No case for the defence!

CHARGE DOWN . . . Billy Mckay tries to block a Carlisle clearance. PICTURES by ALAN HOWARTH

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CARRY him from his home to training in a sedan chair.

Wrap all sharp objects in his vicinity in foam.

Cross all fingers and toes, salute every magpie and buy up a roomful of lucky heather.

Pray to every deity worshipped in the history of human existence that he doesn't tweak a hamstring, over-stretch a groin or hurt a calf muscle.

It is the absolute solemn duty of every Athletic fan to do everything in their power to protect club captain Peter Clarke from injury.

It's not that the inspirational centre-back has a bad record in terms of maintaining fitness, as more than 600 senior appearances in a 15-year career attests to.

It's more that on this evidence, Athletic are simply not capable of defending to any acceptable level without him.

"People at this club didn't want me to sign Peter Clarke. I got questioned when I signed him," said disappointed Athletic boss Stephen Robinson, after his side finished on the wrong end of a 5-4 scoreline in a quite bizarre opening Checkatrade Trophy fixture.

"You realise how much you actually miss him, because he is a player who actually wants to defend."

Athletic - inspired going forward, dreadful at the back - were tin men when it came to a heart for the battle from Carlisle's set plays.

A first half lead became a 3-1 deficit and a 4-3 advantage a defeat that cost the club £10,000 in prize money.

This competition has its detractors - and the idea that Blackburn's under-23s can materially advance the England team's prospects by competing in it is patently absurd - but the cash at stake is a very serious business.

A failure to hold an advantage given to the hosts by Ollie Banks' excellent strike means there is a mountain to climb in remaining group fixtures at Fleetwood and then Ewood Park in order to qualify for the next stage.

Robinson's could have been forgiven for filing this, an eighth fixture of the opening month, just below changing the cat litter tray and alphabetising the DVD collection in the list of priorities.

His collection of first-team players who have run themselves into the ground in the first month - never more so than in the lung-punishing chasing of the ball for an hour at Bradford - needed this game in roundly derided competition like a hole in the head.

So it was that in making seven changes from Valley Parade, a youthful Athletic team containing eight players aged 23 or under was punished by an adept Carlisle side, unbeaten in League Two, who had made only three.

Out went Connor Ripley, Josh Law, Peter Clarke, Marc Klok, Ousmane Fane, Paul Green and Lee Erwin; in came debutant Chris Kettings, Brian Wilson (as captain), George Edmundson, Ollie Banks, Luke Woodland, Ryan McLaughlin and new striker Freddie Ladapo.

Athletic were what an Australian might describe as "ordinary" in the first 45 minutes.

Without a functioning midfield to combat Carlisle's neat passing game and jittery at the back, the visitors could have had more than the three first-half goals they took with them into the interval.

With ex-Athletic man Mike Jones starting in midfield, Keith Curle's side began brightly before going behind against the run of play.

Ladapo - a real bright spark, showcasing pace, power, a neat touch and an eye for goal - teed up Mckay 20 yards out with some neat footwork and the on-loan Wigan mark was off the mark for the campaign with a neat, low, right-footed drive past the outstretched right arm of Max Crocombe.

Carlisle hit back when Michael Raynes bundled home from a flighted corner Kettings really should have come out to deal with.

The visitors' lead was established three minutes later when Shaun Miller teed up Reggie Lambe for an 18-yard drive that was central but carrying too much power for Kettings to stop.

And in the 28th minute it was 3-1. Shaun Miller retrieved a far-post cross and volleyed hopefully into the middle of the area, where Cameron Burgess unwittingly diverted the ball into an unguarded goal.

It almost got worse for Burgess three minutes before the interval after his half-hit back pass was latched on to by Shaun Miller, Kettings doing well to race out and proffer a block with his feet having earlier done well to deny Lambe.

Ladapo had one effort disallowed for offside, with Athletic looking lively in the final third.

Darius Osei and Lee Croft came on at half-time, with McLaughlin and Woodland hauled off.

As if by magic - or managerial master-stroke - the duo combined to get Athletic back in the game.

Croft's pass found Osei's feet, a lovely touch defeated his marker and in on goal, the rookie bought from Stalybridge composed himself to drive low under Crocombe in the 48th minute.

Suddenly, Athletic's 4-3-3 formation was finding holes in Carlisle's back line. Ladapo controlled inside the area and though his attempt was blocked it fell kindly for Mckay, whose low cross took a deflection and found Osei scampering in to turn the ball home at the far post, four yards out.

Athletic had the bit between their teeth - Banks got a bit too excited when lunging in recklessly on the hour, perhaps fortunate to only see yellow - and when Croft fell on top of the ball when trying to avoid conceding a corner it encapsulated a madcap opening to the second half.

And after 66 minutes, Athletic had completed a turnaround. Banks's initial free-kick from 25 yards out went into the wall but a second bite at the cherry as the rebound fell to him was hammered over Crocombe and into the top-right corner.

With a quarter-hour to go, Carlisle were level again. Paralysis struck at the back as Kettings' save following a corner fell for Tom Miller to strike the rebound home.

Macauley Gillesphey was sent off for a professional foul after hauling back Ladapo as he chased down a long ball down using considerable pace.

But Patrick Brough was then credited with a match-winner that came through a left-flank free-kick that caused more havoc. The ball may have gone in off a defender, though.

Osei, so lively he surely has an irresistible case to start against Shrewsbury, crashed a header against the crossbar in added time before defeat was confirmed, allowing Robinson to catch breath, return to the dressing room and dish out a few home truths.