Carlisle beat Stockport on penalties to seal promotion to League One

After an absence of nine years, Carlisle United celebrated their return to League One in a thrilling fashion. The Cumbrians overcame Stockport County 5-4 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes of intense play during the League Two play-off final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The game sprang to life when Stockport goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe denied Joe Garner's header from a set piece. The game remained tightly contested as both sides neutralized each other's attacks, but the tempo intensified towards the end of the first half.

Isaac Olaofe, the hero of Stockport's play-off semi-final second leg against Salford City, once again played a crucial role by opening the scoring at Wembley. 

Olaofe's attempt to deliver a cross from the right took a fortuitous deflection off Jon Mellish's boot, lofting the ball over goalkeeper Tomas Holy and into the net, igniting hope for Stockport.

Carlisle responded quickly and exerted pressure on the Stockport defense in search of an equalizer. 

However, it was the Dave Challinor's men who were close to double their lead early in the second half, but Akil Wright squandered a golden opportunity.

To shift the momentum of the match, Carlisle manager Paul Simpson made several attacking changes and the Cumbrians found their breakthrough. 

Substitute Omari Patrick unleashed a low strike, finding the back of the net with just over five minutes remaining, breathing new life into Carlisle's hopes and forcing the match into extra time.

In extra time, Carlisle goalkeeper Tomas Holy made a vital save to deny a powerful shot from Jack Stretton. 

The Cumbrians came agonizingly close to score minutes later when substitute Kristian Dennis unleashed an excellent header from a corner, only to be thwarted by Ben Hinchliffe's acrobatic save. 

The keepers played pivotal roles during the decisive moments, keeping the score level and ultimately leading the game to a penalty shootout.

After a tense period of extra time failed to separate the two sides, the match reached its climax with a nerve-wracking shootout from the 12-yard mark. 

Ryan Rydel's missed the second penalty for Stockport and set the tone for the penalty drama as both teams displayed flawless accuracy in their spot-kicks after Rydel's unfortunate miss, building up to the moment when Carlisle's academy graduate, Taylor Charters, stepped up and etched his name into club history, signaling an end to their nine-season stint in English football's fourth tier.

17 years after @officialcufc’s last promotion to @SkyBetLeagueOne… Paul Simpson does it again 🏆💙#EFLPlayOffs | #StepUp pic.twitter.com/YwkB3UR8Mh

— Sky Bet League Two (@SkyBetLeagueTwo) May 28, 2023