Tomas Holy’s heroics in the penalty shootout were enough to take Carlisle United up to League One with victory over Stockport County in the League Two play-off final.
Holy saved Ryan Rydel’s effort as the Cumbrians won 5-4 on spot-kicks after the two sides played out a 1-1 draw.
Jon Mellish’s first-half own goal put Stockport in front but that was cancelled out late on by Omari Patrick.
After a goalless period of extra time, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans smashed home the first penalty for Stockport and Kristian Dennis followed suit in reply.
Holy dived to his right to beat away Rydel’s shot, and Mellish stroked Carlisle ahead in the shootout.
Myles Hippolyte rolled Stockport’s third spot-kick down the middle, but Ryan Edmondson was equally cool to send Ben Hinchliffe the wrong way.
Jack Stretton kept Stockport’s hopes alive with a confident penalty, only for Owen Moxon to smash into the corner.
Will Collar’s penalty finish proved academic, as Taylor Charters scored to win it and take Carlisle up.
The Hatters went ahead when Isaac Olaofe’s cross looped up beyond Holy’s despairing fingertips, off the unfortunate Mellish.
Defender Akil Wright provided a huge block to deny Carlisle’s Joel Senior after he pinched the ball and sprinted clear, and then missed a golden chance to head in a crucial second.
It proved a costly miss, as the introduction of Patrick saw him roll a poor clearance past Hinchliffe for the equaliser.
Senior made a key block in added time to take the game to extra time, as Hippolyte sought a winner.
The extra time period was tight, though Mellish’s deflection this time proved timely as it steered Antoni Sarcevic’s shot over the top.
Holy tipped over a searing Stretton drive to keep Carlisle level, while his opposite number Hinchliffe made an instinctive save to beat away Dennis’ angled header.
It went to spot-kicks, and the Cumbrians held their nerve to settle it.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Carlisle
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 1Holy
- 17Whelan
- 6Huntington
- 22MellishBooked at 24mins
- 2Senior
- 8GuySubstituted forChartersat 78′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 4Moxon
- 3ArmerSubstituted forDennisat 82′minutes
- 35McCalmontSubstituted forPatrickat 61′minutes
- 36GordonSubstituted forGibsonat 78′minutes
- 41GarnerSubstituted forEdmondsonat 61′minutes
Substitutes
- 7Gibson
- 9Edmondson
- 10Patrick
- 14Dennis
- 15Charters
- 30Kelly
- 33Robinson
Stockport
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Hinchliffe
- 4WrightSubstituted forCollarat 69′minutesBooked at 105mins
- 6Horsfall
- 23Hussey
- 3Knoyle
- 8CampsSubstituted forByrneat 85′minutes
- 18Croasdale
- 10SarcevicSubstituted forLemonheigh-Evansat 114′minutes
- 17Rydel
- 20OlaofeSubstituted forStrettonat 82′minutes
- 9MaddenSubstituted forHippolyteat 69′minutes
Substitutes
- 5Byrne
- 7Lemonheigh-Evans
- 14Collar
- 16Stretton
- 21Hippolyte
- 25Jaros
- 31Lewis
- Referee:
- Tom Nield
- Attendance:
- 34,004
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Carlisle United 1(5), Stockport County 1(4).
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Penalty Shootout ends, Carlisle United 1(5), Stockport County 1(4).
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Goal! Carlisle United 1(5), Stockport County 1(4). Taylor Charters (Carlisle United) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner.
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Goal! Carlisle United 1(4), Stockport County 1(4). Will Collar (Stockport County) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
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Goal! Carlisle United 1(4), Stockport County 1(3). Owen Moxon (Carlisle United) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top right corner.
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Goal! Carlisle United 1(3), Stockport County 1(3). Jack Stretton (Stockport County) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top left corner.
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Goal! Carlisle United 1(3), Stockport County 1(2). Ryan Edmondson (Carlisle United) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
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Goal! Carlisle United 1(2), Stockport County 1(2). Myles Hippolyte (Stockport County) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner.
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Goal! Carlisle United 1(2), Stockport County 1(1). Jon Mellish (Carlisle United) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the top left corner.
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Penalty saved! Ryan Rydel (Stockport County) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, left footed shot saved in the bottom left corner.
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Goal! Carlisle United 1(1), Stockport County 1(1). Kristian Dennis (Carlisle United) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner.
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Goal! Carlisle United 1, Stockport County 1(1). Connor Lemonheigh-Evans (Stockport County) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
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Penalty Shootout begins Carlisle United 1, Stockport County 1.
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Second Half Extra Time ends, Carlisle United 1, Stockport County 1.
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Foul by Chris Hussey (Stockport County).
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Ryan Edmondson (Carlisle United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Corner, Carlisle United. Conceded by Chris Hussey.
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Substitution, Stockport County. Connor Lemonheigh-Evans replaces Antoni Sarcevic.
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Attempt missed. Kristian Dennis (Carlisle United) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right misses to the left following a corner.
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Attempt saved. Kristian Dennis (Carlisle United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Owen Moxon with a cross.
