Carlisle leave it late

Carlisle United 1 Exeter City 0

Ten man Exeter fought a losing battle against a stronger Carlisle side at Brunton Park on Saturday.

City defender Chris Banks was the villain of the piece, after his second bookable offence against Carlisle's flying winger John Halpin prompted referee William Burns to reach for the red card That was shortly after the restart and it marked the beginning of the end for Exeter. Earlier, Darran Rowbotham had sparkled up front, looking dangerous enough to give City their first away point of 1989, but it was not to be. He first broke through seven minutes into the game and rocketed a 15-yarder which had Carlisle keeper Dave McKellar at full stretch to save on his line. After a half-hour period of Carlisle control in which out of touch striker Archie Stephens fluffed several sitters, Rowbotham found found himself space and sent an inch-perfect cross to the feet of Brian McDermot, but his close range effort was foiled by Carlisle's desperate skipper Nigel Saddington.

Seconds later, Rowbotham had his own close-in shot cleared from Carlisle's danger area by central defender lan Dalziel Banks' name first went into the book just before the break for bringing down John Halpin just as he was getting into his stride and heading into acres of space. Five minutes after the restart Banks got his marching orders for upending the same man as he reached a similar pace. His departure meant the end of any momentum created by Robotham who had to retreat from attack and concentrate on bolstering a shaky City defence. Carlisle made the most of things and 10 minutes from time there were several blue shirts looking threatening on the end of a dangerous high cross from John Halpin, but the ball was pulled down well by Exeter keeper Dave Walter. It was left to Richard Sendall, playing his first game in seven weeks. to grab the winner with just five minutes to go. Substitute Tony Fyfe sent Halpin clear down the left and his square ball fell to Sendall who fired home from 15 yards hard and low into the City net.

CARLISLE
McKellar: Graham, Dalziel, Saddington, Jeffers, Fitzpatrick, Walsh, Harkness, Stephens (Fyle, 69), Sendall, Halpin

EXETER CITY:
Walter Banks. Smith, Rogers Taylor, McDermot, Rowbotham, Benjamin, Vinnicombe, Cooper, Harris (Heath,72).