Ring-rusty Clarets overcome unlucky Cumbrians

Mehdi Lazaar - scored his first Burnle goal

The was a welcome return to competitive action for centre-half Tom Anderson following the bad knee injury sustained up at Dark Lane. There was also a rare start in an injury plagued season for Dean Overson at right back. Top scorer Joe McKee was missing in the centre of the park but Captain Dave Lynch was present. Joe Jackson ploughed a lone furrow up front with Mehdi Lazaar the most advanced of the midfield five.

We started brightly with Shay McCartan getting down the right and crossing into the box. A scramble ensued with Jackson and Ross Wilson in the mix and it looked like the post may have been hit, but the ball was eventually smothered by the keeper. Within minutes we did take the lead and it really was a lovely finish. A ball from the back was flicked on by Lazaar and an attempted clearance from the Carlisle centre half smashed into the midriff of McCartan. The young Ulsterman charged through and into the box before executing a cheeky lob over the keeper who was still stood to his full height - an Irish version of the Karel Poborsky goal.

The following half hour of the match was a scrappy midfield battle. The goalkeepers were basically just spectators. Carlisle had a couple of opportunities as their height gave an advantage at set pieces, but both a corner and a free kick swung in resulted in headers off target.

It was after around 35 minutes of play that we extended our lead. Lazaar ran onto a ball which had dissected the defence and streaked into the box. The keeper came off his line but the Belgian used his quick feet to take it round him and allow him to slot it home.

The ref clearly had somewhere else to be as we had the shortest half time break I've ever seen, with just over five minutes allowed for the interval. I think the Clarets would have liked more as they just never really got started in the 2^nd half. All of the real chances fell to the Cumbrians but they were guilty of some wayward shooting. Their strong right winger supplied ammo for his wasteful forward and also took a few pot-shots himself, but Josh Cook was left mainly unruffled. There was a substitute appearance for Steven Hewitt, who replaced McCartan but we just never really got going and off the balance of the 2^nd half play we were possibly a touch fortunate to hold on - if the visitors had packed their shooting boots it could have been all so different.

Team:- Josh Cook, Dean Overson, Tom Anderson, Neil Yadolahi, Ed Williams, Dave Lynch, Alex Mullin, Mehdi Lazaar, Shay McCartan (Steven Hewitt), Ross Wilson, Joe Jackson.
Subs not used:- Callum Jakovlevs, Alex Coleman, Curtis Woods