County’s final
COUNTY .......................... 1 CARLISLE ....................... 1 (5-4 TO CARLISLE PENS)
COUNTY were cruelly denied promotion to League One on Sunday afternoon, as Carlisle United won the League Two play-off final via a 5-4 penalty shootout win at Wembley Stadium.
Tanto Olaofe’s deflected cross looped over Tomas Holy to give The Hatters a first-half lead in front of almost 35,000 at Wembley,
only for Cumbrians substitute Omani Patrick to level with just six minutes of normal time remaining.
The tie ultimately fell to the lottery of a penalty shootout, where youngster Ryan Rydel was the only man to miss - with The Hatters’ Young Player of the Season left distraught as Taylor Charters scored the decisive spotkick to send Paul Simpson’s men into the third tier.
Defeat by the barest of margins ended County’s first season back in the EFL in twelve years in crushing fashion, with Dave Challinor’s men now at least able to reflect on a largely successful return to League Two - and seeking to go one better next time around.
County boss Challinor opted for two changes from the side which started in the penalty shootout win over Salford City a weekend prior, as Ryan Croasdale returned alongside the hero from that win, Antoni Sarcevic.
Joe Lewis and Connor
Evans dropped to the bench, whilst Jon Mellish returned for Carlisle in place of ineligible County loanee Ben Barclay – who had scored the winning goal to send The Cumbrians to Wembley.
Skipper Paddy Madden had the first glimpse of goal of the day just three minutes in, when the Irishman’s looping header from an Antoni Sarcevic cross nestled comfortably on the roof of Tomas Holy’s goal.
There were to be few chances on goal in a cagey opening half-hour for both sides, although Tanto Olaofe did come agonisingly close to bringing Kyle Knoyle’s low cross under his spell at closerange just past the twentyminute mark.
Experienced forward Garner came closest to opening the scoring just prior to that half-hour mark, as he was left unmarked to head Owen Moxon’s free-kick goalwards – where Ben Hinchliffe was on hand to dive and tip the effort behind.
Callum Camps did well to wriggle away from Jon Mellish down the rightwing moments later, eventually teeing up midfield colleague Croasdale to volley well wide of the target as a tight affair remained as such.
With just ten minutes until the interval, though, Tanto Olaofe escaped down the right and saw his cross loop over a helpless Holy, thanks to a nick off the outstretched toes of an unfortunate Jon Mellish to give County the first-half lead.
Carlisle saw two huge
chances to level proceedings go begging before the break, however, as Akil Wright firstly superbly denied Paul Simpson’s side from a two v one situation in on goal.
Just seconds later, JohnKymani Gordon raced clear but blazed his effort inside the area well over the crossbar, giving The Hatters the slender half-time advantage.
But, having fired a couple of warning shots to end the first forty-five minutes, Carlisle almost found themselves two down when Akil
Wright nodded agonisingly wide from Chris Hussey’s teasing delivery early into the resumption.
That miss felt as though it could be costly for The Hatters - and so it ultimately proved.
Substitute Myles Hippolyte went close to sealing a famous win in spectacular fashion with ten minutes to go, when his overhead kick from outside the area whistled over the crossbar of giant goalkeeper Holy. But, having had a big let-off early in the half from Wright’s closerange header, Carlisle dramatically hauled themselves level when substitute Omari Patrick drilled home inside the area with just five minutes remaining.
That late leveller sent the tie to extra time, despite Myles Hippolyte and Ryan Croasdale going close for County deep into nine minutes added on at the end of the ninety.
There was only to be one big chance apiece in the extra time period, with Jack Stretton denied by a fingertip save from Holy, before Ben Hinchliffe incredibly clawed former Hatter Kristian Dennis’ near-post header off the goalline at the other end.
So to penalties it was, with Rydel the only unfortunate man out of the ten penalties taken to give Carlisle a 5-4 shootout win and a spot in League One.
For County, attention will now swiftly turn toward the restructuring of a squad which went as agonisingly close as possible to the glory of promotion, in order to bounce back in the best possible way for the upcoming campaign.