BIG MATCH PREVIEW: Carlisle United V Swindon Town

Get ready for Saturday's game

18 February 2022

Swindon Town face a long road trip on Saturday when they take on Carlisle United in the EFL Sky Bet League Two at Brunton Park.

Ben Garner's team take on The Cumbrians looking to pick up another big three points after beating Scunthorpe United last weekend.

Carlisle, meanwhile, have lost four straight and are scrapping at the wrong end of the EFL Sky Bet League Two table, so they will be looking to secure a huge win tomorrow.

Allow us to get you set for a big game of football...

LAST TIME WE MET

Romoney Crichlow's first goal for the Reds wasn't enough to avoid defeat to Carlisle the last time these two teams met, with strikes from Joe Riley and Tristan Abrahams sealing a 2-1 success for the visitors at SN1 on Saturday 14th August 2021.

LAST FIVE

Season / Date	Competition	Result	Town Scorers
2021-22 - 7 Aug (H)	Sky Bet League Two	1-2	Crichlow
2019-20 - 8 Feb (A)	Sky Bet League Two	1-1	Edmonds-Green
2019-20 - 10 Aug (H)	Sky Bet League Two	3-2	Yates, Fryers, Woolery
2018-19 - 9 Mar (A)	Sky Bet League Two	2-1	Bennett
2018-19 - 17 Nov (H)	Sky Bet League Two	0-4

FULL RECORD V CARLISLE UNITED

P	W	D	L	F	A
49	15	21	13	61	59

TICKET NEWS

Town fans can purchase tickets from the Carlisle Ticket Office on Saturday, but there will be a £3 price increase.

TEAM NEWS

Town will be without Ben Gladwin (hamstring), Dion Conroy (Achilles) and Jack Payne (knee), but Jonny Williams will come back into the matchday squad.

For Carlisle, they will be hoping that Club Captain Callum Guy is fit for tomorrow's game, but Brennan Dickenson, Gime Toure, Kelvin Mellor and Joel Senior remain out.

ONE TO WATCH

Joe Riley can strike a ball, as Town fans will know from earlier in the season, and his ability to cross the ball and from set-pieces will no doubt be the biggest threat to the Reds on Saturday.

If Riley can have an impact on the game and look to feed Carlisle's frontmen, then that could be the best way for the hosts to pick up what is a much-needed three points.

A WORD FROM BOTH CAMPS

Keith Millen, Carlisle United Manager: “When I watch their games, they’re a possession side whether they’re at home or away.

"They changed their shape and formation last week, on the back of maybe having a few injuries, and they’d had that run of games without a win.

“This is a team that’s trying to get into the play-offs and it shows you every team can have these runs. I know Ben Garner really well, we worked together at Crystal Palace, he’s a friend of mine and he’s set the team up, he’s got some good footballers in there.

“It’s not rocket science, you look at the stats and they do keep it well. It doesn’t worry me, just hopefully they’re not very effective with their passing.

“Then when we do get our chances with the ball, we’ve got to be effective, which we were last Saturday. Can we take that goal threat into the game, but also be aware sometimes we might have to be a bit patient, and keep our discipline."

Ben Garner, Swindon Town Head Coach: "We know going there that we are going to have to fight and scrap for absolutely everything on that pitch tomorrow.

"But, like Scunthorpe and like the remaining games this season, we are going there to attack, we are going there to be brave and to play our football and we want to come back with the three points.

"They changed shape last week and got a good point at Colchester and scored two good goals, and I think they'll be very pleased with that point.

"You always look at what is in front of you, what you see from the games, what the data is telling you and from that you base what you think they are going to do on what their strengths are and where we feel we can hurt them and we go there with a game plan to win the game."

ELSEWHERE IN THE SKY BET LEAGUE TWO

Northampton Town v Colchester United (2pm)

Forest Green Rovers v Walsall (3pm)

Harrogate Town v Leyton Orient (3pm)

Hartlepool United v Sutton United (3pm)

Newport County v Mansfield Town (3pm)

Oldham Athletic v Bradford City (3pm)

Salford City v Crawley Town (3pm)

Scunthorpe United v Rochdale (3pm)

Stevenage v Bristol Rovers (3pm)

Tranmere Rovers v Port Vale (3pm)

OFFICIALS

Referee - Oliver Langford

Assistant Referee - Paul Hodskinson

Assistant Referee - Nik Barnand

Fourth Official - Andy Haines

FOLLOW THE ACTION LIVE

Not making the long trip to Carlisle United on Saturday? Don’t panic because there are numerous ways to keep up to date with all the action.

