Carlisle 2 : 3 Wycombe Wanderers - Chairboys leave Cumbrians standing

Posted Sunday, February 22, 2015 by PA

A late fightback by 10-man Carlisle just failed as they went down 3-2 at home to title-chasing Wycombe.

Wanderers looked to be cruising to victory after goals from Aaran Pierre, Matt McClure and Fred Onyedinma put them firmly in control as the midway-point of the second half approached. But Kyle Dempsey and Danny Grainger hit back for Carlisle who had substitute Mark Beck sent off late on.

A trio of early chances fell to McClure. The Wycombe attacker put a diving header over the crossbar from close range and flashed a shot over from 12 yards out, before hammering another effort into the side-netting after finding space on the left from a quickly-taken free-kick by Paul Hayes.

It was only a matter of time before the visitors exploited hesitancy in the Carlisle defence and the goal duly came in the 28th minute when central defender Pierre was first to move on to a McClure knock down, getting his head to the ball ahead of debutant goalkeeper Raphael Spiegel to bundle it over the line from six yards.

Wycombe made it 2-0 in the 62nd minute when Onyedinma skipped past two defenders as he cut in from the left to bend a shot high into the net with West Ham loanee Spiegel well beaten.

The Chairboys went further ahead after 65 minutes when once again Spiegel was left stranded by his defence as McClure chested the ball down and fired home from 12 yards.

Carlisle pulled a goal back shortly afterwards when Dempsey worked a short corner with Antony Sweeney before receiving the return pass and curling a shot into the net from just outside the area.

The home side edged further back in the game with an 82nd-minute penalty for a foul on Charlie Wyke by Alfie Mawson. Grainger thumped the spot-kick past goalkeeper Matt Ingram.

Carlisle substitute Beck had only been on the pitch a minute or so when he was sent off with four minutes remaining for a foul on Sido Jombati.