Carlisle 1 - 1 Cheltenham Town: Jason Kennedy earns Carlisle late point against Cheltenham

Posted Wednesday, August 17, 2016 by PA

Substitute Jason Kennedy salvaged Carlisle's unbeaten run with his late equaliser making it 1-1 after Harry Pell had given Cheltenham a second-half lead on the break.

Robins took a defensive pounding but looked to have survived until a long ball hoisted forward was scrambled across the line by Kennedy at the near post. Before that Carlisle had hit the woodwork three times and missed a host of chances.

Carlisle could so easily have been two up inside the first 10 minutes as Charlie Wyke directed a close-range header straight at Russell Griffiths before Danny Grainger rattled the bar with a 25-yard rocket.

Griffiths needed a second grab at the ball to deal with a skidding Nicky Adams effort before Grainger swung a free-kick just wide of the right-hand post as the pressure intensified.

Next to try his luck was Sean Miller with a brilliant right-footed curler from 20 yards which had Griffiths well beaten as it came back off the far post.

There was a warning for Carlisle when from a Robins breakaway Danny Whitehead's cross just eluded the inrushing James Dayton.

Again Carlisle left the back door open as Cheltenham mounted another break in the 57th minute with Dayton finding Pell to the left of the area and he slipped the ball beyond the diving Mark Gillespie.

There was nearly an own goal as the ball spun off a Town defender and against the bar before Kennedy stepped forward to dramatically grab Carlisle's leveller.