Carlisle United 3-3 Hartlepool United verdict: A unique evening of football at Brunton Park

Hartlepool United came from 3-1 down with nine minutes remaining to make it 3-3 and force a group stage penalty shoot out against Carlisle United.

But it was The Cumbrians who came out on top with a 4-3 penalty victory to secure two points while Pools had to settle for one on a bizarre evening in the north west.

Just three days after beating Carlisle 2-1 in League Two, Pools made the cross-country journey on deadline day to open their trophy campaign.

Dave Challinor made nine changes from the weekend with new signing Luke Hendrie one of four full debutants on Tuesday evening.

Hendrie slotted in on the right of the back three alongside Jake Lawlor who was also handed his first start.

Several changes were forced with Gavan Holohan, Jamie Sterry, Gary Liddle and Zaine Francis-Angol all picking up knocks on Saturday while Joe Grey was a late withdrawal after suffering a muscle strain in training.

It was an opportunity for those fringe players to stake a claim to get into the starting line-up in the league.

But it would prove a difficult evening for Pools’ back line as they failed to deal with an early set piece which Taylor Charters headed in with relative ease to give Carlisle a 1-0 lead.

That lead didn’t last long though as Hartlepool’s new-look midfield three of Martin Smith, Luke Molyneux and Matty Daly bounced off each other well to help Pools get a foothold in the game.

Molyneux’s pinpoint cross into the penalty area was neatly controlled by Daly and smashed into the top right corner of the goal to draw Pools level.

Both Molyneux and Daly combined well in the middle for the majority of the first half, clearly hungry to get in the manager’s thoughts for the weekend game at Tranmere Rovers.

The sides went in at 1-1 following an end to end first half, not too dissimilar from Saturday’s match at The Vic.

But after the break it was Carlisle who asserted their dominance and capitalised on Pools’ rustiness at the back.

A simple cross from Lewis Alessandra into that corridor of uncertainty inside the Pools penalty area saw an unmarked Manasse Mampala make it 2-1 with a close range header.

The game then looked to be put beyond Pools as some more shoddy defensive work between Lawlor and Timi Odusina was pounced on by Tristan Abrahams, who broke away to make it 3-1.

But a late change of system and a moment of magic from Molyneux kept Pools’ hopes alive with nine minutes remaining. The 23-year-old had already been Pools’ best player on the night before he cut inside onto his left foot and unleashed a ferociously whipped effort straight into the very top left corner of the goal from 20-yards.

A real piece of quality from the winger and another glimpse of what he's capable of – it’s just a case of producing it on a more consistent basis.

Molyneux was then at the heart of the action in the final minute of normal time as instead of cutting inside he charged for the by-line and was able to win a penalty.

Substitute Fela Olomola stepped up and converted confidently for his first goal for the club and one that would force a unique penalty shoot out.

Many fans started to make their way for the exit at full-time, thinking the sides had just played out a 3-3 draw. It took for a PA announcement to say the match would be decided on penalties for people to quickly turn around and make their way back to their seats in an almost comical fashion.

Pools had a penalty shoot out to thank for their place in the Football League but luck wasn’t on their side this time as substitutes Tyler Burey and Tom Crawford saw their penalties saved by Carlisle goalkeeper Lukas Jensen as the hosts won 4-3.

Hartlepool wouldn’t head back to the north east empty handed though, they still had a point to show for their late two goal comeback. But Carlilse’s shoot-out win gives them the advantage in the group stage.

Next in the competition, Pools will host Morecambe on October 5 before welcoming Everton under-21s to Victoria Park on November 9.

It was a unique evening on the whole where the match was seen almost as a distraction to the more important deadline day business Pools were looking to complete.

Even after the match, Challinor confirmed the club were still striving to bring players in with Eddy Jones signing on loan from Stoke City in the final moments of the window.

But the match itself still provided plenty of food for thought with Hartlepool showing good character and determination to get themselves back into the game when they looked down and out.

The performances of Daly and particularly Molyneux in the midfield were massively encouraging as it was clear they were two players looking to really make the most of the opportunity.

An with a couple of knocks being monitored, they will have done their chances of being involved on Saturday no harm whatsoever.

Pools XI: Mitchell; Ferguson (Crawford 79), Odusina, Lawlor, Hendrie, Ogle; Smith, Daly, Molyneux; Goodwin (Olomola 62), Cullen (Burey 62)

Pools subs: Killip, Byrne, Featherstone, Shelton

Pools bookings: Daly (55)

Carlisle XI: Jensen; Armer, Devine (Riley 71), Alessandra (Clough 60), Dickenson (Abrahams 60), Mellish, Charters, Feeney, Dixon, Mampala, Young

Carlisle subs: Simons, McDonald, Guy, Bell

Carlisle bookings: None

Referee: James Bell

Attendance: 1,360 (120 Pools)

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