Last updated 09:29, Saturday, 13 September 2008

SIT 20 people around a table and they’ll give you 20 different versions of a game of football, so we’re told.

Not always.

Where Carlisle United’s victory over Southend was concerned, the Cumbrian public converged around one individual when selecting their man of the match.

And if the News & Star’s web vote is a sharp indicator of terrace opinion, that man was substitute goalkeeper Chris Howarth, who led our poll with 25% of the voting despite not making it onto the pitch during the game.

This column is not so cynical to suspect sabotage by a cluster of Howarth loyalists or, worse, a collection of mischief-makers.

We prefer to believe that Howarth didn’t put a foot wrong in the pre-match or half-time warm-ups and is simply getting due recognition for his work.

May United’s internet electorate continue to recognise that football is about much more than 90 minutes.