Woking End Carlisle’s Unbeaten Run with Dramatic 3-1 Victory at Brunton Park

Introduction: A Crucial National League Encounter

In a thrilling National League clash on 10 December 2025, Carlisle United missed out on the opportunity to go top after a 3-1 defeat against Woking at Brunton Park. The match held significant importance for both teams, with the final whistle greeted with boos from some in the 5,264 crowd as Carlisle’s promotion aspirations took a serious hit. This encounter showcased the unpredictable nature of National League football and highlighted Woking’s impressive resurgence under manager Neal Ardley.

Match Details: A Tale of Two Halves

Mark Hughes’ side were ahead after 25 minutes through Junior Luamba who was played in behind and finished coolly past Will Jaaskelainen before limping off injured. However, Woking stunned the hosts with a quickfire double before the break. Jamie Andrews got the equaliser in the 43rd minute with a stunning strike from distance which cannoned in off the crossbar, followed by Tunji Akinola turning in from a corner in first-half stoppage time to give the visitors the lead.

The second half saw Carlisle struggle to find a breakthrough, and Aiden O’Brien added a third for Woking in the 90th minute as they made it 10 matches without defeat and moved up to ninth in the table.

Significance and Implications

United’s nine-game unbeaten league run came to an end at Brunton Park, raising questions about their ability to maintain their promotion challenge. The poor display left Carlisle third in the National League, still level on points with leaders Rochdale but now having played three games more. For Woking, this victory represents a significant statement of intent, demonstrating their capability to compete with the division’s top sides and extending their remarkable unbeaten run to double figures. The result reshapes the National League promotion race and establishes Woking as genuine contenders for a play-off position.