Whelan earns late draw at Accrington as Carlisle United cling on to safety hopes

Accrington Stanley 1 Carlisle United 1: Callum Whelan scored an injury-time equaliser but survival-chasing Carlisle could not get the fourth straight win they craved at Accrington.

The Blues are clinging on to their survival hopes, remaining four points from safety with two games to play after a tight tussle with fourth-bottom Stanley.

Sonny Aljofree put the hosts in front midway through the second half before midfielder Whelan struck two minutes into added time to rescue a point for Mark Hughes’ second-bottom Carlisle.

United had earlier gone close when Georgie Kelly hit the post, with the recalled Joe Hugill failing to take a good chance in the opening stages.

Carlisle’s late goal, coupled with third-bottom Tranmere Rovers’ 0-0 draw with Barrow, meant the relegation battle continues to the penultimate weekend.

Aljofree turned in a Ben Woods cross in the 69th minute to give the hosts first blood, only for Whelan’s inspired leveller – his second goal for the club – to reply for Carlisle in front of 1,050 travelling fans at the Wham Stadium.

Hughes made one change to his starting line-up, replacing the suspended frontman Matt Dennis Joe Hugill.

There was also a place on the bench for Elliot Embleton as he returned from a three-game ban.

Accrington boss John Doolan, meanwhile, named the same XI that started their win at Salford City on Good Friday.

Joe Hugill fails to take an early chance for United (Image: Richard Parkes)

United, watched by owners Tom and Patty Piatak, started on the front foot as Jack Ellis was found on the right by Whelan, but Georgie Kelly headed a difficult chance over.

A much better opportunity came in the ninth minute when Carlisle kept a Cameron Harper free-kick alive and Terell Thomas turned it back for Joe Hugill, who went through to shoot, but the hosts’ ex-Carlisle keeper Michael Kelly denied him.

From there it was often aerial and attritional stuff, Carlisle struggling for a foothold as Accrington gradually came back.

Ben Woods hit a free-kick into the wall before Shaun Whalley picked up an Ellis clearance to tee up Liam Coyle, whose effort was blocked.

Aaron Hayden recovered when his clearance ricocheted off Woods who looked to to through, and then Hugill had to clear when a Whalley free-kick was headed across the six-yard box.

Cameron Harper made a couple of important interceptions as the hosts had a spell of pressure, before Benn Ward headed an Accrington corner wide.

United responded with an Aaron Hayden header which Kelly saved low down, but clearer chances were at a premium as the first half ground to a close.

Early in the second half good hold-up play by Georgie Kelly gave Hugill a half-chance outside the box but the frontman lost his balance as he shot.

Carlisle players react after the Accrington opener (Image: Richard Parkes)

And United then came agonisingly close to an opener on 56 minutes when Hugill put Kelly through and the striker took on the shot early, his effort hitting the right-hand post before Wearne’s follow-up attempt was blocked.

There followed an announcement over the PA system reminding fans not to engage in “derogatory chants” about players, some in the home end having sung “Where’s your caravan?” in the 54th minute at a time the game was held up as Wearne received treatment.

A bright move by United then saw Sean Fusire have a shot saved – but Carlisle then went behind in the 69th minute.

The Blues tried to clear a long Stanley throw, but the hosts recovered it on the right and when Ben Woods crossed, Aljofree found space to turn it past Breeze and into the bottom left of the net.

United can’t keep out Sonny Aljofree’s finish (Image: Richard Parkes)

Hughes responded by sending on Embleton and Josh Vela for Wearne and Fusire, with Joe Bevan on later, and the latter beat two men well on the right but wasted the resulting delivery.

Carlisle struggled to create anything else of note and penalty appeals in added time, when Hayden went down under keeper Kelly’s challenge, were dashed with the offside flag already up against the Blues.

But then Hughes’ side struck in the second added minute when Whelan dribbled into the box and beat an opponent before sending a fine finish across keeper Kelly.

That gave the Cumbrians hope of a dramatic finale, but they could not find a winner in the dying moments as they clung on to their survival hopes for another week, with Accrington now effectively safe barring an unlikely goal difference swing.

Carlisle now go to Cheltenham Town on Saturday hoping for a win to stay alive – but their efforts to stay up will be over if Tranmere defeat Crewe Alexandra on the same day.

Accrington: M Kelly, Ward, Matthews, Aljofree, Love, Grant, Coyle, B Woods, Whalley (Mooney 76), Walton (Caton 86), J Woods (O’Brien-Whitmarsh 61). Not used: Isherwood, Henderson, Quirk, Brown.

Goal: Aljofree 69.

United: Breeze, Ellis (Barclay 87), Harper, Thomas, Hayden, Whelan, Fusire (Vela 70), Harris, Wearne (Embleton 70), Hugill (Bevan 77), G Kelly. Not used: Lewis, Guy, McArthur.

Goal: Whelan 90.

Booked: Hayden.

Ref: Martin Coy.

Crowd: 3,380 (1,050).