The first Reading tie was a chance lost. The second Reading tie was another chance lost. And, in-between, we had to call on a Fraser Franks GOLAZO at Morecambe to stop us from losing on the road again. Still, we could all be Barnet fans; a hellish existence at the best of times as we all know, but one taken to whole new heights (Or plunged to whole new depths? Ed.) this week. Seriously, could someone nip down the A1 to see if they’re OK. They’ve gone awfully quiet… but, then again, they could still be putting all their toys back in their prams.
Thank Arnold, in some respects, it’s back to the rough and tumble of League Two life. It’s back indoors we go; Phil’s fine china all set out for the arrival of our friends from the North: Carlisle United. It was in those barren Cumbrian hinterlands that we last caught a peep of a Lesser-Spotted Stevenage Away Win. For online sports betting fans, we’ve not been much of a pick on that front since the end of September. And we shan’t get too many shots at a league double this term – but here’s one. If you could get ready, take aim… and fire!
Stevenage v Carlisle United: The Lowdown
The Referee
For the fourth time this season already, Charles Breakspear takes charge of a Boro’ fixture.
P7 W5 D2 L1 F15 A9; last result: Stevenage 3-1 Brighton & Hove U23s, 07/11/2017
The Head-to-Head
P16 W5 D3 L8 F13 A18; last result: Carlisle United 0-2 Stevenage, 26/09/2017
The Opposition
The current ignominy of being the last side to lose on their own patch to Boro’ aside, the Cumbrians have not lost at the Lamex in their past two trips. A change in the time of year might aid us; those last two encounters with Carlisle at our place both came in October (2015 and 2016). If you’d like a curious dose of trivia to see to your FACTSNIFFLES, the only time we’ve done a league double over Carlisle came in the only other season we won at Brunton Park: 2004-5. They went onto beat us in the playoff final, though, so it counted for naff all.
The Form
Carlisle are, right now, better off than us to the tune of three points. If we are to overtake them this weekend, it’ll also need a four-goal swing. The Cumbrians have a positive goal difference, something that we’re sure we can all aspire to. Based on the results of our last two home league matches, though, we can’t it rule out. Weird. Carlisle are 13th in the league table, 13th in the form table over the last six outings and 14th in the form table for the last 10. Basically, they’re Malcolms In The Mid-Table.
What Carlisle do do don’t they though is score goals. Not in mega great shakes, obviously; they are 13th in the table, after all. But this side has scored in more than three-quarters of their matches on the road. A 5-0 win at Crewe remains a season highlight to date. Us? Well, 85% of our fixtures indoors have seen the opposition find the back of the net – but that compares with 92% of home matches that we’ve scored in. And with two-thirds of our entire points haul and 73% of our Goals For coming at the Lamex, we’re in the right place for this one.
• BoroGuide’s Carlisle United club profile – the greatest thrill you’ll find on the internet today…
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