Carlisle 3 Sheffield Wednesday 1
Dec 1 2010 The Journal
CARLISLE United brought an end to an impressive run of six consecutive victories for Sheffield Wednesday with a blistering performance as they made it six wins and a draw from an amazing procession of seven home outings in November.
White lines dyed blue and space-age pitch covers convinced match official David Webb that the game was never in doubt, and the reward was another step closer to Wembley in what were, at times, near-blizzard conditions in this Johnstone’s Paint Tropy Northern Area semi-final tie.
A tentative start saw both sides trying to get the measure of the slippery snow-covered surface but Carlisle settled better. Lubomir Michalik was first to test the target with a downward header from a James Berrett corner that Darren Purse managed to block.
An athletic spin and turn from Tom Taiwo took him clear of his marker and his pass for Gary Madine left the striker with time to shoot. He connected well on the edge of the box but an outstretched leg from the diving Nicky Weaver sent the goalbound effort over the bar.
A Michalik free-kick from 25 yards crashed against the wall as United looked the more likely to score, and François Zoko was disappointed to see Weaver pick it up as it also ricocheted off his thigh.
The Cumbrians got the goal their play deserved on 29 minutes when Tom Cruise spotted Madine with time and space.
He fed it back to Taiwo and his clipped cross was perfect for Ivorian striker Zoko. He kept his eye on the ball and nodded it into the back of the net, via the upright.
The home side continued to play the better football and it got worse for the visitors just before the break when in-form striker Neil Mellor went down heavily under pressure from Michalik and had to be carried from the pitch on a stretcher.
United had a scare right at the start of the second half when Adam Collin sliced a Frank Simek back pass into the air. Jermaine Johnson was on it like a flash and he won the race to get there ahead of the Carlisle keeper as the pair scampered to retrieve it.
The Wednesday man fell to the ground as he took it into the area but the referee waved play on as he ignored penalty claims from the visitors’ bench.
It was good stuff from the Owls and Johnson looked to have the measure of Michalik as he ran at the heart of the back line but the on-loan Leeds defender timed his challenge to make a superb block.
