Rovers Rue Missed Chances as Carlisle Snatch Win

By Deadly Submarine
March 30 2007

A goal in each half from the visitors saw them go home with the three points despite Rovers dominating possession in both periods of the game but crucially failing to take their numerous goal-scoring chances.

 

 

 

Attendance: 7,289

 

Match Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)

 

 

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A goal in each half from Carlisle saw their impressive away support go home happy as Rovers had the better of the game but failed to take their chances, a scenario which ultimately proved costly and almost certainly puts them out of the play-off race for this season.

 

Danny Graham opened the scoring after just ten minutes for the visitors and Kevin Gall who scored the winner at Brunton Park earlier in the season added a second to kill off the home side at a point when they were definitely on top in the game.

 

Ronnie Moore made one enforced change to the side that lost so dismally at Bournemouth last week with the suspended Ian Goodison replaced at centre-back by Shane Sherriff, with Carl Tremarco drafted in at left-back in Sherriff’s place.

 

Defender John Thompson made a return to the squad after his knee injury but had to make do with a place on the bench.

 

Rovers could have been in front in the opening few minutes when Kevin Ellison arrived first on the end of a cross from Chris Shuker but somehow the ball went wide without any help of a deflection.

 

Shortly after, Kevin Ellison got clear of David Raven who appeared to handle the ball in the penalty area and as the ball trickled out of play, Ellison made an attempt to win a penalty by going to ground – a move which he was lucky not to get a booking for.

 

Ten minutes in though the visitors were ahead with their first chance as Joe Garner set up David Graham to fire the ball home inside the six-yard box against the run of play.

 

Despite going behind, Rovers continued to dominate with John Mullin firing just over and Gareth Taylor breaking clear in the penalty area but seeing his shot headed off the line for a corner from which Taylor had another chance cleared away.

 

Despite the dominance in possession though Rovers just didn’t look like they were going to make their chances count and by half-time at least half a dozen chances had been wasted and Rovers were still behind.

 

The second half was much the same as the first with Rovers having the majority of the possession but not making the most of their chances as at times Carlisle defended for their lives but it was a quick break by the visitors in the 67^th minute that landed Rovers the sucker punch as goal scorer Graham turned provider as he crossed for Kevin Gall to knock the ball in from close range for his second goal this season against Rovers.

 

Prior to the goal, Kevin Ellison had been replaced by Steve Davies and just after going 2-0 behind, Ronnie Moore replaced John Mullin with Calvin Zola in a bid to salvage something from the game.

 

Zola got stuck in immediately, winning a series of corners that again came to nothing as Rovers continued to press forward.

 

In the end though, they couldn’t even find a consolation let alone two gals to save a point as Carlisle went back up the M6 with all three in the bag.

 

Whilst Rovers can feel a little hard done-by they must also pay the price for not taking many chances that fell their way, something that Carlisle managed on more than one occasion.

 

Next week’s trip to Blackpool now seems insignificant as Rovers play-off hopes have all but died with Carlisle moving level on points with them in the League One Table.

 

 

Robbie Stockdale –  Stockdale impressed on the right of the Rovers defence in what was ultimately a bad day for the Rovers back-line.

 

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