A Youthful Preston North End side slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Brunton Park following a brave second half performance.

The Lilywhites played with ten men for the majority of the match after Lewis Neal and a Carlisle attacker were dismissed for violent conduct late in the first period.

It was a resilient showing from a young reserve side, with 18-year-old Andy Carroll being the eldest outfield player in an away shirt for a large period of the match.

Danny Carlton had put the home side 1-0 up minutes after the break netting a close range header with Kevin Gall grabbing a tap-in winner on 88 minutes.

Sandwiched in between the two Carlisle strikes was an Arnison own goal that stemmed from great work on the flank by Mike Aspin.

Following the full-time whistle reserve team manager Billy Barr said: "Up until the sending-off the game had been quite even. We've had five first-years involved so for them to play as well as they did, nine-on-nine outfield on a pitch as big as that, is fantastic.

"I'm gutted for the lads because they didn't deserve to lose. It's the youngest team we've put out since we've been at the club, they've got beat but come out with massive credit in our eyes.

"Everyone has stuck at it, tried to do it right, and Mike Aspin I thought was fantastic on the night.

"Andy Carroll also did well. He worked as hard as everybody else, he's tracked back and helped the team. He took the armband after Lewis Neal was sent-off and he's done OK.

"We want to try and win because it is a results orientated business but I look at our two centre halves who are 16 and 17 and they have been outstanding. That's probably the hardest game that they will have had this season, if not ever and although both forwards have scored, they worked unbelievably and I can't talk highly enough of them.

"Carlisle had experience in vital positions, at the back and up front. We've got on the ball, done what we could and passed it around well."

The next match for the second string is a home clash against Manchester City next Tuesday, October 30, with a 2pm kick-off at Deepdale.

Carlisle: Howarth, Arnison, Blake, Wordsworth, Duffy, Campion, Hindmarsh, Joyce, Dalton, (Madine 87), Gall, Carlton (Subs: Carson, Seaton, Dowson, Cook)

PNE: Chris Neal, Aspin, Adams, Collins, Bloxham, Appiah, Mayor, Fairhurst, Carroll, Higgins, Lewis Neal (Subs: Shearwood, Thompson, McMahon, McCarthy, Barton)