Live updates will be available on our Twitter and Facebook pages, in addition to our Match Centre on the website, which can be found at the top of the home page on matchdays.

In the wake of the game, https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/ will be the place to go with a full report, reaction and pictures available to view and read through shortly after the final whistle.

Match Reports

MATCH REPORT: Carlisle United 0-3 Swindon Town

Reds win big away from home

19 February 2022

Swindon Town produced a dominant display to beat Carlisle United 3-0 at Brunton Park in the EFL Sky Bet League Two this afternoon.

Harry McKirdy found the back of the net against his former team to get the Reds off to an ideal start, and quick-fire strikes from Josh Davison and Louie Barry widened the gap after the break and, ultimately, sealed a big win on the road.

Town Head Coach Ben Garner opted for just the one change with Ricky Aguiar coming in to make his first league start of the season, replacing the injured Ben Gladwin.

Jonny Williams returned from injury to return to the matchday squad, taking his place on the bench as the Reds looked to make it two wins on the bounce.

Swindon started brightly and with intent but it was Carlisle who carved out the first chance of the game as Joe Riley's great ball found Omari Patrick out wide, who beat his man before cutting the ball back into the path of Callum Guy, with the Captain's shot flying inches over the bar.

It was then Town's turn to attack as Rob Hunt was allowed to charge into the box before picking out Louie Barry, who was denied by two excellent blocks from Morgan Feeney inside the area.

Guy had a couple of efforts blocked before laying the ball of to Riley who forced Jojo Wollacott into a save down low, before the Reds opened the scoring.

Hunt, who had been finding success darting forward, found McKirdy inside the box and the forward did the rest by slamming the ball into the roof of the net to give his team the lead.

Jon Mellish thumped a shot wide after Town couldn't clear their lines from a free-kick, before Owen Windsor's shot from distance was easy for Wollacott to deal with at the other end.

Town nearly doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time after Ricky Aguiar played Barry clean through on goal with a sublime pass, but the on-loan Villa attacker was denied after seeing his shot from inside the area palmed away by Mark Howard in the Carlisle goal.

HALF-TIME: CARLISLE UNITED 0-1 SWINDON TOWN

Town looked to come out swinging in the second-half and they started with intent with Joe Tomlinson going for goal, but his effort took a deflection before looping up into the arms of Howard.

Carlisle then enjoyed a spell of pressure as Guy sent a cross into the heart of the penalty area, with Tobi Sho-Silva planting a header wide.

However, the Reds were always well in control and they effectively killed the game off before the hour mark thanks to two quick strikes.

First, Town broke quickly and McKirdy was able to play through an inch-perfect pass to Davison, who did the rest by finishing neatly past Howard for his third goal in just two games.

Then, moments later, McKirdy was at the heart of things yet again as his excellent cross found an unmarked Barry, who had the easy task of smashing home his first goal for the club.

After scoring and laying on two assists, McKirdy's day was done as he was replaced by Jonny Williams, before Ellis Iandolo eventually made way for Ryan East.

The impressive Aguiar dragged a shot wide for the rampant visitors, before there were a couple of chances for the hosts as Simeu sent a header wide and Kristian Dennis' shot was straight at Wollacott.

With only a few minutes remaining, Town made their third and final change of the afternoon as Harry Parsons replaced Josh Davison.

Wollacott did well to tip Feeney's header over the bar, and that was enough to secure a second straight clean sheet and three points with Town seeing out the rest of the game with ease.

FULL-TIME: CARLISLE UNITED 0-3 SWINDON TOWN

TEAMS AND STATS

CARLISLE UNITED - Howard; Simeu, Riley, Guy (C), Mellish (Kristian Dennis 58), Feeney, Whelan, Sho-Silva (Jamie Devitt 77), Roberts, Patrick, Windsor (Jordan Gibson 45).

SUBS NOT USED - Breeze, Armer, Devine, Omotoye.

BOOKED - Dynel Simeu.

SWINDON TOWN - Wollacott; Iandolo (Ryan East 70), Davison (Harry Parsons 84), McKirdy (Jonny Williams 60), Cooper, O'Brien, Barry, Tomlinson, Hunt (C), Reed, Aguiar.

SUBS NOT USED - Ward, Odimayo, Baudry, Mitchell-Lawson.

SCORERS - Harry McKirdy (17), Josh Davison (55), Louie Barry (58).

BOOKED - Josh Davison, Brandon Cooper.

REFEREE - Oliver Langford.

Attendance - 4,345 (381 Away Fans).