Port Vale's efforts drew praise from a Carlisle perspective on Saturday. Former Carlisle midfielder Chris Lumsdon was at the game summarising for BBC Cumbria and was impressed by Vale's comeback to win, and also the atmosphere at Vale Park.
Mark Cullen's 83rd-minute goal gave Vale a 2-1 win to preserve their unbeaten league home record and move them up to eighth in the table, outside the play-offs on goal difference and just two points off the automatic promotion spots.
That meant more frustration for Carlisle who are down to 20th and parted company with manager Steven Pressley on Wednesday.
Lumsdon is reportedly part of a group of businessmen and former players who have approached Carlisle to 'help' the club.
But in his role as BBC summariser, he said there was a huge difference at Vale Park from previous visits.
He explained: "Carlisle's fan base is incredible and we want to get those people through the door again and really get people with a smile on their face. Port Vale today, turmoil last year and you could really sense the difference in the crowd today. They really got behind it and they are in better spirits, that can make all the difference."
Lumsdon also praised John Askey's team for their recovery after falling behind to Ryan Loft's opener after 21 seconds.
David Worrall levelled on the hour before Cullen settled the game.
Lumsdon added: "It was better (from Carlisle) but losing after going in front is a bad sign for me. It is a great sign for Port Vale. I have been in teams like that where you are not dominating games and it is an even game all the way, but to find that inner strength to come back and find a way to score, that is what they have done. We are the ones who have found a way to get beaten from a winning position which really worries me."
Carlisle's caretaker boss Gavin Skelton felt his side were looking dangerous before Mark Cullen's winner.
Skelton told BBC Cumbria: "I thought it was probably a good game to watch. I would have taken a dour game and us coming out on the right end of it, but I thought it was probably an exciting game to watch.
"You always go off the crowd reaction and both sets of fans were loud and vocal. You couldn't see which side was going to take the winner. I thought we had a right go when it went to 1-1.
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"We decided to have a go and keep our wide players high. We created some opportunities but unfortunately we weren't clinical enough to take them.
"We just didn't defend the crosses in those moments and it was two very similar goals unfortunately."
He added: "I felt in the first 20 or 25 minutes we settled down and in the second half I felt we were in control. When it went 1-1 you look at the clock and think there's a long way to go. But I thought we got back on top then and were really chasing the winner, but unfortunately just weren't clinical enough."
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