All the facts and figures ahead of Crewe Alexandra's FA Cup second-round tie at Carlisle United

PREVIOUS MEETING

1. ​

August 16, 2008

Carlisle United 4 (Graham (2), Dobie, Hackney)

Crewe Alex 2 (McCready, Pope)

CREWE crashed to the bottom of the League One table after defeat at Brunton Park back in August meant they had lost their opening two games.

Sadly, 24th spot has become something of familiar terrain since this setback, although they had chances to have made Carlisle sweat on victory.

Danny Graham volleyed Carlisle in front and doubled the lead when he headed in former Nantwich Town winger Simon Hackney's cross all within the first 20 minutes.

Crewe hit back immediately through Chris McCready, before Julien Baudet headed against the woodwork.

Joel Grant should have levelled before the hour mark, but Carlisle struck for the third time when Scott Dobie crashed home and then Hackney made it 4-1.

Tom Pope bundled home a header to reduce the arrears with four minutes left, but it was too little too late.

Carlisle: Williams, Raven, Livesey, Murphy, Horwood, Dobie (Bridges, 64), Thirlwell, Bridge-Wilkinson, Hackney, Graham, Carlton (Taylor, 83). Not used: Joyce, Gowling, Howarth.

Crewe: Collis, Woodards, Jones, Baudet, McCready (Abbey, 83), Moore (Daniel, 84), O'Connor, Bailey, Grant, Elding (Miller, 70), Pope. Not used: Rix, Clements.

Attendance: 6,919

FORM GUIDE

Carlisle: LDWWLW

Crewe: DLWLLL

WHO WE'D LIKE TO SIGN

GREYING ex-Stokie Graham Kavanagh is looking his age these days (the midfielder was 35 this week), but he still has the urgency to drive a League One side forward from the middle. Kavanagh is currently on loan at Brunton Park from Sunderland.

WHO TO BOO

Former Crewe keeper Ben Williams chose to forsake a new contract offer in the summer and switched to Carlisle. But he was dropped in October and faces competition to face his former club from Danish loan youngster Tim Krul.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Northants-based official Andy Woolmer took charge of Crewe's 2-1 defeat at Swansea last term.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Carlisle: Williams, Raven, Liddle, Livesey, Keogh, Taylor, Thirlwell, Kavanagh, Smith, Graham, Madine.

Crewe: Tomlinson, Brayford, Jones, Baudet, O'Donnell, Lunt, O'Connor, Bailey, Grant, Daniel, Zola.

MATCH PREDICTION

CARLISLE were in a downward spiral in the league until Greg Abbot's caretaker regime turned things around with three wins in five.

A tricky banana skin was negotiated at Grays (after floodlight failure put paid to the first replay) at the weekend and Crewe will do well to take this tie to a replay back in Cheshire.

A 2-1 victory for the Cumbrians, with Colin Daniel on target for Alex.