United manager Greg Abbott handed new signing Richard Offiong his first start since joining the club in a £75,000 move from Hamilton last week and also gave a debut to keeper Adam Collin, a summer arrival from Workington.

Peter Murphy took the captain's armband with Evan Horwood, Tony Kane, Gary Madine and Michael Burns all coming into the side.

The Cumbrians were opened up on 3 minutes when Burns lost possession in the centre circle and Morecambe surged forward. Michael Twiss got it wide to Neil Wainwright and his cross was met by the unmarked Garry Hunter who was able to stab it home from close range.

The Shrimps had their tails up and they played their way through again on 8 minutes when Wainwright skipped his way to the bye line. Kane had to get back to block as he tried to cut it back.

United should have been back on level terms in the 13th minute when Kev Hurst picked his way into a shooting position. Roche could only parry the powerful 20-yard effort but Peter Murphy somehow screwed his volley wide when he had the whole of the target to aim at.

Raven defended well in the 20th minute when Artell crossed from the right and it needed a firm header from the centre back to take it away from the advancing Wayne Curtis.

Matt Robson sent a curler right at the keeper at the other end when Morecambe struggled to clear a corner, and Graham Kavanagh brought a full length save out of Roche with a dipping free kick as Carlisle tried to get back into the game.

Artell watched a Curtis flick on from a Mark Duffy cross skid through his legs when the Shrimps attacked in numbers, and Horwood was relieved to see his intervening header arrow narrowly over the bar when Duffy picked another dangerous cross into the area.

Hurst brought another parried save from Roche in the 39th minute when he combined with Offiong to get at the heart of the Shrimps defence. The keeper had it covered but it took him two attempts to gather it.

A Kane cross from deep whipped just in front of Offiong and drifted harmlessly wide and it was Carlisle with the work to do as the whistle blew for half time.

Half Time: Morecambe 1 - 0 United

United started the half brightly but an Offiong flick header at the near post was cut out by substitute keeper Scott Davies before Madine could react.

The Cumbrians were back on level terms on 48 minutes when Burns broke forward at pace. A block tackle on the edge of the area ricocheted to the supporting Graham Kavanagh and he swept a left foot volley into the bottom corner from 20-yards.

Bentley had to clear the ball off Offiong's toes when Madine beat his man and crossed low, but Morecambe regained their lead in the 56th minute when a long ball forward sat up nicely for Wayne Curtis. He lifted it over the advancing Adam Collin and the celebrations eventually started once it dropped out of the air and into the back of the net.

Twiss should have extended the lead further on 59 minutes when he stayed close to Curtis. The nod down came towards him but he blazed it wide as Collin closed the angle.

Kavanagh orchestrated a swift attacking move in an attempt to get Carlisle ticking over but Hurst sent his shot, on the run, too close to the keeper.

Adam Collin lost the flight of the ball from a back pass in the 80th minute and had to shepherd Curtis out of the area as he tried to take advantage of the temporary slip. The forward kept trying to find space for the shot, but he had to play it backwards as Carlisle regrouped.

Scott Davies then spilled a cross in his own area, and Gavin Rothery stayed forward having made the delivery, but he scooped his shot over as he tried to take the keeper by surprise.

Graham Kavanagh scored his second of the evening and took the game to penalties with just 60 seconds left on the clock when he powered a header beyond the dive of Davies following a nicely placed Madine lay off.

Pens:

Harte - Firm left foot, no mistake. Carlisle 1- 0 Shrimps.

Artell - Sent Collin the wrong way. 1-1

Hurst - Straight down the middle. 2-1

McStay - Sent Collin the wrong way. 2-2

Kane - Powerful finish to the keeper's right. 3-2

Duffy - Excellent save by Collin, high to his left. 3-2

Madine - No mistake with a calm finish. 4-2

Curtis - Another fantastic save - United go through 4-2.

Note - Graham Kavanagh was to be the fifth penalty taker for Carlisle United.

Goals

Morecambe - Hunter (3), Curtis (56)

United - Kavanagh (48, 89)

Bookings

Morecambe -

United - Murphy (30), Kavanagh (42)

Teams 

Morecambe - Roche (Davies 46), Moss (Parrish 55), Artell, Bentley, Stanley, Twiss, Hunter, Curtis, Wainwright, Duffy, Wilson (McStay 67). Subs (not used) - Poole, Winters.

United - Collin, Kane, Raven, Murphy, Horwood, Hurst, Burns (Harte 90), Kavanagh, Robson (Rothery 64), Madine, Offiong (Anyinsah 73). Subs (not used) - Pidgeley, Tinnion.

Away fans - 645