Last updated 12:49, Wednesday, 08 October 2008

Rochdale 2 Carlisle United 2 (4-3 pens): Plenty of new problems have landed on John Ward’s desk these past few weeks, but this was an old glitch flashing up on the screen.

Simon Hackney takes his penalty

Carlisle United’s attempt to find a turning point to their dwindling season was thwarted by their recurring inability to sidestep League Two opposition in a cup tie.

It was Stockport and Grimsby last season, and now Rochdale can join the infuriating list of basement clubs who have declined to defer to Ward’s troops.

Some observers might be tempted to rerun footage of Grant Smith and Simon Hackney both bashing the post in a penalty shoot-out and conclude that fortune has simply no desire to return to Cumbria just now. They’d be right, up to a point.

But a more damning and appropriate fact is that United required spot-kicks in the first place to try and vault their lower-ranked opponents. Another is that they had earlier needed a teenager to claw their way back into a chaotic game which might have ended with half a dozen goals in the away net, were it not for the excellence of Ben Williams.

Gary Madine’s ambitious equaliser is one “positive” Ward can carry away.

A superb and timely display from the maligned Williams in filthy goalkeeping conditions is another. But it is the defensive problems that showed up yet again last night which will prevent United's supporters from skipping down to Milton Keynes in three days’ time with hope in their hearts.

Rochdale’s goals confirmed Carlisle as a team at considerable distance from their most secure. Their second – an expert piece of opportunism from Chris Dagnall – came from an appalling mistake from Evan Horwood. And there were too many other times that Keith Hill’s sprightly hosts slipped through United’s back line for this to remain anything other than a matter of huge concern for Ward, pictured below.

Accuracy obliges us to report that snappier finishing from Michael Bridges may have brought United two or three more strikes than those provided by the illustrious loan man and then Madine. There were a couple of outbreaks of creativity involving Bridges and Danny Graham here which offered anxious Blues supporters genuine cause for optimism.

But the stat that snags in the brain today is Carlisle’s shipping of two goals for the fifth straight match. Again, the unforced error count at the back was high. This cannot continue if Ward is to achieve some respite from the stinging criticism which will keep flowing his way this week.

A team roster including five changes, including full debuts for Josh Gowling and Jennison Myrie-Williams, was the manager’s way of acknowledging his side’s bankrupt display against Tranmere on Saturday. Danny Carlton’s deployment on the right wing was the switch we least expected, followed by Gowling’s obligation to start at right-back, instead of his preferred centre-half role.

It was the right-sided combination no-one predicted, until Carlton swapped with Myrie-Williams and occupied the even less familiar left flank half-an-hour in.

And yet, United’s luck appeared to be spinning quickly as they scored from their first attack. Richard Keogh’s ball from the back was missed by Marcus Holness, who kicked thin air. Myrie-Williams pounced, sped to the byline, and his cross was dispatched into the top corner by Bridges.

Six minutes later, this illusion of Carlisle supremacy was obliterated. Adam Rundle, once of United, made short work of Horwood down the right and his centre was powered home by Lee Thorpe.

It got excruciatingly worse for poor Horwood 10 minutes on. His backpass to Williams was desperately underhit, allowing Dagnall to nip past the United ‘keeper, race to the left of goal, retain his balance as Keogh and Danny Livesey desperately slid back, and eventually slot the chance.

And so United resumed the familiar position of chasing a game while occasionally being outflanked by their opponents. The worrying loss of Paul Thirlwell to a calf injury on 27 minutes did nothing for their state of well-being. Up front for Dale, the meaty Thorpe and the buzzing Dagnall offered a considerable double threat to the Blues’ dignity. Williams saved sharply from Joe Thompson and Gary Jones, and Livesey scampered back to thwart Dagnall as the home side pressed.

Under lashing rain, Carlisle did offer some moments of attacking promise, the best of which saw Bridges slice wastefully wide after a splendid move involving Myrie-Williams, Horwood, Carlton and Graham. Then, early in the second half, home ‘keeper Sam Russell tipped Bridges’ shot onto the post after a precise backheel from the recalled Graham.

Williams denied Dagnall after the striker had given Keogh the slip, Livesey cleared a dangerous cross from Rundle, Smith became embroiled in a bad-tempered tangle with Thompson, and then United took their dramatic equaliser. Madine, on for Graham, deserves maximum credit for launching the confident 25-yard shot which flicked off a home defender and spun past the wrongfooted Russell.

The second goal of his senior career, it must also be the moment that plants Madine back in first-team contention.

From here on in, the floor was thrown open to Williams, who recovered well after Dagnall had charged down his kick, then denied Thorpe, and then kept out Adam Le Fondre’s thunderbolt with the save of his season: a triumph of reflexes after Jones had slid the substitute through. The script which had Williams as the night’s hero after so much public condemnation was binned, however, in favour of another tale of grief for Carlisle once the penalties were played out.

Smith’s miss, and the expert Rochdale conversions from Clark Keltie, Le Fondre, Jones and Ciaran Toner meant that Hackney’s failure was the moment a line went through Wembley on the Cumbrian calendar for another season (unless a league revival and a play-off surge happens between now and next May).

Only the brain-dead will use up all their anger on Hackney today, however. He remains among the least of United’s problems. Last night was meant to be about searching for solutions as much as winning a troublesome cup tie. As Carlisle splashed away from Spotland, the conclusion had to be that the hunt goes on.

Ben Williams - Some excellent saves and dealt with crosses with assurance - just the performance he needed

Josh Gowling - A committed debut, but not comfortable at right-back. Would have been more instructive to see him in his preferred position

Evan Horwood - Tormented by Rundle for Rochdale’s opener and a howler for their second. Improved after break but not a memorable night

Danny Livesey - Slightly better display than recently, but United’s back line still does not look comfortable

Richard Keogh - Strong at times, caught out at others as Thorpe and Dagnallpersistently threatened the Blues’ defence

Paul Thirlwell - Little chance to get going before injury forced him off midway through the first half

Luke Joyce - Negligible attacking impact but tidy in the pass and must be worth a longer look

Jennison Myrie-Williams - Created Carlisle’s opener and always willing to run at his man with mixed results, before being replaced by Hackney

Danny Carlton -Industrious as ever, but the right wing isn’t his position - the left wing less so

Michael Bridges - Sharper finishing would have brought a hat-trick, but is at least off the mark at last and showed glimpses of a promising understanding with Graham

Danny Graham - A couple of encouraging exchanges with Bridges, but no genuine scoring opportunities before being replaced by Madine

Subs: Grant Smith (for Thirlwell, 27) - put some urgency into Carlisle’s game before shoot-out woe. 6; Gary Madine (for Graham, 63) - Influential contribution and fine goal got United back into the tie. 7; Simon Hackney (for Myrie-Williams, 71) - Did his best to force a winner for the Blues but missed the decisive pen. 7

PENALTIES

United - G Smith missed; Bridges scored; Carlton scored; Madine scored; Hackney missed.

Rochdale: Keltie scored; Le Fondre scored; Jones scored; Toner scored.