The absence of Chris Lumsdon, through back injury, forced manager John Ward in to a midfield change for the trip to the Memorial Ground, with Kevin Gall taking a starting place alongside the central partnership of Bridge-Wilkinson and Thirlwell.

Danny Graham started up front as Danny Carlton continued his come back from the back injury that kept him out of the Tranmere game, with Joe Garner looking to add to his growing goal tally.

Rovers made the first half chance of the game with Chris Lines picking Lambert out on the edge of the box. With his back to goal he found time to turn, only to have his shot blocked by the ever alert Richard Keogh.

United followed that up with an attack of their own in the third minute, exploiting unexpected space on the left hand side. Aranalde crossed it, but Kev Gall opted to trap the looping ball, rather than attempt what would have been a very difficult volley. Hinton pounced, and poked the ball away for the corner.

A bright start from the Pirates was rewarded in the 8th minute, following excellent footwork from Williams that earned his side a corner. Campbell delivered it, finding two blue shirts unmarked at the near post. The flick on was well saved by Westwood, but Andy Williams was there to bundle it in, despite claims from the United defence that it hadn't crossed the line.

Simon Hackney tried to repair the damage on 10 minutes with a speculative 23 yard shot that bounced awkwardly in front of Phillips. The keeper parried it away, and Gall was unable capitalise as he missed the follow up volley.

The visitors were struggling to deal with the early corners and they found themselves two behind on the quarter hour mark as the Pirates movement pulled the markers out of position. Lambert nodded the first Campbell delivery behind, off the head of LIvesey, but the second caused all kinds of confusion as Pipe flicked it on at the near post. Hinton was there to send Westwood the wrong way as the inquest started as to how so much space had been allowed.

Another corner brought another chance in the 22nd minute, with Campbell sending this one deep. Igoe popped it back in to the mix, and Elliott was able to scoop it back over his head and in to the danger area. Pipe volleyed from 16 yards, but it was right at Westwood, and he gathered comfortably.

Carlisle broke quickly, using Hackney as an outlet, and sent one in early, looking for the runs of Graham and Gall. It skipped up off the surface, making it very hard for the winger to get anything substantial on to it, and he sent his header high over the bar. United then had a string of corners, but Rovers defended in numbers and kept the danger at bay.

Hackney had another shot from distance on 31 minutes, after winning the ball in midfield, but this one was easy for Phillips, who was able to watch it all the way.

Kev Gall created a wonderful opening in the 34th minute with a neat turn and pass that carved the Pirates defence wide open. Danny Graham found himself with space and time, but his shot from the edge of the 18-yard box buried itself in to the side netting.

David Pipe went on a run at the other end that took him beyond Aranalde, and his cut back sat nicely for Igoe, who was waiting on the penalty spot. He swung a boot at it, but took his eye off it at the wrong moment, and his chance was gone. It was becoming end to end and Joe Garner pulled a 25 yarder wide in the next attack, as both sides kept trying to make things happen in front of goal.

The half ended with a flurry of corners at either end of the pitch, and with United knowing that they had plenty to do if they were to salvage something from the game.

Half Time: Rovers 2 - 0 United

The second half opened with the Pirates on the attack and a long throw almost brought the third goal. Williams and Lambert both helped it on, leaving Igoe to steam in at the back post. Westwood was out quickly to smother and to prevent what would have been an easy tap in.

The Pirates extended their lead on 59 minutes with a sublime finish from influential forward Andy Williams. Receiving it with his back to goal he took one touch and spun, floating it beyond Westwood and in to the top corner from 16 yards out, and leaving the Cumbrians with a mountain to climb.

Aranalde attempted to redress the balance in the 62nd minute with a drilled, low shot that Phillips had to dive across and punch away. Garner was looking for the pieces, but the clearance was a good one and Carlisle had to start again.

The next opening for the Cumbrians didn't arrive until the 71st minute, when Aranalde launched a long throw towards the near post. It came through to Gall, but his left foot volley curled in towards Phillips, making it an easy save. Hackney then delivered an accurate cross from the left wing and Garner, having stolen a yard, will feel that he should have done better as he glanced his header, from just 10 yards out, well wide of the target.

Elliott got forward on 77 minutes, overlapping on the right, and his intended near post cross almost crept in, forcing Westwood to push it behind. 

The Cumbrians kept plugging away, but it just wouldn't happen for them as they gave possession away and struggled against the conditions.

As the clock ticked in to time added on new arrival Charlie Reece found himself wioth acres of space from a Campbell corner, but he attempted to guide his header in to the back of the net, rather than put it back across goal, and Westwood plucked it gratefully in to his chest. Klein-Davies then headed wide as a cross came in from right, and the final whistle blew on a bad day at the office for the visiting team.

Goals

Rovers - Williams (8, 59), Hinton (15)

Bookings

Rovers - Pipe (45), Carruthers (76)

United - Thirlwell (44), Gall (88)

Teams

Rovers - Phillips, Lescott, Hinton, Elliott, Jacobson, Pipe (Carruthers 68), Campbell, Igoe (Reece 88), Lines, Williams (Klein-Davis 85), Lambert. Subs - Walker, Green.

United - Westwood, Raven, Livesey, Keogh, Aranalde, Gall, Bridge-Wilkinson, Thirlwell, Hackney, Garner, Graham. Subs - Howarth, Arnison, Murphy, Carlton, Smith.

Away fans - 432