Swindon leading the battle against Carlisle (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Swindon leading the battle against Carlisle

6:00am Friday 4th January 2013 in Sport

SWINDON Town have only ever lost once to Carlisle United at the County Ground, but it wasn’t too long ago.

During the Robins’ doomed League One campaign of 2010/11, Carlisle were one of many away sides to come to Wiltshire and emerge with all three points.

On that occasion, James Berrett’s cracking strike was enough to settle the contest in the Cumbrians’ favour. It marked the end of a long wait for United’s first success in SN1.

From the two teams’ first meeting in Swindon in April 1963, Carlisle only managed to score in one of their first five trips to face the Robins.

Peter Noble’s goal in a 2-0 Swindon win in March 1973 was his last for the club before a move to Burnley. Noble had been a key member of the 1969 League Cup-winning Town squad.

It got even worse for the outfit from the north west between October 1981 and November 2006 as the Cumbrians lost five in a row, conceding at least twice on each occasion, before a 2-2 draw in March 2008.

Neither side has won this clash by more than a two-goal margin, so if Town are to make it three 5-0 victories on the trot they will be breaking another record in the process.

Despite their poor overall record in Swindon - Carlisle have lost on 68 per cent of their visits to the County Ground - their return in recent years is not too bad.

United have only lost once in the last four, 2-0 in February 2010, when Charlie Austin and Billy Paynter got the goals for the Robins.