On Friday night in work I was reading the Greenock Telegraph and in particular Steven McArthur's article about Brian Wake. In the article McArthur talked about how Wake's goals at Firhill were not the first he'd scored to save a club at the end of the season; on Tuesday the 29th of April 2003 Wake scored a hat-trick at Gay Meadow to save Carlisle from relegation to the Conference and send Shrewsbury down in their place.Of his heroics Wake said: “I remember it well, it was my first season as a professional. We were in a similar situation — whoever lost the game went down. I felt sorry for the Shrews, but you have to just do it for your own team. I scored a couple of hat-tricks that season. Hopefully, I can do that next year with Morton.”
http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/articles/2/23607
http://www.carlisleunited.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10361~21451,00.html
After reading this it was a slight coincidence that the next day I decided to join a few Morton supporters who had already decided to travel down to Carlisle to watch their crucial promotion / relegation decider with Bournemouth.
Carlisle United 1 - Dobie (57)Bournemouth 1 - Pitman (68)
Att - 12,233
As this is a Morton blog this brief match report is written as the match was seen through a Morton fan's eyes so it may well be of interest to others of a Ton persuasion.
The game was played in front of a 12,000 odd crowd. The outcome of the match mattered to both teams. Carlisle, should they win and Nott'm Forest and Doncaster draw or lose, would gain automatic promotion to the Championship while Bournemouth had to win to avoid relegation to League 2.
There were a few familiar faces on show. Playing left-back for Carlisle was Evan Horwood who was on loan at Gretna earlier this season. Horwood scored on his final appearance for Gretna against us in the 2-2 draw at Cappielow. Former Scotland internationalists Scott Dobie (6 caps, 1 goal) and Warren Cummings ( 1 cap) - playing for Carlisle and Bournemouth respectively - were joined by former England International Darren Anderton. Bournemouth also had highly rated youngster Sam Vokes on show. Vokes is tipped for a move to a top team this summer.
The final score was 1-1. Dobie opened the scoring for Carlisle sweeping home a rebound off the keeper. Pitman prodded home an equaliser with 20 minutes to go and that's how it finished. Bournemouth were relegated and Carlisle will now face Leeds in the play-offs.
We are led to believe, by media, pundits and players, that this level of football is better than probably all levels in Scotland apart from the SPL but if this game was representative of the standard of the league in general I would argue that this is certainly not the case. The standard was dreadful. Players could hardly control the ball, pick a pass or shoot and in a game that really mattered to both teams the effort or urgency from the players just wasn't there. Think of twenty (keepers excluded) Ryan McGuffies jogging languidly around the pitch.
Another feature of the match was the negativity of the Carlisle fans. There are those who'd have us believe Morton have a terrible home support whos over the top abuse does nothing but hinder their team - they should try visiting the home end at some other grounds. I was in the 'Paddock' terrace at Brunton Park and all around us the home fans abused their team for 90 minutes. They laughed at their own players, jeered them and gave ironic applause when they completed passes. Imagine the moaniest 'boo boy' you can think of in the Cowshed - he'd be a 'happy clapper' in here.
All in all it was an enjoyable day out but, and I didn't think I would have said this about any match a few weeks ago, this game could've done with Brain Wake and a couple of his trademark crucial final day goals.
Carlisle: Westwood, Arnison, Campion, Murphy, Horwood, Dobie, Lumsdon, Grant Smith (Bridge-Wilkinson 79), Hackney, Graham (Carlton 85), Madine (Taylor 72).
Subs Not Used: Howarth, Aranalde.
Booked: Lumsdon, Horwood, Arnison.
Bournemouth: Bournemouth: Forde, Bradbury, Gowling, Pearce, Cummings (Bartley 86), Gradel, Anderton (Pitman 61), Cooper, Hollands, Kuffour, Vokes.
Subs Not Used: Pryce, Young, Garry.
Booked: Bradbury, Hollands.
My Man of the Match: Darren Anderton (Bournemouth)
Sponsors Man of the Match: Darren Campion (Carlisle)
Matchday Programme (Click to enlarge)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/7368656.stm
http://www.carlisleunited.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10361,00.html
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