Carlisle United vs Portsmouth. Sky Bet League One.
Brunton Park.
Saturday 10 February 2024 18:00, UK
Paddy Lane cemented Portsmouth’s place at the Sky Bet League One summit with the game’s only goal as the leaders defeated bottom side Carlisle 1-0 at Brunton Park.
Lane scored his 10th goal of the campaign - and third in two games - to break the Cumbrians' stubborn resistance after 62 minutes.
But the scorer was indebted to substitute Abu Kamara's surging run and incisive through-ball minutes after coming off the bench.
Portsmouth's victory completed a league double over Paul Simpson's side and condemned their hosts to a sixth successive defeat.
That is Carlisle's worst run in the league for more than two decades and they also set an unwanted club record of 25 league games without a clean sheet.
Trending
- World Darts Championship: Anderson two sets down after seeds KO'd LIVE!
- Reaction as Christmas leaders Liverpool score SIX at Tottenham LIVE!
- Goals galore! Liverpool trump Spurs in NINE-goal bonanza
- World Darts Championship schedule: Anderson headlines Sunday's action
- 'Cultural overhaul needed' | Neville slams mediocre Man Utd
- Liverpool latest: Wherever I end my career I am happy - Salah
- NFL Sunday LIVE! Vikings face Seahawks after Commanders stun Eagles
- Bournemouth stun Man Utd in Christmas nightmare for Amorim
- Impatient Ange vows to never change as Carra questions tactics again
- Transfer Centre LIVE! Could Maguire leave Man Utd for free next summer?
The now 46-point gulf between the teams was not, however, always evident.
Portsmouth were not at their best, notably in the first half when Carlisle's Jordan Lane went close several times.
Tom Lowery almost broke the stalemate for Pompey, roared on by 1,848 travelling fans, only to hit a post after 34 minutes, leaving Lane to finally settle the contest.