Carlisle skipper Paul Thirlwell was the hero and villain as his side drew 1-1 with Walsall.
Ricketts penalty cancels out Thirlwell opener
Carlisle skipper Paul Thirlwell was the hero and villain as his side drew 1-1 with Walsall.
Thirlwell put his side ahead with a brilliant goal in the first half but then gave away the late penalty from which Michael Ricketts earned the Saddlers a point.
Walsall were second best in the opening stages but came back strongly after the break and Mark Bradley could have ended a run of eight away games without a win had his thundering long-range volley been a foot lower.
The Cumbrians' goal came in the 19th minute when former Preston winger Lewis Neal tricked his way into the box only to see his shot blocked but the ball broke to Thirlwell 20 yards out and he rattled home a powerful shot which went in off the underside of the bar for his third goal of the season.
The visitors made a double change up front on the hour replacing Troy Deeney and Jabo Ibehre with Ricketts and on-loan Aston Villa striker Sam Williams.
Carlisle failed to maintain the pressure in the second half and the visitors drew level from the spot in the 83rd minute after Thirlwell had brought down Sofiene Zaaboub as the winger drifted past two defenders into the penalty area and Ricketts coolly tucked away the penalty beating Williams low down inside the keeper's left hand upright.
