ANOTHER week of highs and lows of football.

It was a key game when Carlisle came to town, with both teams struggling near the foot of the table.

It was a game we should have - and almost needed - to win and again, us being the masters of our own downfall came to the fore.

We dominated the first half and only the visiting goalkeeper kept them in it - why does it seem that when we play poor sides, they always have a decent goalkeeper?

The goalless first half ended with the half-time chat centred around how we need an early breakthrough in the second 45, to get them on the back foot.

So you can imagine the shock on 51 minutes when Omari Patrick put the Cumbrian side one goal to the good.

In fairness to the lads they did reset and a quick fire five minutes saw Tommy Smith head home the equaliser on 69 minutes.

Then on-loan substitute Tyreik Wright opened his U’s account to put us in the lead with 74 minutes on the clock.

Gazette:

Instead of sitting back on the one-goal advantage, we carried on playing our way and looking to get a third to put the game to bed.

That was great to see as it shows that there is an understanding that we can’t rest on our laurels but it then threw a new element into the mix.

We were for the first time in awhile so dominant going forward that a strange air of complacency came over the side defensively.

Carlisle capitalised on this with an equaliser of their own that seemed to be scored in slow motion.

With the points shared the visitors will have been the happier side, in what felt like a late defeat for the home faithful.

The Carlisle draw followed a narrow 2-1 defeat at high-flying Mansfield Town.

Showing what a few positive results can do, we went to Mansfield with an expectation (except Nick who’s being worryingly level headed at the moment) rather than hope of a result in our favour.

We were the masters of our own downfall – a theme that I’ll come on to later – in how we failed to manage the game and players knowing when to take a card for the benefit of the team.

The whole professional foul debate is a mixed bag I know, but sometimes needed.

We still battled and all told, were unlucky not to salvage a point with a late furry that saw Alan Judge score a cracker and others coming close at the death, after going 2-0 down to a penalty.

Gazette:

Mansfield have been on a good run and their form is one we would dearly love to copy, so a defeat there isn’t the end of the world really.

We drove home deep in discussion about how the home form will be key.

And with four home games in quick succession coming up, it is these games that will be vital to the season.

So where do we go from here? On the plus side, Oldham and Scunthorpe failed to make up ground.

As long as we can match or better their results we will be safe, not that it will be good enough to be looking like that.

After the short trip to Northampton on Saturday (remember it’s a 2pm kick-off for those going) we have the four home games on the bounce I mentioned earlier.

As the late great Bill Shankly said 'if you can’t support us when we lose or draw, don’t support us when we win'.

This rings true so come on, let's get behind the lads and see them through, come what may. Up the U’s.