By Jon Colman

Last updated at 10:11, Saturday, 01 August 2009

Carlisle United 1 Blackpool 3: Carlisle’s endlessly documented striker shortage doesn’t have to dominate every report this pre-season.

‘First-class year: Left, Eric Robson addresses the Cumbria Tourism AGM at North Lakes Hotel, Penrith, watched by delegates

It doesn’t have to deflect the beam away from the defensive concerns which Greg Abbott must sift through before the start of meaningful combat.

If this sounds unduly harsh, then tussle with the following question: were any of Blackpool’s three goals last night entirely unavoidable? Were they all simply a trio of instances where Championship class conquered League One limitations?

The answer has to be a firm no. Certainly, Ian Holloway’s experienced snipers hit the Cumbrian target with enviable precision and composure in the rain at Brunton Park. But they had the opportunity to do so because of some incoherent work at the base of Abbott’s team.

Brentford, United’s first league opponents in 10 days’ time, may not have the cutting qualities which Jason Euell and friends displayed yesterday, but be sure that they will have some of the tools necessary to take advantage of sluggishness in the home ranks.

This appraisal is made only after Richard Keogh’s strong rearguard performance has been flagged up. The former Bristol City man, who also contributed a thumping goal, may have made his most convincing statement yet in the scrap for a centre-half berth in that League One opener. Otherwise, the way Blackpool exposed Carlisle must be dwelt upon, and then dealt with, by Abbott.

Exhibit A, the Tangerines’ equaliser, saw Carlisle make an unconvincing fist of clearing danger before Euell swept in to score in the 31st minute. Exhibit B was the sight of Brett Ormerod winning a marginal onside call, sneaking into space and putting Holloway’s men in front on the brink of half-time. Exhibit C we have seen before, only this time it was Euell who nipped through a variety of iffy challenges to score, in much the same way as Middlesbrough’s Rhys Williams at the Waterworks End three days earlier.

All tucked away clinically; all, in their own way, preventable. “Too soft, too easy,” was Abbott’s accurate verdict on Blackpool’s clinching strike. The shame was that these grievances actually followed an opening spell of zip and hunger from the Blues.

For a solid half-hour, in fact, all the encouragement was taken by Abbott, whose side had recovered the vigour that deserted them on Saturday, while Holloway’s orange-shirted players were, at first sight, a pale impersonation of a Championship team.

United’s clipped passing, and the direct running of Matty Robson and Cleveland Taylor down the flanks, instantly grabbed the 1,697 crowd’s attention and it was this sense of purpose which led to their opening goal in the 11th minute.

First, an encouraging foray down the left saw Marc Bridge-Wilkinson upended by Steven Craney. Then, after Ian Harte’s set-piece had been bundled behind, Bridge-Wilkinson curled over a telling corner from the right, and Richard Keogh raced clear of attention to apply the convincing headed finish.

At every point during the first 30 minutes, in fact, did Carlisle look a more plausible attacking unit than they seemed against Middlesbrough. Gary Madine was handling himself capably as a lone central striker, while the restored Graham Kavanagh in midfield was certainly aiding the Blues’ ball retention.

The chances continued to flow with pleasing regularity. One high-class move in the 13th minute saw Kavanagh and Taylor swap rapid passes, before Robson headed the player-coach’s cross over the bar. Madine then broke sharply onto Robson’s hooked pass and drew a save from Matthew Gilks. Minutes later, Robson curled fractionally wide from the edge of the box. When Madine was then crudely upended by Craney after giving the Blackpool defender the slip, Carlisle did not have much more convincing to do that they were the game’s superior force.

Then landed the first, abrupt lesson about defending against teams from a higher division. It started with David Vaughan’s deep cross, which Ben Burgess nodded back and which Danny Livesey met with a weak clearing header from the ball's awkward bounce. In darted Euell, who sped past a white-shirted body and slotted tidily home from the left.

It may well have been the first time supporters had detected Euell’s presence on the pitch, which is no slight, by the way, on the former Charlton veteran’s opportunism. The goal heralded Blackpool’s belated emergence into the contest, as occasional holes started appearing in the United back line.

Despite Keogh’s typical zest for a challenge, which drew the home fans’ appreciation, Holloway’s men found another way through in the 45th minute. After Kavanagh had been penalised for a foul, Vaughan floated the free-kick, Burgess nodded a header through the United rearguard, and Ormerod – somehow onside and in extravagant space – beat Lenny Pidgeley from close range.

Carlisle’s attempts to force their way back into the match after the break were energetic enough, but defined by a familiar lack of cold blood in enemy territory. Madine skimmed a low shot on target but straight at Gilks, Joe Anyinsah slid a Taylor cross inches wide after a sprightly counter-attack, and Tom Taiwo – on for Paul Thirlwell – raised United’s tempo with some aggressive midfield play.

Deflation then arrived in the form of Euell’s second goal, which started with a bustling run and ended with a stabbed finish after Carlisle had failed to block the former Charlton veteran’s route to goal.

At the other end, Anyinsah battered the woodwork from a corner, and Michael Burns and Conor Tinnion rose from the bench to deliver decent late cameos, but there was little other sign that any more goals were destined for Gilks’ net.

Carlisle’s early energy and competitiveness last night is noted. This wasn’t an insipid performance worth comparing with some of last season’s surrenders when it mattered immeasurably more. Blackpool’s status up the divisions must also be given decent consideration, as should the fact that no points have been lost through United’s trio of friendly defeats on home soil.

But none of this masks the issues to which Abbott must turn today. If United had hired a team of management consultants to inspect their pre-season work, they would be saying that the fact-finding is now over, and the troubleshooting must start without delay.

Carlisle: Pidgeley, Kane (Raven 45), Harte (Horwood 76), Livesey (Murphy 65), Keogh, Thirlwell (Burns 76), Kavanagh (Taiwo 61), Bridge-Wilkinson (Anyinsah 45), Robson (Tinnion 82), Taylor (Rothery 82), Madine (Dobie 61).

Goal: Keogh 11.

Blackpool: Gilkes, Baptiste, Martin, Evatt (Brann 66), Craney (Haining 45), Euell, Vaughan, Taylor-Fletcher (Southern 45), Devriese (Mitchley 45), Ormerod (Clarke 45), Burgess (Demontagnac 45).

Goals: Euell 31, 69; Ormerod 45.

Referee: D Foster (Newcastle)

First published at 11:29, Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk