United made just one change to the starting line up that battled to a 0-0 draw at home to Stockport on Saturday with club captain Paul Thirlwell returning at the expense of Tom Taiwo.

The Cumbrians started brightly with Kevan Hurst seeing plenty of the ball and his cross from the right on 3 minutes skipped across the face of goal with Paul Jones beaten. Unfortunately Kavanagh was flagged offside and the move came to a close.

Good pressing kept the ball in the Exeter half but the Grecians defended doggedly to ensure that none of the early possession would result in a shot on target.

For all of the possession United were almost caught on the break on 13 minutes when Keogh was left high up the park. Stewart took control in midfield and fed the ball onwards towards Stansfield. He ran into the box and crossed low, but Horwood was on hand to cut it out as Cozic lurked.

Stansfield blazed over from 17 yards when Sercombe picked him out with a right wing cross, and Exeter continued to look dangerous on the break whenever they got hold of the ball.

Carlisle went close twice in quick succession on 26 minutes when Kavanagh worked a short corner routine from the left. The delivery into the box was half cleared and a scramble ended with Joe Anyinsah catching an overhead volley on the full. Jones was beaten but Taylor was on the line to clear it with a firm header.

Anyinsah then turned chance provider when he skipped through two challenges before spreading it wide to Kavanagh. He set himself and shot low but the keeper was well placed to claim it.

Marcus Stewart then created some space for himself on the edge of the United area and Collin could only watch as it flew just past his upright. Harley then took things into his own hands with a mazy run and shot that had the crowd clapping without ever troubling the target.

United took the lead on 33 minutes when the hard working Joe Anyinsah started the move that eventually led to the goal. Right back Richard Keogh ensured that the quality of the cross was top drawer and the Carlisle forward made his run in front of the near post and buried his header in the back of the net off the woodwork.

Stewart had a shot blocked by brave work from Livesey 8 yards out as Exeter tried to reply quickly, and Sercombe sent one over from distance as the red stripes stayed forward.

The lead was doubled on 44 minutes when a Kavanagh free kick caused all sorts of problems in the box. Danny Livesey recovered it and fed it back into the mix with a low cross on the turn. Joe Anyinsah kept his eye on it and swept it past the stranded keeper to claim his second of the night.

Half Time: Exeter 0 - 2 United

It was another great start from Carlisle and a mishit clearance from Duffy had everyone watching in interest as it spun past the post. Kavanagh delivered it and Anyinsah was there again, but he couldn't get the header on target.

Robson then shot wide after a long run forward when he had other options, and Sercombe drilled one right at Collin as the tempo of the game picked up. Corr nodded over from a corner when he found unexpected space with the game finely poised following a switch to 4-3-3 from the home side.

Carlisle sat deeper and Collin was needed to make a reaction save on 64 minutes when a long ball over the top stuck on the surface. Stansfield nipped in and tried to dink it goalwards, but the big stopper spread himself and got a full hand to the ball.

Graham Kavanagh found himself one-on-one with Jones on 66 minutes when Thirlwell pushed a pass through, but he took it wide and couldn't quite find the angle for the shot.

Barry Corr poked a close range shot onto the post from close range as the Grecians pressed forward, and it was frantic defending at times as Exeter kept flinging the ball into the box.

Adam Stansfield gave his side a lifeline on 79 minutes when he pounced to whip a parried shot from Corr into the top corner from 18 yards, and they thought they'd drawn level on 84 minutes when Sercombe met a high ball. His header beat Collin but Livesey was on the line to divert it onto the crossbar. Harley chased in but he was off balance and he sent it way over the bar.

Harley levelled the scores bang on 90 minutes when he swept a loose ball from a goal mouth scramble into the back of the net, but Richard Offiong snatched the points when he thumped a rebound into an empty net when Madine hit the post with a well placed 18 yard curler.

Goals

Exeter - Stansfield (79), Harley (90)

United - Anyinsah (33, 44), Offiong (90)

Bookings

United - Keogh (6)

Teams 

Exeter - Jones, Tully, Duffy, Russell, Taylor, Harley, Stansfield, Golbourne, Cozic (Logan 46), Stewart (Corr 46), Sercombe. Subs (not used) - Marriott, Saunders, Dunne, Burnell, Fleetwood.

United - Collin, Keogh, Livesey, Harte, Horwood, Hurst (Offiong 77), Clayton, Kavanagh (Madine 82), Thirlwell, Robson, Anyinsah. Subs (not used) - Pidgeley, Bridge-Wilkinson, Murphy, Taiwo, Kane.

Away fans - 139