Carlisle City 0 Alport 0
Alport’s penultimate game of a gruelling 42 match season drew a third successive blank away at Carlisle City. The Reds had failed to break down stubborn Bacup and Blackpool defences to come away with a point from each in their previous two away games, and it was the same in Cumbria on a poor pitch.
 
Only 66 fans turned up to watch the game with 32 hardy souls from Shropshire making the 308 mile round trip for what was effectively a dead rubber game. It was a hugely experimental Alport side that took to the pitch at Gilliford Park with 16 year-old centre back Keaton Webster earning himself a MOM award from City officials, despite being substituted after 68 minutes. Cal Jones made his full debut for the Reds and with Nick Marley, Ryan Thomas, Dean Twigg, Joe Minshall and Luke Walley all getting game time, the emphasis was most definitely on youth.
 
The Yockings men should have gone in front with 25 seconds on the watch when Twigg played an inch perfect pass into the path of Walley who only had Adam Coward to beat, but the City stopper did his job to deny the youngster. Tom Lucock fired over for the hosts and Jordan Atkinson missed a great chance for City when the Reds were caught short at the back. In a 4 on 2 situation the ball was switched across to the waiting Atkinson who couldn’t guide the ball into an unguarded goal. With half-time approaching, Howard denied Si Everall who shot hard and low from the right hand side of the area.
 
Alex Hughes and Stevie McNichol were introduced for Marley and Elliot Ledwards five minutes after the break, with Marley opting to take up the role of chief drummer with the Reds fans in the stand after coming out of the showers! Both substitutes went close within five minutes of coming onto the pitch with Hughes seeing his far post header kept out by Coward. Coward was anything but on the hour, when he flew off his line to plunge at the feet of the Reds skipper to make the save.
 
One or two half chances came and went and there was a second yellow card administered to Craig Cherry in the third minute of added on time but there was no time to see if the extra man might have made any difference. Since smashing Ashton 9-0 two weeks ago, Alport have played 4 hours and 45 minutes away from home without finding the net. Hopefully, they’ll be saving them for the play-offs with the Reds certain to play their semi-final on May 6th at either Litherland Remyca or City of Liverpool.