Carlisle United vs Exeter City. Sky Bet League Two Play-Offs Semi-Final.
Brunton ParkAttendance9,708.
Sunday 14 May 2017 22:24, UK
Carlisle United and Exeter played out a rip-roaring Sky Bet League Two play-off semi-final first-leg which ended 3-3 at Brunton Park on Sunday.
Paul Tisdale's visitors looked to have one foot in the final when they edged 3-1 in front with goals from Joel Grant, Ryan Harley and David Wheeler but Carlisle, who had levelled the game courtesy of a Jordan Moore-Taylor own-goal, fought back with 18 minutes left.
John O'Sullivan reduced the deficit when his 72nd-minute cross sailed over keeper Bobby Olejnik's head and into the net, and Shaun Miller levelled with a header seconds later - both goalscorers had been brought on by boss Keith Curle.
In a game full of twists and turns, a key moment in the match came just before Carlisle's comeback when Exeter striker Ollie Watkins had a goal disallowed to make it 4-1 despite the striker looking onside.
The teams meet again in the second leg on Thursday at St James Park, live on Sky Sports.
City went close with 13 minutes gone when striker Watkins slid in at the far post to meet full-back Pierce Sweeney's inviting cross, but could only send the ball high over.
However, he made amends within two minutes when he crossed for wide-man Grant to head home despite keeper Mark Gillespie getting a firm hand to his effort.
Grecians defender Troy Brown made a vital block to divert Jamie Proctor's 23rd-minute header wide, but Watkins fired wastefully at Gillespie after a lightning counter-attack three minutes later.
Reggie Lambe curled a left-foot effort inches wide as Carlisle put together their most coherent attack of the half, and they were back on terms 13 minutes before the break when Nicky Adams' driven cross was turned into his own net by defender Moore-Taylor.
However, Harley restored Exeter's lead in first-half stoppage time when his skidding effort clipped defender Gary Liddle and deceived Gillespie.
The visitors resumed where they had left off after the break with Taylor-Moore prompting a fine reaction save from Gillespie when he met Harley's 54th-minute corner with a bullet header.
But there was nothing the keeper could do to prevent them from extending their lead two minutes later when Wheeler accepted Grant's pass and calmly placed his shot inside the far post.
Exeter thought they had a three-goal cushion minutes later but Watkins' back-post finish was controversially ruled out for offside.
Miller, a 61st-minute replacement for Michael Raynes, might have dragged Carlisle back into within seconds of his introduction, but was thwarted by Olejnik as he attempted to round him, and the keeper was left red-faced when O'Sullivan's speculative cross eluded him.
Olejnik's evening took a further turn for the worse seconds later when Miller headed Adams' cross past him to level, sparking a late, but ultimately fruitless, onslaught during which City's Jake Taylor was denied by a post in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Carlisle boss Keith Curle
"The players deserve a lot of credit for the character they have shown. They were challenged today, they were challenged at 3-1 down and a goal having just been disallowed as well.
"But the pleasing thing is a moment of magic, a moment of brilliance, a moment of good fortune and this place comes alive again, and what an atmosphere.
"As soon as we got that goal, the supporters were absolutely phenomenal and then with that little bit of rub of the green that we get, we get something out of this game.
"To be honest at 3-3, I looked at the clock and there were eight, nine minutes to go and thought we could walk out of here 4-3 up.
"But 3-3 - you take that, I think."
Exeter boss Paul Tisdale
"This is a long game of football. I have been doing this too long now to think that 3-1 is a done deal.
"We played really well after that as well. I have got very little to complain about in terms of how the players played or the way we approached it.
"There was a fraction between being 4-1 up and 3-3. You probably know what I'm suggesting. It's a decision from a referee and then a cross that goes in.
"But it's the way it is. There is still 90 minutes-plus to go and we have to prepare ourselves for that. We back ourselves to be positive and offensive in the game on Thursday."
