Crewe 1-1 Carlisle: George Cooper earns Crewe share of the spoils

Promotion chasers Carlisle had to settle for a 1-1 draw after George Cooper cancelled out Shaun Miller's effort at former club Crewe.

Keith Curle's side took time exerting their influence against an Alex side who are now without a win in seven games, but who were worthy of a point.

Cumbrians' keeper Mark Gillespie pushed Billy Bingham's 25-yard blast to safety, while Cooper went close to picking out the far corner with an angled drive after a teasing run.

Classy Cooper volleyed past the post as Crewe offered most of the threat in the first-half.

So it was somewhat against the run of play when Miller handed Carlisle a 35th-minute lead with a clinical finish across Ben Garratt into the bottom corner after latching onto a lofted pass from Luke Joyce.

Charlie Wyke's header, which was tipped over by the keeper and Jason Kennedy's wild drive over the bar suggested the Cumbrians were turning the screw. But they were taken aback by Cooper's equaliser on the stroke of half-time with the midfielder's free-kick deceiving Gillespie at the near post.

The game ebbed and flowed in the second period with Crewe closest to snatching the win.

Reggie Lambe's goalbound effort cannoned off his own man, but at the other end Cooper and Chris Dagnall were denied by last-ditch defending, Alex Kiwomya drove just wide and Gillespie parried efforts from Charlie Kirk and James Jones.