January 2011

United captain Paul Thirlwell had picked up an injury, so young Liam Noble stepped in for his first professional start. Huddersfield keeper Alex Smithies is out for two months, but experienced Ian Bennett filled the void.

The game started off slowly, but came to life in the 17th minute. Noble’s initial shot was blocked, but the rebound went narrowly over the bar.

Two minutes later Carlisle grabbed a deserved lead. A neat flick from Zoko sent Marshall through and the Stoke loanee made no mistake from close range.

Carlisle extended their lead five minutes later. Hard work from Zoko down the left flank resulted in what looked like a bad cross. However, the on rushing Taiwo met the ball and hammered it into the bottom corner of the goal, leaving Bennett helpless.

Scott Arfield had a brilliant chance to equalise for Huddersfield when he broke into the box. However he didn’t connect well with the ball and it flew wide.

HT – Carlisle United 2-0 Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield had all the pressure at the beginning of the second half, with a Jordan Rhodes header only going narrowly wide. Shortly afterwards Anthony Pilkington broke into the area, but a well-timed challenge from Peter Murphy prevented him from going further.

Any Carlisle fan would’ve taken a two goal lead into the second leg, but things were only going to get better. Within the space of three minutes it became four. First a James Berrett corner was met by Murphy and he powered a header past Bennett. Then, from another Berrett delivery, this time a free kick, Lubomir Michalik celebrated his permanent return to Brunton Park with a header, a very similar goal to Murphy’s.

The chants of ‘Que Sera Sera’ had already started and the Carlisle fans were getting into party mode.

It almost became five on 73 minutes. After more good wing work from Zoko, Curran hit a fierce volley. Had Kevin Kilbane not got a block in, it would have been destined for the net.

Anthony Pilkington whipped in two late free kicks, but they were both met with poor headers that drifted wide.

United saw out the last few minutes to put one foot in the final. Carlisle fans may already be booking hotel rooms and travel for the weekend of April 3….