McGovern halts Blades charge

Jon-Paul McGovern fired a second-half winner to earn Carlisle a thrilling 3-2 victory at home to Sheffield United.

A first-half brace from Carlisle's Ivory Coast striker Francois Zoko rocked the normally frugal Blades defence, but Ched Evans twice struck back for the Blades and was denied his hat-trick on two more occasions by the woodwork before a three-man move led to McGovern firing the winner to end Sheffield United's eight-game winning run. Zoko gave Carlisle the ideal start with his first goal in the second minute when he cleverly flicked the ball past defender Harry Maguire before bursting through to drill his shot past Blades goalkeeper Steve Simonsen. The lead lasted just five minutes before Maguire made amends by heading Stephen Quinn's free-kick back across the six-yard box leaving Evans with a simple tap in before the striker shook the woodwork with another effort. Quinn was next to rattle a post as the Blades turned the screw, but Zoko was on target again in the 15th minute, diving unchallenged to head home after Lee Miller had played Paul Thirwell's pass across the face of goal. Evans went close after half-time, creating space for a low shot which cannoned back off the inside of the left-hand post, but Carlisle grabbed the lead for the third time in the 71st minute when Lee Miller laid the ball into the stride of McGovern, who slotted a low shot wide of Simonsen.