Carlisle 3 Charlton 1

By John Hill on November 2, 2009 10:45 AM |

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Charlton were thankful for Carlisle's Graham Kavanagh at half-time - but they would have preferred not to have seen him come out of the tunnel after the interval.

The player-coach tripped Deon Burton to allow the Addicks to level from the spot in first-half injury time, but responded with two long-range belters in the second to consign the away team to defeat.

The result sees Charlton lose further ground on table-toppers Leeds United, who mauled Yeovil 4-0 on Saturday. Leeds now sit seven points clear of the south east Londoners at the top of the table, with a 12 goal advantage in goal difference.

Carlisle came into this match rocking from the departure of chief executive and owner David Allen, who criticised the board's lack of direction. The team itself was far more sure of itself against at Brunton Park. Scott Dobie's early shot was too weak to seriously challenge on-loan Wolves keeper Carl Ikeme, and Carlisle also hit a post with a free kick which cannoned out to safety.

Danny Livesey thought he should have had a penalty on 38 minutes, but the referee only awarded a corner. However, no sooner had that set-piece whipped into the box when the referee decided to point to the spot, this time for a challenge by Deon Burton. Ian Harte's kick was blocked by Ikeme, but the former Leeds man calmly tucked in the rebound.

The Carlisle lead didn't even last until the half time whistle. As Burton strode toward the goal to the right of the penalty box, the outstretched leg of Kavanagh caused him to tumble and the ball was again on the spot. Despite Carlisle protests that the challenge had taken place outside the box, the stage was set for Burton to blast the ball right and equalise.

Charlton's Sam Sodje rose to meet a free-kick in the second half, but his header cruised wide of the post. But Charlton were undone by a superb strike from Kavanagh on 63 minutes. A seemingly innocuous clearance fell to the player-coach from about 35 yards out, but he blasted a wild shot beyond the keeper after just one touch.

The 35-year-old closed out the game with just seven minutes to go, picking the ball up near midfield and closing in on the area before curling another long-range shot beyond Ikeme.

Carlisle: Pidgeley, Horwood, Livesey, Harte, Keogh, Kavanagh, Robson, Taiwo, Hurst (Anyinsah 82), Dobie, Pericard (Bridge-Wilkinson 88)

Subs not used: Colin, Murphy, Kane, Rothery, Offiong

Charlton: Ikeme, Youga, Sodje, Omozusi (Basey 72), Dailly, Bailey, Semedo (Shelvey 71), Racon, Sam, Burton, McLeod (Mooney 72)

Subs not used: Randolph, Llera, Wagstaff, Spring

Attendance: 6,077