To add to the woes of the struggling Blues, they had defender Dave Rogers sent off for a second bookable offence early in the second half as Mansfield Town kept up their promotion push. It was Carlisle's first home defeat since September 1 and brought an end to their four-match unbeaten run.

Roddy Collins had to manage without suspended striker Richie Foran. Jonny Allan got the nod as expected to start with Steve Halliday. Tony Hopper came into midfield with Steve Soley dropping out again through injury.

The lack of Foran told in the first half. Although United produced some bright passages of play, most of them involving winger Brendan McGill, there was nothing on the end of it. In contrast the visitors always looked more menacing and were less afraid to shoot from distance. Midfielder Lee Williamson fired in two efforts that had Keen scrambling across his goal in a very undistinguished half that was hardly helped by the poor refereeing of official Mark Clattenberg.

Carlisle had failed to land a shot on target when Keen's awful blunder occurred in the 29th minute. He tried to control a pass back on the edge of his area, slipped up and gifted the Stags' Chris Greenacre with his 14th goal of the campaign, the talented striker lifting the ball over the fallen figure of the errant keeper.

United at long last came to life close to half-time when Halliday finally managed to lose his markers and curled in a wicked effort that just cleared the cross-bar of goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington.

The interval brought familiar jeers from home fans. Collins resisted the temptation to make instant changes, but he had a frown on his face early on in the half as Rogers slid in, took his man late and was shown a second yellow by Clattenberg. Down to ten men, United were hardly more likely to score than with eleven. McGill's promptings brought a little bit of belated pressure but his effort from distance that brought a save out of Pilkington was the only effort on target all afternoon from the home side.

Williamson managed another on-target effort for the Stags before the home crowd were bellowing for the dismissal of Mansfield's Craig Disley after a foul on Hopper. Disley had been booked minutes earlier but Clattenberg showed inconsistency by allowing him to stay on. Predictably the visitors' bench took the hint and promptly substituted him. It was a niggly game, not helped by the wind and the slippy surface.

Mansfield looked more likely to extend their lead than Carlisle were to get back into it. Greenacre's strike partner Danny Bacon producing a menacing diving header that was going into the corner until Keen clung on to it. Michael Jack and debutant Sean Friars came on for Carlisle but the home team remained almost totally devoid of inspiration to cheer up the poor gate of only 2,546. The decision to bring the kick-off forward to 12pm having little discernible effect.

Al's Verdict : Crap. Ok, so it wasn't totally crap but large passages of it were and we don't seem capable of raising our game against decent opposition. Mansfield were a level above recent visitors such as Halifax and Kidderminster and I'm afraid unless we can get something out of games like these, we're going to remain at the bottom, despite all of Roddy's blarney. It's about time he shut up and let the players do the talking. I actually think he's putting them under pressure by some of his words. We certainly didn't gel today and the absence of Foran can't be the only reason. Time to take stock and re-think your battle plan, Roddy.