Carlisle United suffer extra-time defeat to Plymouth in FA Youth Cup

Carlisle United 2 Plymouth Argyle 4 (AET): Carlisle United’s hopes in the FA Youth Cup were dashed in extra-time as Plymouth finally won an engrossing third round tie at Brunton Park.

The young Blues were two minutes away from victory but a late Argyle goal denied them – and then Seb Campbell’s goal early in extra-time won it for the Championship club, Frankie Maund going on to seal it with the last kick.

Carlisle’s under-18s performed with great energy and character throughout against a club from two tiers higher in the EFL, coming from behind to lead in the 90 minutes and forcing a number of other good chances.

Plymouth, though, also showed persistence in staying in the tie, and took advantage at the crucial moments to cost Carlisle the chance of a fourth round place for the first time in eight years.

The visitors struck first on 66 minutes through Cole Fisher’s penalty but Dan Hopper replied for Carlisle and then sub Lewis Lambert put Mark Birch’s side in front.

But an 88th-minute free-kick from Harry Shield rescued Plymouth’s hopes, and then Campbell pounced in the fifth-minute of extra-time before Argyle's Kian Burch was sent off - and Maund then broke in the last seconds to add a fourth.

United’s XI had one change from their second round win at Barnsley, with captain James Murray back from injury to take the place of the injured Oliver Penney.

Otherwise it was the same players who won impressively at Oakwell who carried the Cumbrians’ hopes from the start against Argyle.

Things got under way in rapid fashion and Carlisle might easily have scored inside the first two minutes.

The young Cumbrians worked the ball out sharply from the back before Hopper drove forward, sent Freddie O’Donoghue wide and the forward’s cut-back reached Hopper, who looked set to score – but was denied by keeper Dan Holman’s save.

Hopper drove another shot at Holman moments later and this heralded more good work from United, who showed plenty of urgency in the opening stages, Simon Rigby almost forcing a chance down the right before Trent Chapman fed Jonah Lowes, whose shot spun wide.

Plymouth, in the opening spell, looked more nervous than United even though Fisher went close with a free-kick. The visitors then lost Oscar Dean to an 11th-minute injury as sub Billy Devlin took his place.

Dan Hopper scored United's first goal and set up their second (Image: Barbara Abbott)

There was more positive work by United as Jamie Hodgson beat two men on the left, the resulting free-kick defended by Argyle, who were on the back foot again when Hayden Atkinson’s fine long pass sent Chapman racing down the right, and his near-post cross was fired into the side-netting by O’Donoghue.

Plymouth, though, grew into things as Carlisle’s first-half threat faded, and a series of corners tested United, one of which seeing Fisher curl to the near post where Shield’s goalbound volley was impressively kept out by Carlisle keeper Thomas Randall.

O’Donoghue, with a long-range attempt, narrowly failed to catch Holman out after a weak clearance from the Argyle keeper, before there was more pressure at the other end, Devlin meeting a Fisher free-kick with a powerful header which Randall did well to save.

Carlisle were not as threatening as before but they did carve another good chance late in the half, through more neat work at the back before Rigby played O’Donoghue through, but the forward shot across goal and wide.

United needed some attentive defending to keep Plymouth at bay in the half’s closing minutes and the tie remained very hard to call at the break. The second half then unfolded in similarly even fashion, Plymouth having plenty of the ball but Carlisle never far from another good opportunity.

First, the visitors got behind Carlisle on the right but Shield miscued his volley when meeting the cross. United, five minutes later, then worked their latest good chance as they won the ball back deep in the Argyle half and Lowes ran at a backpedalling defence, but as he dropped the shoulder a latest time, the visitors got back and blocked both his shot at Chapman’s follow-up.

After both sides made further changes, Plymouth then struck first when Fisher cut in from the left and drew the challenge from Lowes at the front of Carlisle’s box. Ref Thomas James pointed to the spot – and Fisher sent his penalty to the right and out of Randall’s reach.

United defend their goal against a Plymouth attack (Image: Barbara Abbott)

United, though, took just four minutes to get back on terms and they did so impressively as Hopper, with a powerful run through the middle, latched onto a through ball and left the Plymouth defence behind, before sending a composed finish inside Holman’s near post.

That galvanised the young Blues, while Plymouth lost a second player to injury, sub Lewis Flowers going off just 13 minutes after his introduction.

And then United grabbed the lead with another impressively-worked goal.

The build-up was all about Hopper, who kept the ball in on the right and drove away from two defenders before cutting the ball across, and after Lambert’s initial finish was blocked, the sub showed composure to slot the second one home.

Carlisle survived a Fisher free-kick as Plymouth tried to respond, before O’Donoghue tested Holman from a Lambert cross.

But then the visitors forced their way back into the tie in the dying minutes, breaking to the left and Shield brought down by Skinner inches outside the Blues box. Shield then took the free-kick and curled it impressively beyond Randall and into the bottom right corner.

United coach Mark Birch speaks to the players before extra-time (Image: Barbara Abbott)

Then, after some brave defending denied Campbell an injury-time Plymouth winner, it went to extra-time. O’Donoghue almost battled through early on for the Blues – but then Plymouth landed the next blow, Randall stretching to cut out a cross from the left but the ball running loose to Campbell, who turned and fired high into the net.

The rest of a cagey first half went without serious chances and in the final 15, a heavy O’Donoghue touch cost United one opening, before Burch’s late challenge on Tai Bell earned him a second yellow card and his dismissal.

Carlisle though they’d forced penalties when Reuben Towers forced home a cross four minutes from the end, but the offside flag cut short the celebrations. And they were finally killed off in the 120th minute when their corner routine was intercepted and Plymouth broke into a vacant Blues half, Maund going through to slot past Randall and send the visitors through.

United: Randall, Chapman, Hodgson (Hatton 94), Skinner (Bell 98), Porter, Atkinson, Murray (Lambert 58), Lowes, O’Donoghue, Rigby (Smith 67), Hopper (Towers 106). Not used: Sillitoe, Fleming.

Goals: Hopper 70, Lambert 79.

Booked: Lowes, Bell.

Plymouth: Holman, Campbell, Mwaro, Dean (Devlin 11, Maund 86), Ireland, Sullivan, Poole (Flowers 64, Hayman 77), Lord, Burch, Fisher, Shield. Not used: Flower.

Goals: Fisher 66pen, Shield 88, Campbell 95.

Booked: Burch, Lord. Sent off: Burch.

Ref: Thomas James.