A scintillating first half performance failed to turn chances created into goals and they paid the penalty as they lost their momentum and cohesion in the second half to allow Swansea a share of the points.

“We got two-one up and got a little bit apprehensive and dropped off a little bit” manager Roddy Collins said after the game. “That’s where you need that bit of experience to keep a cool head and condense the play further up the pitch.

“The first half was excellent, we played some great football. If we had put a few goals in on the back of the performance we wouldn’t have looked back. If we had got two goals in front there is no way they would have come back. Even at two-one you should be able to dominate at home but they’re just kids and they became nervous and dropped back but overall I’m happy the way we played.”

As in last weeks game at Macclesfield the Cumbrians got off to the perfect start with a goal in the second minute. Brendan McGill cut in from the left and when his shot was beaten out by the Swans’ keeper Roger Freestone, Mark Magennis was on hand to ram the loose ball home.

After almost constant one way traffic Swansea finally got out of their own half after eight minutes, to be gifted an equaliser by Carlisle keeper Matty Glennon. Stuart Jones floated an innocuous cross in from the right, which Glennon collected comfortably only to loose his grip on the ball presenting James Thomas with the simplest of tap ins.

A minute later Carlisle were unlucky not to regain the lead when Craig Farrell’s volley from a Magennis corner was cleared off the line by Gareth Phillips.

Brendan McGill fired narrowly over the bar after picking up a superb diagonal ball from Magennis and then Michael Taylor could only shoot straight at Freestone when Des Byrne’s cross was cleared to him on the edge of the box.

Brian Cash responded for Swansea in a rare attack, shooting narrowly wide following a Phillips through ball.

A 35th minute run from Leon Osman left three defenders in his wake but diminutive midfielder pulled his shot wide.

Mark Birch then had a great chance after good work by Brian Shelley down the right, but he blasted high over the bar from 10 yards out.

In the first minute of the second half Carlisle found themselves back in the lead. Another jinxing run from Osman saw him pulled down in the box by Andrew Mumford and Farrell stepped up to send Freestone the wrong way from the spot.

At this point the Cumbrians should have gone on to win the game but inexplicably lost the plot. Glennon brilliantly tipped a Mumford free kick over the bar and the Swans drew level for the second time on 65 minutes.

Mumford found space on the right and his cross eluded all but Thomas at the back post who gleefully swept his chance into an unguarded net.

Late chances fell to Baldacchino and Farrel but that elusive win remains on hold for a little while longer.

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