Paul Hayes scored a late equaliser to end Wycombe’s winless run at Adams Park against Carlisle United on Saturday.

Hayes found the net with a looping effort to salvage a point in the 90th minute of the League Two clash.

Luke Joyce received a straight red card after an ugly challenge on Sam Wood midway through the first half.

Troy Archibald-Henville scored a free header after 48 minutes to give Carlisle the lead and extend the Blues losing run to five games.

Wanderers were presented with an excellent chance inside the opening 10 seconds as a misjudged header presented Hayes with an open goal.

However, the returning forward’s goal-bound effort was denied by David Atkinson on the line who did well to read the game and prevent the hosts a perfect start.

Hayes, who was starting a game for the first time in six weeks, was involved again seven minutes later.

He had the ball in the net only for it to be ruled out for offside after he had finished smartly from a Garry Thompson knockdown.

The chances represented a promising opening for a Blues side who had in recent weeks been struggling to find a creative spark.

Hayes and Thompson were in particular enjoying a strong attacking partnership with both feeding off of each other’s strong hold-up play.

With just over 20 minutes played the game burst into life as Carlisle’s Joyce flew into a high challenge on Sam Wood in front of the dugout.

While the ball was there to be won the force of the challenge was deemed reckless and referee Rob Lewis brandished a red card.

If anything the dismissal stirred the visitors into life and Charlie Wyke had a great chance to break the deadlock but headed wide from Bastien Hery’s pinpoint cross. After a brief lull in proceedings Wyke again went close as he drew a fine save from Alex Lynch who was deputising for the injured Matt Ingram in the Chairboy’s goal.

Aaron Pierre went close to opening the scoring late in the first half when he latched onto a lose ball from a Joe Jacobson corner but his low strike was well blocked. Wanderers’ failure to dominate 10-man Carlisle saw them fall behind just three minutes into the second half.

An in swinging corner found Archibald-Henville in space in the centre of the box and he found the top corner with a powerful header.

It was another example of Wycombe’s recent difficulty with defending set-pieces and left them with a battle to salvage anything form the game.

Wycombe went close to a leveller nine minutes later as Pierre had a close range strike well blocked as the Blues upped the intensity after going behind.

United showed an impressive work rate and restricted the Chairboys to few opportunities while posing a constant threat going forward.

While Wanderers enjoyed most of the possession they struggled to influence proceedings as an organised Carlisle side kept them at arms length. Marcus Bean went agonisingly close to levelling with eight minutes left as he curled a sublime effort against the bar from the edge of the box.

The attempt seemed to create belief in Wycombe and Goze Ugwu nearly had his first goal for the club but his header was cleared off the line.

Hayes connected well with an overhead kick but again the shot was off target as Wycombe tried to force a late leveller.

He would not be denied moments later as he flicked the ball over a stranded Gillespie to crown his first start since September in style.

Wanderers will attempt to build on a hard earned point away at Mansfield next Saturday.

Wycombe Wanderers: Lynch; Jombati, McCarthy (85 Sellers), Pierre, Jacobson, Harriman, Bean, O’Nien, Wood (68 Amadi-Holloway), Hayes, Thompson (73 Ugwu), Subs not used: Richardson, McGinn, Bloomfield, Kretzschmar

Carlisle United: Gillespie; Archibald-Henville, Atkinson, Grainger, Gillead (70 Dicker, Joyce, Kennedy, Sweeney, Hery, Wyke (78 Asamoah), Hope (75 Thompson) Subs not used: Hanford; Rigg, Thompson, Gillesphey, McQueen

Bookings: McCarthy 46 (foul on Hope), Jombati 52 (foul), Wyke 71 (late tackle on Jombati), Gillespie 83 (complaining to the ref) 

Red Card: Joyce 24 (straight red for a reckless challenge on Wood)

Referee: Rob Lewis

Attendance: 3,457 (Carlisle 333)