Football Season Review

It would be difficult to find a team more adversely affected by the global Covid-19 pandemic than Carlisle United. They saw in the New Year sitting top of League 2 after some impressive performances before having the rug pulled from under them. The squad was hit by the virus and just as they were recovering, the winter weather led to further postponements. They played just twice before Valentines Day and had completely lost their momentum. Their activity had seen them drop out of the play-off places and it was almost as if they had to start their season again. Somewhat inevitably they were unable to rediscover the form that had taken them to the top of the table. Fate had played its hand and despite ending the season with just one defeat in eleven, they finished in a disappointing 10th position. Manager Chris Beech has tried to accentuate the positives but even he must be distraught after a season that promised so much ended delivering so little. He set his team up in a 4-3-3 formation that brought the best out of Jon Mellish. Beech converted him from a left-back into an all-action goalscorer midfielder. He scored a remarkable 16 goals and finished as leading goalscorer. Another key to their successful start was midfielder Callum Guy, who set-piece delivery was worthy of a higher division. The Cumbrians will lick their wounds this summer and then come back fighting next season.

Player of the Season: Jon Mellish