Carlisle see off Latics

GOAL: Rhys Murphy netted for Athletic.

CARLISLE 3, ATHLETIC 1

ATHLETIC suffered defeat in their final warm-up game ahead of the start of the new season.

Carlisle missed a penalty before taking a first-half lead through a deflected Angelo Balanta effort which wrong-footed David Cornell after half an hour.

A swift break after the interval led to the second, scored by Charlie Wyke who followed up as Asamoah's header was tipped into the air by Cornell in the 56th minute.

Dominic Poleon crossed for fellow substitute Rhys Murphy to convert from close range nine minutes later.

But Steven Rigg added a third in the 84th minute, peeling off his marker to head beyond David Cornell.

Poleon later wasted a glorious chance with a weak header, Murphy tripped himself over when about to roll into an empty goal and Jake Cassidy should have scored with his own headed effort in the first half.

Fraser Kerr had conceded the earlier spot-kick after a trip on Asamoah, with Danny Grainger blazing his penalty wide.

Athletic were decidedly second-best for a long period of the game and the result and performance leave manager Darren Kelly facing some tricky selection decisions for Walsall next Saturday.