Carlisle United 3 Sheffield Wednesday 2: Madine draws blank and sees red as Owls are denied

The pre-match talk had been about Wednesday striker and former Carlisle trainee Gary Madine, but the Owls forward fired blanks and was superbly marshalled by Slovakian international Lubomir Michalik.

Madine’s frustration finally saw him given a red card for a second bookable offence when it fell to another former Carlisle favourite Ben Marshall to inspire Wednesday.

The on-loan Stoke City winger was a thorn in Carlisle’s side all evening and put the Owls in front in the 35th minute when he cut inside two defenders to slot the ball beyond the despairing dive of the home side’s goalkeeper Adam Collins.

The Owls could and perhaps should have led by more at the break. Chris Lines had a chance to make it 2-0 in the 40th minute but placed his header too close to the goalkeeper and he then had a shot blocked when he chose placement instead of power.

Michalik then came to Carlisle’s rescue to deny Jose Semedo, acrobatically heading off the line in what proved to be the last action of the first half.

It had not been plain sailing for the visitors, however, Carlisle’s former Aberdeen striker Liam Miller proved a handful for the Wednesday back four and Rob Jones was given a yellow card for attempting to constrain the striker.

Miller flashed a header just wide after 15 minutes and he also carved out a chance in the 23rd minute.

Stephen Bywater was called into the action to tip a rasping drive from James Tavernier over the crossbar as Carlisle pushed for the equaliser.

The Cumbrians eventually pulled themselves level five minutes after the interval.

Former Huddersfield midfielder James Berrett chipped to the far post where Rory Loy had a header pushed out by the impressive Bywater, but the ball only travelled as far as Miller who stabbed home from close range.

Carlisle then found themselves in front when Loy lashed the ball past Bywater from just inside the box following good approach play by Liam Noble and Miller.

Noble made it 3-1 to Carlisle in the 65th minute placing the ball across the goalkeeper after Miller and Tom Taiwo carved open the Owls’ defence.

Rob Jones pulled one goal back for the visitors with a well-placed header from Marshall’s cross in the 88th minute and substitute Ryan Lowe went agonisingly close to grabbing an equaliser at the finish.

Carlisle United: Collin; Tavernier, Michalik, Livesey, Murphy, McGovern, Taiwo, Noble, Berrett, Loy, Miller. Unused substitutes: Zoko, Curran, Helan, Gillespie, O’Halloran.

Sheffield Wednesday: Bywater, Buxton, Bennett, Batth, Jones, Semedo, Lines, O’Grady (Johnson 61), Marshall, Medine (sent off), O’Connor (Lowe 61). Unused substtitutes: Prutton, Palmer, O’Donnell.

Referee: P Tierney (Lancs).