Deepdale sounded like home from home for flooded Carlisle United, whose Brunton Park has been more fit for porpoise than purpose. But Preston’s pitch was perfect and the Blues thanked them for it by putting three goals past Notts County, one for each of the carp caught in their home goalmouth when the waters subsided.
The 3-0 victory took them up a place to fifth in League Two, above their next opponents, Accrington, on Boxing Day, which is only a few miles farther than Saturday’s home fixture at 90 miles remove. They do not expect to play at Brunton Park before the end of January and even that is likely to be determined by off-field facilities rather than the pitch, both of which were hit 10 years ago as well, before storms had names.
Carlisle were truly away at Welling United in the FA Cup when Desmond struck. A 5-0 win was followed by Welling giving the day’s fundraising proceeds to the Cumbria Flood Appeal and, as Carlisle’s chairman, Andrew Jenkins, wrote glowingly in Saturday’s programme: “Not only that but they put pizzas on the coach for the players after the game.” Unlike Fifa’s football family this is one worth belonging to and the spirit that adversity can foster continued back in Carlisle where players helped with the clear-up and the community returned the service at the stadium.
“The people of Carlisle have been fantastic,” the manager, Keith Curle, said. “We’re determined to repay that by focusing fully on the job of getting results on the field and getting people back on their feet off it. Everyone, including myself, acknowledges a responsibility. The unity is growing.”
In his 15 months at the club this had not always been obvious. Last season he took them from bottom to 20th. His stock with fans was not high. Last month, as Carlisle settled into the division’s top half, his contract was extended to June 2018. He has continued to justify it, with one defeat in eight league games now, and more than 3,000 fans, nearly 75% of their average and some taking advantage of free coach travel, filled the Sir Tom Finney stand with raucous support.
Celebration came early. Inside seven minutes County were slow to clear their lines, Jason Kennedy’s thrusting run into the area ended in a foul and Danny Grainger, the captain, whose left foot had already shown its potency with crosses, converted the penalty. In the 45th minute Charlie Wyke flicked on a long throw by Mark Ellis and Jabo Ibehre knocked in unopposed from close range. Between times Graham Burke, who had conceded the penalty, hit a Carlisle post and Jon Stead’s header demanded a full-stretch tip away by Mark Gillespie. A fortnight previously the goalkeeper, ill for the Welling match, had been rescued from the upper floor of one of the club’s players’ houses. Shots then could literally have floated over the bar.
Around the hour Ibehre struck again from close range, his 12th league goal, as County’s defence looked in need of sandbags. Maybe the side were weighed down by their shirt numbers, averaging over 23. The only consolation for their 269 fans, lost in a 6,000-stand, was that their trip had been cut by 60 miles each way. They are Nottinghamshire’s third club at present, behind Mansfield. When Curle was manager they were comfortable in League One and went for a record 22 away games unbeaten.
Preston were fine hosts. Volunteer stewards were smiling at their escape from Christmas shopping. The needless peripheries of hype were absent and there were no ballboys for the visiting manager to blame. Carlisle lost 6-1 there on their last visit in April 2014, before the sides went their separate ways. In their current crest-of-wave form they do not want to miss games and, though they have found no ground for their home match with Hartlepool on 28 December, they are looking to build further fortresses at Blackburn and Blackpool. As they left for home an urban tub of narcissi was in full bloom outside Deepdale and rain was lashing again.
