Late Hope strike earns thrilling win for Carlisle

Posted Sunday, April 07, 2019 by PA

Hallam Hope grabbed an 89th-minute winner as 10-man Carlisle inflicted a third successive defeat on Bury with a 3-2 scoreline at Brunton Park.

Jamie Devitt’s early strike was cancelled out by a Chris Stokes double and Mike Jones was dismissed before the break.

But Callum O’Hare scored Carlisle’s equaliser and although Bury had a host of chances, it was the Cumbrians who prevailed in a thriller thanks to Hope’s late strike.

Carlisle went ahead with just 31 seconds on the clock when a ball over the top found Devitt free in the box and he beat Joe Murphy with a cool finish.

Bury were level within eight minutes after a slick move on the right in which former Carlisle winger Nicky Adams had a hand. Jordan Rossiter crossed from the right, enabling Stokes to steal in at the far post for a simple sidefoot finish.

Carlisle goalkeeper Adam Collin produce an instinctive goal-line save with his legs from Byron Moore but Bury went in front a couple of minutes prior to the break when Adams swung a corner to the far post where Stokes grabbed his second with a towering header.

Carlisle were reduced to 10 men in first-half added time when Jones received a second yellow card for a foul on Rossiter.

The home team drew level in the 50th minute when good work by Nathan Thomas gave O’Hare the chance to turn and sweep the ball past Murphy from 10 yards.

Collin saved brilliantly from Nicky Maynard before Hope stepped up to snatch an 89th-minute winner, putting the finishing touches to Connor Simpson’s pull-back from the by-line.