ON a wet and windy night in Cumbria, Hartlepool United couldn’t warm the hearts of their travelling support by finding the net in a goalless draw with Carlisle United.

A workmanlike performance from both sides produced a game that was far from a classic. With just one win in their last eleven games in League Two, it wasn’t a game Pools could afford to lose with the Cumbrians hovering just below them in the table. However, they just couldn’t find the cutting edge to take the points back to the Suit Direct Stadium.

The first fifteen minutes of the game saw a lot of style but little substance with Pools enjoying the better of possession. While Carlisle had slight openings with shots from Jordan Gibson and Tyrese Omotoye from outside the box, Graeme Lee’s side found joy down the left with David Ferguson twice. He whipped an inviting ball into the box for Marcus Carver who was just out of reach before latching onto a through ball and baring into the box only for the recovering Brennan Dickenson to block him off.

The Carlisle winger was close to going from sturdy defender to long range specialist when he lashed a first time effort that whizzed just over the bar just before the half hour mark.

As we approached the interval, the game began to open up with clear cut chances finally coming for both sides. A direct ball forward saw Omari Patrick one on one with Ben Killip but his low shot was palmed away by the keeper well. Carlisle attempted to keep the attack alive and when Timi Odusina cleared away a low cross from the left, Callum Guy left rip with a fizzing first time effort from 25 yards that whizzed just passed the post.

Pools responded with their best opening of the game so far when Luke Molyneux picked up possession in a good position and threaded Carver through the heart of the defence. The new recruit let rip at the angle but the ball flew agonisingly passed the post much to the despair of the strong travelling Poolie support. While the first half was far from a classic, the game opening up towards the end of the half offered some encouraging signs.

Carlisle upped the anti in the opening stages of the second half as Pools survived a huge scare. Odusina was adjudged to have handled the ball when blocking a shot right on the edge of the box. With a host of bodies in front of him, Dickenson cracked the ball off the underside of the bar as the ball bounced off the line and out. Appeals for the ball crossing the line fell deaf on the ears of referee Ollie Yates who booked Odusina for the handball.

The home side cracking one off the woodwork seemed to liven Pools up as they began to monopolise possession but were still failing to provide the required inspiration in the final third.

Pools found the chink in the armour but were brilliantly denied by Carlisle keeper Mark Howard. Pools worked the ball well to the right as Mark Shelton releases Molyneux. He drove at the defence before his cutback reached David Ferguson at the back post. His first time shot cannoned off the shins of Howard and onto the underside of the bar.

With five minutes left on the clock, Gavan Holohan breathed a sigh of relief when he brought down Jon Mellish on the edge of the box in a similar position to the earlier bar shaking striker. Fortunately for him, Callum Guy took the responsibility and saw his curling shot deflect off the wall and over.

The last chance of the game came from a free-kick in stoppage time when Nicky Featherstone whipped the ball to the back post. Reagan Ogle got a clean header on target as Howard palmed the ball out. Holohan tried to return the attack but the final kick of the game saw the ball cleared into touch by the home side as the referee blew his whistle.

Tempers flared between the away and home supporters at the end of the game. It could have been a release of frustration at the result for both teams. Both teams were desperate not to lose but could have done with more than a point.