Inconsistent Cobblers suffer another promotion blow with stoppage-time defeat at Carlisle

Jordan Gibson converted from the spot deep into stoppage-time to clinch a dramatic victory for Carlisle United and condemn the Cobblers to a damaging defeat at Brunton Park on Saturday.

Town did not make the most of their dominance in the first-half and found themselves behind when substitute Tobi Sho-Silva came off the bench and scored with virtually his first touch 15 minutes from time.

Paul Lewis looked to have rescued a point having headed home just four minutes later, but Cobblers fell to pieces in stoppage-time. They gave away a needless foul outside their box and then conceded a penalty from the subsequent free-kick, with Gibson converting to snatch victory.

The defeat meant Town's poor away form continued and it leaves them extremely vulnerable to a cluster of teams just behind them in the League Two promotion race, with most having a at least one game in hand.

Jon Brady was afforded the rare luxury of being able to name an unchanged line-up in Cumbria and his side had a good chance to strike early when Louis Appere latched onto Paul Lewis' knockdown inside the penalty box, only to blaze well over on his weaker left foot.

Play switched back to the other end four minutes later and Town needed goalkeeper Liam Roberts to come to their rescue when he reacted brilliantly to keep out Kristian Dennis from close-range.

The two teams continued to exchange chances in an open and entertaining first-half as Roberts again denied Dennis before a well-timed defensive block thwarted Lewis in the other penalty box.

Sam Hoskins wasn't too far away from the far post with a low cross-shot and Aaron McGowan cleared the crossbar in further signs of the threat posed by the away team.

Right on half-time, Fraser Horsfall almost continued his scoring spree but stabbed over after Carlisle failed to deal with a corner.

In contrast to the first, the second-half was very bitty and stop-start and the game itself paid a price as goalmouth action dried up. Cobblers also lost Shaun McWilliams to injury and that upset the control they had in the first 45 minutes.

Roberts parried away Brennan Dickenson's long-range shot but Carlisle did not look too much of a threat either, until they went ahead with 15 minutes to play.

Sho-Silva had only been on the pitch for a matter of seconds when he latched onto Dickenson's through ball and calmly slotted past Roberts.

Cobblers needed a quick response and they got it within five minutes. Bez Lubala came off the bench to supply the type of quality they had missed all game, standing up a perfect cross for Lewis to head past Mark Howard.

That should have salvaged a point for the away side but Koiki's decision to pick up the ball in stoppage-time, assuming he had been fouled, proved oh-so costly when Horsfall handled the subsequent free-kick and Gibson scored from 12 yards, grabbing a dramatic victory.

Carlisle: Howard, Armer, Simeu, Riley, Guy (c), Feeney, Gibson, Devitt (Dickenson 60), Mellish, Dennis (Sho-Silva 73), Patrick

Subs not used: Norman, Devine, McDonald, Whelan, Omotoye

Cobblers: Roberts, McGowan, Horsfall (c), Guthrie, Koiki, McWilliams (Rose 45), Sowerby, Lewis, Hoskins (Ashley-Seal 85), Pinnock, Appere (Lubala 73)

Subs not used: Maxted, Harriman, Magloire, Zimba

Referee: James Bell

Attendance: 8,514

Cobblers fans: 380