Donovan Ricketts admitted City were happy to escape with their unbeaten home record intact after last night's 1-1 draw with Carlisle.

Dean Windass, straight back from his calf injury, hammered them in front with a cracking half-volley in Colin Todd's 100th league game in charge.

But Carlisle hit back soon after the break through a freak deflection off Chris Lumsdon and looked the more likely winners with several clear-cut chances.

Defender Zigor Aranalde, who scored the decisive penalty in last month's Carling Cup shoot-out, nearly broke City's hearts again deep into stoppage time but Ricketts superbly blocked his shot with the last touch of the game.

The City keeper said: "We needed that save because a point is better than none. We have to be happy to get a draw because they were all over us in the second half and we weren't passing the ball as we are used to.

"Maybe we were too much in control in the first half because we took our foot off the gas a little and let them back in the game.

"Carlisle keep the ball well and don't just whack it upfield and they surprised us by closing us down very early.

"Their goal was just our luck because it was going wide. We can't seem to keep clean sheets any more but that's something we're trying to work on. If we can do that then we'll be right up there this season."

After successive away defeats at Brentford and Swansea, Ricketts said it was vital that City stopped the rot at Valley Parade.

But he also stressed the need for a win over Port Vale at the weekend to break back into the leading bunch.

"It's early days yet and our heads are not down but we definitely need three points on Saturday," he said.

"Our home is becoming something of a fortress now and we just have to keep it that way. The one thing we can be positive about is being unbeaten at home.

"The crowd are starting to get behind us and there are no more boos at half-time. That makes us more confident as players and we're doing what we can.

"The start to the season has been okay but I'm not 100 per cent satisfied. We should have come away from Brentford with something and that was disappointing.

"But I'm happy in some respects and this was an important point for us."