Carlisle 1-1 Stockport: Carlisle secure promotion to League One
Carlisle 1-1 Stockport AET (5-4 on pens): Paul Simpson’s side secure promotion to League One after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory at Wembley
- Tomas Holy saved Ryan Rydel’s penalty as Carlisle triumphed in the shoot-out
- Stockport had led at Wembley through Jon Mellish’s unfortunate own goal
- Substitute Omari Patrick scored a late equaliser for Carlisle to force extra time
Carlisle snatched victory from the jaws of defeat at Wembley to win promotion back to League One in dramatic fashion.
United were six minutes from losing when supersub Omari Patrick struck a late equaliser to cancel out a disastrous own goal by Jon Mellish.
But with neither side able to win it in extra time, Tomas Holy came up trumps to save in the shoot-out from Ryan Rydel.
And Taylor Charters stepped up to score the winning penalty and complete a spectacular comeback in Carlisle’s first EFL play-off final.
Stockport were the form team going into the game. They had only lost one of their previous 15 matches while Carlisle had only managed three wins in 13.
Carlisle earned promotion to League One after beating Stockport 5-4 on penalties at Wembley
Ryan Rydel saw his effort saved by Carlisle goalkeeper Tomas Holy in the penalty shootout
Stockport went ahead after Isaac Olaofe’s cross deflected in off Jon Mellish for an own goal
County also had the edge in this season’s previous clashes between the teams, winning 2-0 at home in October and drawing 2-2 away in April.
But Carlisle went closest in a frantic opening, with ben Hinchcliffe at full stretch to tip a free header from Joe Garner around his upright.
There was absolutely nothing Tomas Holy could do about the opener though, which came after a driving run from Isaac Olaofe.
The Stockport forward was trying to cross the ball when it deflected up off the unlucky Mellish and looped over dumbfounded Carlisle keeper Holy.
Stockport finished three points ahead of their opponents in the table this season in fourth, and suddenly had one foot back in League One.
But they had Akil Wright to thank for protecting their lead with a fantastic last-ditch block tackle on Joel Senior, who was clean through just before half time.
Even after that Carlisle had a great chance to level but John-Kymani Gordon sliced his shot well wide after showing brilliant pace and power to storm through.
So Stockport went in at the break leading in the game despite not actually managing a single shot on target in the first half.
Akil Wright had the chance to double Stockport’s lead but headed a free kick wide of the goal
Omari Patrick sent the match into extra time with the substitute scoring a late equaliser
MATCH FACTS
Carlisle: 3-4-1-2: Holy, Mellish, Huntington, Whelan, Senior, Guy (Charters 78), Moxon, Armer (Dennis 82), McCalmont (Patrick 61), Garner (Edmondson 61), Gordon (Gibson 78)
Subs: Kelly, Robinson
Goals: Patrick 84
Bookings: Mellish, Charters
Manager: Paul Simpson
Stockport County 3-5-2: Hinchliffe, Wright (Collar 69), Horsfall, Hussey, Knoyle, Camps (Byrne 85), Croasdale, Sarcevic (Lemonheigh-Evans 114), Rydel, Olaofe (Stretton 82), Madden (Hippolyte 69)
Subs: Jaros, Lewis
Goals: Mellish own goal 34
Bookings: Collar
Manager: Dave Challinor
Ref: Tom Nield
Attendance: 34,004
Wright should have doubled their lead with a free header from a brilliant Chris Hussey free kick shortly after the break, but sent it narrowly wide.
The longer it stayed at 1-0 the more you began to wonder if Stockport would regret missing chances like that.
Carlisle slowly began to take control of the game, with County largely limited to playing on the counter.
There was huge controversy shortly after top scorer Kristian Dennis finally came on for Carlisle when County survived a big handball appeal.
But with Carlisle’s tails up, Patrick smashed in his dramatic equaliser shortly afterwards from a cross by Joel Senior which Stockport only half cleared.
That sent it into extra time, when Stockport came again and Jack Stretton had a great effort tipped over by Holy.
Hinchcliffe then made an even better save at the other end when it looked like a glancing header from Dennis was creeping in.
But Holy’s save in the shoot-out from Ryan Rydel allowed Taylor Charters to step up and fire in the winning penalty to send the Carlisle fans into rapture.
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