Pompey 1 Carlisle 0: Curle bemoans costly misses

Keith Curle bemoaned the misses which proved so costly for Carlisle.
Carlisle striker Hallam Hope, left    Picture: Joe PeplerCarlisle striker Hallam Hope, left    Picture: Joe Pepler
Carlisle striker Hallam Hope, left Picture: Joe Pepler

The Cumbrians left Pompey pointless after Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Fratton Park.

But it could have been different if they’d made the most of late chances.

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Hallam Hope somehow passed up a gilt-edged opportunity with seven minutes left, as he missed from a yard.

And Jabo Ibehre fired over at the death when well placed.

Curle felt his side deserved a return from the game.

He told carlisleunited.co.uk: ‘We did enough to walk away with a point as a minimum, but it wasn’t to be.

‘The two best chances of the game came our way in the closing minutes so there’s frustration around that things could have been different.

‘We had the chance at the end where Derek (Asamoah) put the ball across the face of goal and it bounced over Hallam’s toe.

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‘Right at the end Jabo (Ibehre) had his chance and he missed the target.

‘What we don’t do is dwell on any of that for too long because I think it’s a performance we can be proud of.’

Curle expressed sadness at seeing Pompey in League Two, with his belief they belong at a higher level.

But he is now focussing on his side’s bid to reach the play-offs, which he believes remains alive.

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He said: ‘I’m disappointed to see a club of this magnitude in the second division (League Two).

‘I think the same about Carlisle United.

‘We’re bigger than the second division and we’re putting foundations in place to get us out of this.

‘We’re at a stage of the season where it’s no longer about performances, it’s about results.

‘I don’t care how we win. I think the fans understand that and they’ve stuck with us. The travelling supporters today were phenomenal.

‘They showed their appreciation at the end because they knew their players had competed.’ – JORDAN CROSS