LIVING dangerously, and by no means for the first time, Carlisle United live to fight the Football League again.

Their hat-trick hero in Tuesday's last-gasp win at Shrewsbury was 20-year-old Brian Wake - once subbed by Tow Law Town because he was too good.

Having played the whole game, he's now up there among the Cumbrians' all-time heroes with Jimmy Glass - the on-loan goalkeeper whose injury time header reprieved Carlisle on an earlier trapdoor occasion.

"I think I've made the step up quite well," he says.

Wake, whose parents live on the Ragworth estate in Stockton, was spotted playing Wearside League football for Wolviston by Tow Law manager Graeme Forster.

"In all the time I've been involved with football I could see he was a bit different," says Graeme.

"He's a modest kid, not arrogant or greedy and not one to retaliate if he gets clogged.

"I told the committee to get him on a contract because he wouldn't be with us for long. Unfortunately they didn't."

It was because he wasn't on a contract when he hit five in the first hour in an FA Cup tie against Congleton last season that he was withdrawn. "I didn't want people to realise quite how good he was, Heaven knows how many he'd have scored by the end" says Graeme.

What happened next was all too familiar. The club which got next to nothing for Chris Waddle got nothing at all for Brian Wake.

"Carlisle promised a lot of things but we never had them," says Graeme. "The only thing I get is a Christmas card from Brian's parents, thanking me for everything.

"The money he saved Carlisle on Tuesday night, maybe I'll get a Christmas card from them as well."

For Brian, back home for a couple of days, it was the second hat-trick of the season. "None of them were great goals on Tuesday, I just tried to keep my composure," he says, underlining his former manager's views on modesty.

Carlisle fans believe otherwise. "They're great supporters and they went a bit wild. I haven't seen the local paper yet, but I gather they've made a bit of a fuss, too," he says.

A funeral for poor Shrewsbury, a Wake for Carlisle United.

The cricket-loving Bishop of Durham declared his diocesan innings closed on Monday night with a farewell service in the Cathedral.

He was the bishop, recalled the Archdeacon of Durham a little liberally, who led his clergy cricket team, to "glorious defeat" against the England women's XI.

Everyone knew that the Rt Rev Michael Turnbull was an MCC member, of course, but how many - save for Mrs Turnbull - were startled by the Archdeacon's public revelation that his boss even wore MCC pyjamas.

Over a pint afterwards, we diligently sought conformation from one of Bishop Michael's confidantes. "I can neither confirm nor deny it," he said.

When Chester-le-Street played Billingham Town last Saturday, a bit of a spat occurred between rival number eights. Crawcrook referee Don McCloud decided to book them both. "David Turner," said the first offender, when his name was demanded.

"David Turner," said the second.

The ref checked his team sheet and discovered the accuracy of the double take. So how many times have players booked together had the same name and the same number asks Chester's Keith Greener - though, Turner prize, he probably knows the answer already.

Great moments in sport, part 391. Hole in the Wall FC, president Backtrack, have at last reached a cup final. Admittedly it's the Darlington and District League Invitation Trophy, the competition for clubs ejected early from the senior cup, but it's a final and they're playing league leaders the Killinghall Arms from Middleton St George at Darlington RA on May 14.

Though the team has several times changed its name, the Latin motto remains the same - supare possomus, if at first....

Brief moments in sport: trailing 2-0 in the Over 40s League on Saturday, Barnard Castle were awarded a penalty and brought our old friend Corbett Waistell off the bench to take it.

Job done, he was at once substituted again - a scorer with his only kick.

The English international who has made most appearances under Sven Goran Eriksson (Backtrack, April 29) is Des Walker. (Terry Callaghan in Darlington offers the identity of the Swedish international with most appearances under Mr Eriksson but has been summarily disqualified....)

As the seasons overlap, Steve Smith today seeks the identity of the post-war sportsman who won an FA Cup winner's medal and a County cricket championship medal in the same season.

Back at the double on Tuesday.