Carlisle United 0-1 Carlisle City: Jordan Irving’s goal earned City victory against a young Blues side in the Fred Conway Cumberland Cup second round.
He pounced to score in the 61st minute on a freezing night at Gillford Park.
That proved enough for Dan Kirkup’s side to go through against a teenage XI from the professional outfit.
United came close when Jonah Lowes hit the post late on.
But it is the Northern League Division One side who go through as they bid to emulate 2022’s success in the county senior cup.
United’s side was comprised of youth team players as well as third-year scholars Jake Allan and Sam Hetherington.
The game was given the go-ahead after a midday pitch inspection and, despite further checks by the officials as temperatures fell before the game, things got under way.
It was a home tie for United but was switched to City’s ground.
City made more of the early running, pressing United’s young side with Jake Simpson, the former Blues head of performance, rifling the first shot of the night over the bar after Lowes lost his footing.
City had to be defensively alert to clear danger as Allan tried to pounce on a second ball, while Trent Chapman’s cross was cleared after good work by Hetherington for United.
Kirkup’s side had the ball in the net on nine minutes but Kieron Blair was denied by the offside flag.
And minutes later United keeper Casey Sillitoe showed sound handling to hold a Keelan Leslie shot.
United had good spells on the ball with Dan Hopper carrying the ball in the City half and Chapman offering an outlet on the right, but chances for the young Blues were few.
Freddie O’Donoghue was flagged offside as he went through to slot into the net.
Otherwise it was City offering the greater threat, Blair close on 26 minutes as he turned and shot just wide.
And Tom Mahone then forced a save from Sillitoe as a long Simpson throw broke his way.
Tempers rose late in the half as United’s Allan and City’s Callum Birdsall clashed and, as the shoving was broken up by team-mates, the City striker was booked by referee Kevin Mulraine.
The search for an opener resumed in the second half as O’Donoghue fired wide from the right for United, as both sides continued to try to get to grips with the hard surface.
City then broke the deadlock on 61 minutes when Irving was quickest to react to a deflection as he pounced on the breaking ball, rounded Sillitoe and slotted home.
United made a double change, with Lewis Lambert and Simon Rigby replacing Allan and Hetherington.
City then threatened again as Jake Simpson beat Sillitoe to a free-kick, and was caught by the keeper as he shot over the bar, but the offside flag intervened as City appealed for a penalty.
Irving shot too straight at Sillitoe as he looked for a second, with United’s young side still short of chances as they tried to get back in the tie.
Hopper, with 16 minutes remaining, fired over the bar after linking with O’Donoghue while, at the other end, Michael Slack saw a City shot blocked after they were quicker to a Jake Simpson free-kick as it fell.
United then came within a whisker of a leveller as it opened up in front of Lowes and the teenage midfielder curled his shot away from Townsley, but watched it strike the inside of the post and rebound to the keeper as City survived.
City, who had sent on Keighran Kerr and Alex Cairns for the closing stages, lost scorer Irving to injury late on, Adam Gordon taking his place before Mikey Williamson also replaced Birdsall.
Kirkup’s side kept United at arm’s length in the final minutes as City saw home the victory, United’s five-year wait to get their hands on the Cumberland Cup continuing.
City: Townsley, Kelly, Leslie, Irving (Gordon 87), Slack, Lightfoot, Mahone, Josh Simpson, Birdsall (Williamson 90), Jake Simpson (Cairns 84), Blair (Kerr 72). Not used: Kirkup.
United: Sillitoe, Chapman, Hodgson, Allan (Lambert 64), Porter, Atkinson, Hetherington (Rigby 64), Skinner, O’Donoghue, Lowes, Hopper. Not used: Randall, Bell, Smith.
Ref: Kevin Mulraine
