Carlisle United played their first home game for almost five weeks and were hosts to an almost all-new Stockport County side who had made no less than five signings in the week leading up to the game.

Adam Collin came back between the sticks for United with Joe Anyinsah also recalled to lead the attack, with Pidgeley and Dobie dropped to the bench. Gary Madine, back from a loan spell with Coventry, also made it onto the standby list.

A tight start brought little in the way of goalmouth action with Carlisle using Anyinsah to link the forward play. The lone forward was upended 20 yards from the target on 9 minutes and Harte was unlucky to see his goal-bound effort deflect wide of the target off the wall.

Ibehre nearly caught the defence off guard on 21 minutes when he trapped the ball at a tight angle inside the area. He dropped his shoulder and spun on the ball and unleashed a shot through the legs of Horwood that rattled into the side netting.

Ibehre thought he'd scored moments later when Pilkington crossed from the left. The big striker bullied his way onto it and it took a one handed save from Collin to prevent the ball from crossing the line.

Carlisle broke forward when they regained possession and an eight-pass move ended with a ball over the top to Anyinsah. He laid it back for Clayton but the shot was always going high and it rose over the target.

Michael Rose put a 24 yard free kick right at Collin as half time approached but both sides knew they had to do more if there were to be any goals in the second half.

Half Time: United 0 - 0 County

Carlisle came out of the blocks quickly and Joe Anyinsah found Hurst on the right hand side of the area. The right winger set himself and clipped the ball over Fon Williams as he went for goal. The keeper was beaten but it rattled back off the base of the woodwork and rolled away to safety across the face of the goal.

Anyinsah had a shot blocked as he used his strength to get to the goal line and he beat his man and Scott Dobie sent a header wide as the Cumbrians suddenly started to look dangerous.

Anyinsah was the trouble maker again on 53 minutes when he rose to meet a flick from Livesey following a good recovery header from Robson. He caught it well but it dropped onto the roof of the net with Fon Williams stretching.

A good spell for Stockport followed and it took a sliding block from Hurst to prevent Pilkington from testing the target. The Hatters regained possession and Jabo Ibehre spun on it and whisked a shot past Collin. Fortunately for Carlisle it clipped the top of the bar on its way behind for a goal kick.

The officials waved away strong appeals for a penalty on 66 minutes when Joe Anyinsah was dragged to the floor by Rose, and it became infuriating when Rose was handed a set piece opportunity for a push on Ibehre that looked to contain less contact than the challenge just moments before.

Adam Collin did well on 68 minutes when he found himself with Johnson racing towards him. He got his palm to it and Harte completed the clearance.

Disaster struck on 72 minutes when Scott Dobie raised his hands to Michael Rose following a tasty challenge and the referee had no hesitation in producing the red card.

Richard Offiong nearly had a dream start within seconds of coming on when he took the ball into the area, but it was bouncing badly and he couldn't get it under control.

It became ten against ten on 81 minutes when Ibehre slid into a tackle on Harte in front of his own fans and Mr Sarginson took centre stage once more when he produced a yellow card and sent the player for an early shower.

Robson hit the side netting on 84 minutes when Horwood found him with a neat pass, and Abbott went for broke with three strikers when he sent Madine into the fray at the expense of Evan Horwood.

Ian Harte tested Fon Williams when he shot from distance as the clock ticked into the final minute, and Robson was inches away when he rifled one wide following a sustained period of pressure.

Offiong scuffed a chance wide deep into time added on when he did the hard work to get into a shooting position, and Clayton brought the best out of Fon Williams with a fingertip save that was the last of the action in a very tight game.

Bookings

United - Horwood (44), Keogh (44)

Dobie sent off - 72 mins - violent conduct

County - Ibehre (20 and 81 - sent off), Raynes (34)

Teams 

United - Collin, Keogh, Livesey, Harte, Horwood (Madine 87), Hurst (Offiong 79), Taiwo, Kavanagh (Dobie 46), Clayton, Robson, Anyinsah. Subs - Pidgeley, Bridge-Wilkinson, Murphy, Thirlwell.

County - Fon Williams, Mullins, Raynes, Swailes, Rose, Partridge, Vincent, Perkins, Pilkington, Johnson, Ibehre. Subs - Gerrard, Turnbull, Tansey, Griffin, Halls, Edwards, Rowe.

Away fans - 266