Harrogate continue their strangehold over Carlisle to progress to second round

Posted Wednesday, August 09, 2023 by PA

Carlisle’s hoodoo against Harrogate continued on Tuesday evening as Paul Simpson’s team were knocked out of the Carabao Cup at the first-round stage.

The newly-promoted Sky Bet League One outfit had failed to beat the League Two Sulphurites in seven previous attempts and saw that run extended by a 1-0 defeat in North Yorkshire.

Jack Armer should have given the visitors an 18th-minute lead, but he cleared the crossbar from just a couple of yards out.

And Carlisle were punished for that miss soon afterwards, former Middlesbrough forward Sam Folarin stroking a precise 25-yard finish into the bottom corner.

Harrogate remained in the ascendancy until half-time, though both Luke Plange and Jon Mellish could have levelled matters, but neither man could beat Mark Oxley in one-on-one situations.

Simpson made four changes at the break, though it was the hosts who threatened first after the resumption when George Thomson curled a free-kick just over the bar.

Town began to drop deeper and deeper as the half progressed and, although they appeared relatively untroubled, Oxley’s foul on Taylor Charters saw Carlisle awarded a 76th-minute penalty.

Harrogate-born Ryan Edmondson would, however, fluff his lines from the spot and the Sulphurites were able to see the game out.