Darrell Clarke admitted his Cheltenham side are “falling at the last hurdle” in their survival bid after they went down 1-0 at home to already-relegated Carlisle.

Sam Lavelle’s first-half goal was enough to seal the points for the Cumbrians, whose fate was sealed by a 2-0 defeat at Northampton last Saturday.

Cheltenham knew a win would lift them out of the bottom four for the first time since mid-August, but they came up short and Clarke admitted he is scratching his head over the performance.

“I am very disappointed with our performance and with the whole night,” Clarke said.

“Yet again, after a poor first half, I am searching for answers and I am not coming up with the right solutions at the minute.

“The group is lacking a bit of confidence, but it’s no excuse and I’ll take responsibility as manager.

“We are falling at the last hurdle as things stand, and that’s not acceptable after working so hard to give ourselves a platform to stay in this division.

“I have to get better, the group has to get better as well and we have to give our supporters a lift come 3pm on Saturday (at home to Bristol Rovers).”

Carlisle were the better side during a cagey first half.

Joe Nuttall missed a good opportunity to give Cheltenham the lead in the sixth minute, side-footing wide after Liam Sercombe’s pass.

Georgie Kelly saw a shot saved by Luke Southwood at the other end and Luke Armstrong fired wide of the near post.

Jack Armer blasted over the bar for the Cumbrians, but the deadlock was broken three minutes before half-time.

Jack Robinson’s corner was headed back across goal by Ben Barclay and Lavelle touched it in from close range.

Cheltenham sent on four substitutes at half-time and changed formation, resulting in some early pressure on the visitors’ goal.

But goalkeeper Harry Lewis was rarely troubled and Southwood had to fly at full stretch to keep out a looping effort from Jon Mellish in the 77th minute.

Carlisle boss Paul Simpson was pleased with his side’s attitude.

“It was one of those games where we had to roll our sleeves up, put our tin hats on and defend for our lives and that’s what we did,” he said.

“I was really pleased with so many things in what has been a tough time for us.

“It was a good goal and then we had to hang on because Cheltenham are fighting for their lives.

“It’s a good result and makes the journey home more enjoyable. I’m still adamant I want the players to do something now at home for our fans as they’ve been starved of a good 90 minutes. We now have two home games to do that.

“It’s been really painful what we’ve been through this year, but the truth is we just haven’t been good enough.

“I think the players who are still here next year will be better for the experience.”

Carlisle’s relegation from League One was confirmed after they were beaten 2-0 by Northampton.

The Cumbrians won promotion last season but their immediate return to League Two was sealed thanks to goals from Kieron Bowie and Ali Koiki.

Carlisle had a strong wind behind them in the first half at Sixfields and they used that to dominate territorially but the conditions did not help either side find their flow in a scrappy contest.

A rare chance saw Lee Burge tip over Georgie Kelly’s header before Northampton scored with their first real chance of the first half.

It came on 33 minutes when Sam Sherring’s header from a Mitch Pinnock corner was blocked and fell to Bowie who stabbed into the net.

Carlisle tried to force the issue in their pursuit of an equaliser after the break but they struggled against the wind and barely created a chance of note.

And their fate was sealed in stoppage time when Koiki ran the length of the pitch from a defensive corner and rolled the ball home after rounding goalkeeper Harry Lewis.

New QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes said he will ‘never be happy’ with taking a point following his side’s 1-1 draw at fellow strugglers Rotherham.

Ilias Chair produced a moment of magic to fire QPR in front but they were pegged back by substitute Georgie Kelly’s clinical finish.

QPR had great openings to win it late on but Rotherham held out for a point.

Spanish coach Cifuentes, who has replaced Gareth Ainsworth, said: “I will never be happy about a draw especially when we concede from a set-piece.

“There were positive things about our performance. We showed big commitment to compete well.

“We showed stability. We started the second half really well.

“I want to be very positive. There is quality in the squad. I think all the players played at a very good level.

“In the history of QPR, they want to play attacking football and on the ground.

“The build-up will be a part of that. We have technical capacity and good midfielders. Everybody has started from zero and we do not look back.

“It was a top goal from a top player. I am not surprised because he can do these things. He is a fantastic player in this division and my job is to get the best out of him.”

The best chances of the first half fell the way of the hosts with Jordan Hugill lashing over on the angle and Fred Onyedinma forcing Asmir Begovic into a diving stop.

QPR’s sole threat came courtesy of Chair but he twice fired off target after cutting in from the left flank.

Chair produced the first moment of real quality to put QPR ahead five minutes into the second half.

Again he was allowed to come in on to his right foot too easily and this time he hammered an effort into the top corner and beyond the reach of Viktor Johansson.

Rotherham responded strongly and after Cafu had come close with a header, they got level with 20 minutes left to play thanks to Kelly, who powered in at the back post from Cohen Bramall’s free-kick.

The home side were inches away from turning the game on its head but Hakeem Odoffin’s header rebounded off the woodwork.

But QPR were the ones pushing hardest at the end with Jimmy Dunne almost prodding in before substitute Charlie Kelman was somehow denied at close-range by Johansson.

Rotherham manager Matt Taylor was pleased to pick up a point.

He said: “I thought the game lacked quality for the first hour.

“The game was relatively level and on the back of last weekend I would have taken that given the fragility of the confidence of the squad.

“We have got fight. We just did not show it last Sunday (versus Sheffield Wednesday). I was pleased we were able to come out of it.

“No disrespect to QPR but they did not test our goalkeeper until the goal.

“We fell behind to their best player and probably the best player on the pitch. He has done that all his career and despite all that knowledge, we could not quite stop him.

“It was then a case of where we could get energy on the pitch without losing the structure.

“Haks (Odoffin) has had a good chance but there were good saves from Viktor at the end. They were big saves and he has done it time and time again.”