"I WAS THERE"

Not even a Jeffrey Archer novel could have conjured up the twist and turns to match the last week in the life of Carlisle United.
Never before has a club anchored to the bottom of the Football League enjoyed such media hype. What with a cup tie with the aristocrats of Arsenal, over the top tackles, Walter Mitty characters flirting with the purchase of the club and finally a fourth league win of the season, Cumbrian supporters will be left rubbing their eyes wondering whether it was all a dream.
This game was always going to be an anti climax after the furore of the Arsenal match but a single Steve Soley goal was enough to give the Cumbrians all three points and get their pursuit of the clubs above them off to a flying start.
Exeter's home defeat to Leyton Orient leaves Carlisle three points adrift but with four games in hand and destiny now very much in their own hands.
The fact that Ian Atkins is still manager of Carlisle United is in no small way down to the verbal backing he received from the supporters in the Arsenal game. New majority shareholders, Mamcarr Investments, had earmarked a replacement only to be surprised by the overwhelming support for the incumbent manager. Atkins is due to have further talks with Mamcarr's representative, David Lowe, today and said: "New owners have come in and may want their own men. If they do, tell me now. I am not hanging about. But by the same token I thoroughly enjoy it here and I love the club. It comes from the heart when I say I enjoy coming here. But I do need assurances I can have my own staff and don't want them picked for me. I need people behind me who are going to push the club forward."
The Blues got off to a perfect start when a 10th minute free kick from Mark Winstanley was flicked on by Scott Dobie for Soley to send a looping header over Shrews keeper Paul Edwards into the far corner.
Although Shrewsbury dominated much of the first half possession home keeper Matty Glennon was rarely troubled. A 29th minute Nigel Jemson header went narrowly wide from a Mickey Brown cross, followed eleven minutes later by another Jemson header straight into the arms of Glennon from former Sunderland winger Sam Aiston's cross. The home side were struggling to build any momentum to their play, unable to keep possession, but Dobie went close when his cross cum shot was tipped over the bar by Edwards on the stroke of half time.
The Shrews almost broke through on 57 minutes when a Jamie Tolley shot from the edge of the box was saved by Glennon low down to his left.
The 66th minute introduction of Tony Hemmings, for the injured Mick Galloway, added a little sparkle to the left side of the Carlisle midfield. Five minutes later Dobie played in Ian Stevens only for the leading scorer to blaze over from 15 yards.
Hemmings then got into the action, but his 79th minute shot on the turn from Winstanley's free kick was well saved by Edwards.
The Shrews almost snatched an equaliser in the dying seconds of in injury time but Mark Birch managed to get onto Mark Brown's header to clear over the bar with Luke Rogers about to pounce.