laurie Walker.
HT Carlisle United 0-0 Solihull Moors
The second half started was the first did with a lot of Solihull possession and Carlisle struggling to get a foothold in the game.
In the 68th minute a dreadful pass from Josh Grant across the back line when Bevis Mugabi was down injured was seized upon by Ben Worman and he found Dan Creaney who calmly slotted home to give Matty Taylor’s side a deserved lead.
Mark Hughes was then forced to change things and went more direct bringing Junior Luamba and Stephen Wearne on and the home side vastly improved after those substitutions.
In the 80th minute from a Carlisle set piece Georgie Kelly nodded down for captain Terell Thomas to finish well and give Carlisle ten minutes or so to win the game.
Moments after the equaliser Georgie Kelly turned well in the box but was denied once by a great block and again by a good save as Solihull’s defence was finally being stretched and tested.
Regan Linney and Bevis Mugabi were both denied late on by Laurie Walker and Solihull’s defence stood strong and made some brilliant last ditch blocks.
Mugabi had the ball in the net in the final moments but was adjudged to have fouled the goalkeeper and the game remained level much to the disappointment of a lot of supporters around me.
How Did Carlisle Perform?
I had some major question marks last night so I’m going to go through them here.
Why did we play two big target men up front and take a man out of midfield when we wanted to play nice football and not play to the target men’s strengths? Surely the game should’ve had one of Wearne, Embleton or Whelan in the midfield if we are going to play that way?
Why didn’t take so long for the manager to change things? He was reactive and not proactive which is never good. We were instantly improved as soon as the changes were made and you could see the changes needed made at half time but Hughes waited until we went a goal behind to do it.
Macadam and Grant in midfield can’t really take the ball on the half turn and run at people like some of the other players in the squad can so I wouldn’t play them together again.
Defensively I thought Mugabi and Thomas done well together, Davies was a constant threat going forward and Murray struggled in the first half but grew in to the game more in the second. I still think we lack a proper commanding centre back and I’m hoping more Feeney is nearly fully fit he will be that for us.
Linney was a threat when he got the ball especially in the second half but a lot of the time they double up on him and I think he will face that a lot this season but if Carlisle can get the ball to him he will always be our biggest threat.
I felt sorry for Kelly and Armstrong for the majority of the game because they just weren’t getting the ball and were feeding off scraps. Kelly grew in to the game once we started playing to his strengths and got the assist for the equaliser but if you’re going to play the two of Armstrong and Kelly together you need to give them service.
Player Ratings
Gabe Breeze – 6 – didn’t have a great deal to do, done everything right and the goal was a great finish.
Archie Davies – 7.5 (MOTM) – our best and most consistent attacking threat, final delivery wasn’t always there but he never stopped running and attacking.
Bevis Mugabi – 6 – solid enough debut, could’ve had a goal late on, didn’t do anything wrong and was injured for the goal so couldn’t get back.
Terell Thomas – 7 – a lot better than at the weekend, there were some misplaced passes early on but he settled in to the game and took his goal like prolific striker.
Sam Murray – 6 – struggled first half but grew in to the game and was a real threat with Linney down the left in the second half.
Jack Ellis – 6 – not as effective as we would’ve liked in midfield but he kept the ball moving and tried to find passes key areas.
Josh Grant – 3 – gave the ball away on numerous occasions, he’d seem to sniff the danger out then give the ball way again. His pass across the back line for the Solihull goal was the final error in a list of errors before he was substituted.
Harvey Macadam – 6 – made a couple of good runs from midfield, put in a great challenge in the first half to stop a breakaway and progressed the ball well at times but ultimately turned back too many times in midfield and it stunted our progress in attack at times.
Regan Linney – 7 – struggled to get in the game first half but second half him and Murray caused a lot of trouble for Solihull and almost got his goal late on but was denied by the keeper. Constant threat.
Luke Armstrong – 5 – never stopped running but ultimately didn’t play to his strengths and struggled to impact the game at all.
Georgie Kelly – 6 – struggled to get in the game a lot like Armstrong but late on when we started playing to his strengths he was a constant threat and got the nod down and assist for the equaliser and was unlucky to not get the winner late on.
SUBSTITUTES
Junior Luamba – 6 – was direct when he came on and was what Carlisle had been missing all game. Hughes should have brought him on sooner.
Stephen Wearne – 6 – made some good passes in the final third and maybe overdone it at times but much like Luamba I wish he’d been give more time to impact the game.
Please note that these ratings are the opinions of Dan and nobody else
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