Saints promotion hopes finally died as they scraped a win against the Cumbrians.

Although Saints won it was not enough as results elsewhere ensured that mathematically Saints cant get into a play off spot.

In truth it was a funny game, with Saints looking comfortable for long periods but shaky at others, it seemed that the players knew that the season was all but over and were content to knock it around against a side that they were far superior to in quality, a good instance of this was the haphazard back pass from Fonte which Davis had to handle.

Although it was an entertaining enough game, it wasnt down to the quality of play that was for sure, the two first half goals were in the final minute of the half and then Saints scored twice in the six minutes after the break to make it safe and from then on it was cruise control apart from the aforementioned back pass.

It would be the fourth minute of injury time before another poor piece of play, Seaborne left his back header a little short for Davis, who did well to block Madine at the first attempt, however the Carlisle man went to slot home but hit the post only to see the ball rebound in off the sliding Fonte, this would be virtually the last kick of the game.

So as the final whistle blew, this season ended and the building for next began, just one final note though and this really isnt a slating of Pardew, just a question, with Antonio having a good game and on a hat trick, why was he taken off with 24 minutes left, Puncheon could have gone, even Waigo or Lambert, but if you want to build players confidence then there is no better way than to see them hit a hat trick, I just cant see what taking him off did, apart from to hack him off a little that a chance of a three goal haul was denied him.    

Photo: Action Images

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