Kev Hurst, Darryl Duffy and Scott Dobie came back into the starting line up for the trip to Hartlepool with Joe Anyinsah missing out through a slight niggle in his lower stomach area.

Adam Boyd had the first shot of the night from long range but it was right at Collin and he was able to gather comfortably.

United were unlucky on 5 minutes when Duffy turned his marker and strode clear. He fed Dobie into the area but the flag went up as he shaped to shoot.

But Pools took the lead on 6 minutes when Jones twisted away from Murphy on the edge of the box. He looked up and picked his spot with a wonderful lobbed effort that left Collin stranded.

The Cumbrians tried to reply quickly and a ball inside from Hurst found Robson unmarked. He clipped his cross towards Dobie and it needed a block to prevent the header from going in.

Richard Keogh was first to react to the Hurst corner and his crisp volley from 18 yards flew just inches wide of the upright.

Carlisle got their equaliser on 10 minutes when Hurst battled for possession inside the Pools box. Thirlwell took over, and he wasted no time in getting it to Robson. A wonderfully flighted cross followed and Dobie rose to meet with a downward header that was always going in.

The Cumbrians enjoyed a prolonged spell of pressure after the equaliser with Hurst causing problems with his set piece deliveries, but Pools hung on as they defended in numbers.

A ball over the top fell to Duffy inside the Hartlepool area on 23 minutes and he tried to guide his volley beyond Flinders. The keeper was beaten but the ball seemed to hang in the wind and the home side were able to clear.

Pools took the lead against the run of play on 28 minutes when Sweeney shook off his markers to power a header home from a simple corner routine, and it was disappointing as the Cumbrians were rocked back just as they started to build up a head of steam.

It should have been 3-1 on 31 minutes when Sweeney was again left on his own at the back post but he couldn't get any power on the header and Peter Murphy was able to hook it away.

The home side kept the pressure on and a lofted ball into the area fell right into the path of Jones. His cushioned volley left Collin as a spectator but United were relieved to see it bounce back off the bar.

Adam Boyd was next to go close on 37 minutes but he couldn't keep his close range header down and it rose over the target.

Hartlepool got their third goal in bizarre circumstances on 41 minutes when a Gamble corner blew back from 8 yards out and crossed the line before Collin could do anything about it.

Roy O'Donovan took a run at the heart of the defence on 44 minutes but it was a good block from Keogh that prevented him from finishing it off.

An Ian Harte free kick just needed a touch as it curled towards the six yard box in time added on, but Duffy missed it and Flinders was able to pluck it out of the air.

Half Time: Pools 3 - 1 United

A tight start to the second half brought little in the way of attacking play for either side, but there was a scramble in the Carlisle area on 54 minutes when a dropping ball was punched down by Collin. Murphy had to clear as Boyd closed in.

A venomous Harte free kick brought an excellent save from Flinders on 64 minutes as United's top scorer got it up and over the wall. Pools defended well to prevent the follow up.

James Brown found himself inside the box following a race with Livesey but he couldn't quite get away and Carlisle recovered. But the respite was short lived as Jones burst clear from a quick break, and he made no mistake as he drew Collin and drilled the ball into the bottom corner.

United battled in an attempt to get back into it but Hartlepool defended in numbers and made it very difficult for the visitors to get anything in the way of meaningful possession.

And Collin was needed again as quick breaks threatened to extend the Hartlepool lead further, but Carlisle survived, all-be-it at the expense of another disappointing result.

Goals

Hartlepool - Jones (6, 74), Sweeney (28), Gamble (41)

United - Dobie (10)

Bookings

Hartlepool - O'Donovan (80)

United - Hurst (26)

Teams 

Hartlepool - Flinders, Austin, Collins, Liddle, Hartley, Jones, Sweeney, Gamble, Larkin (Humphreys 71), O'Donovan, Boyd (Brown 60). Subs (not used) - Cook, McSweeney, Behan, Fredriksen, Bjornsson.

United - Collin, Keogh, Livesey, Harte, Murphy (Horwood 57), Hurst (Marshall 65), Thirlwell (Taiwo 57), Clayton, Robson, Duffy, Dobie. Subs (not used) - Gillespie, Bridge-Wilkinson, Kavanagh, Kane.

Away fans - 354