Match ends, Port Vale 2, Carlisle United 1.
Port ValePort Vale2CarlisleCarlisle United1
Mark Cullen scored a late winner as Port Vale claimed a narrow 2-1 comeback victory over Carlisle, having fallen behind after just 20 seconds at Vale Park.
Ryan Loft gave the visitors - who sacked manager Steven Pressley on Tuesday - an early lead before David Worrall and substitute Cullen's second-half strikes moved Vale up to eighth in Sky Bet League Two.
Carlisle, under caretaker boss Gavin Skelton, made the best-possible start when Loft met Gethin Jones' ball at the back post and tapped it past Vale goalkeeper Scott Brown.
They nearly doubled their lead after four minutes when Loft's cross fell to Mike Jones on the edge of the box, but his thunderbolt went just wide of the post.
At the other end, Jake Taylor's 25-yard effort cannoned off the woodwork and Carlisle goalkeeper Adam Collin made a stunning close-range save to keep out Ritchie Bennett.
The Valiants equalised on the hour when Worrall met James Gibbons' pass and poked the ball home.
And the hosts won it 13 minutes later when Carlisle defender Byron Webster completely missed Gibbons' ball into the box and Cullen was there to divert it home.
Report supplied by PA Media
Line-ups
Port Vale
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Brown
- 2GibbonsBooked at 75mins
- 5Legge
- 15Smith
- 11MontañoBooked at 87mins
- 16Taylor
- 4Joyce
- 20BurgessSubstituted forCullenat 73'minutes
- 19Amoo
- 21BennettSubstituted forPopeat 57'minutes
- 7WorrallSubstituted forBrowneat 84'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Pope
- 13Cullen
- 17Browne
- 18Evans
- 22Lloyd
- 28Brisley
- 30Maddison
Carlisle
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Collin
- 14Jones
- 23Branthwaite
- 17Webster
- 3Iredale
- 7Thomas
- 4CarrollBooked at 53minsSubstituted forSorensenat 88'minutes
- 8Jones
- 11McKirdy
- 24OlomolaSubstituted forBridgeat 64'minutes
- 25LoftBooked at 87mins
Substitutes
- 2Elliott
- 5Mellish
- 6Hayden
- 19Bridge
- 22Gray
- 27Knight-Percival
- 31Sorensen
- Referee:
- Martin Coy
- Attendance:
- 4,783
Match Stats
Home TeamPort ValeAway TeamCarlisle
- Possession
- Home57%
- Away43%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away4
- Corners
- Home7
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Port Vale 2, Carlisle United 1.
Post update
Foul by Tom Pope (Port Vale).
Post update
Jack Bridge (Carlisle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Nathan Smith (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Elias Sorensen (Carlisle United).
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Attempt blocked. Nathan Thomas (Carlisle United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Carlisle United. Conceded by James Gibbons.
Substitution
Substitution, Carlisle United. Elias Sorensen replaces Canice Carroll.
Booking
Ryan Loft (Carlisle United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Booking
Cristian Montaño (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Cristian Montaño (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Ryan Loft (Carlisle United).
Substitution
Substitution, Port Vale. Rhys Browne replaces David Worrall because of an injury.
Goal!
Goal! Port Vale 2, Carlisle United 1. Mark Cullen (Port Vale) header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by James Gibbons with a cross.
Post update
David Amoo (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Jack Iredale (Carlisle United).
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Attempt missed. Ryan Loft (Carlisle United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Nathan Thomas.
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Attempt saved. Nathan Thomas (Carlisle United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jack Bridge.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jake Taylor (Port Vale) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Leon Legge with a headed pass.