Carlisle United made five changes for the visit of Macclesfield in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy with Adam Collin, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, Peter Murphy, Gavin Rothery and Richard Offiong stepping up to the starting line up.

Macclesfield sat deep for the opening spell and a Rothery cross bounced up off Brisley and made an uncomfortable moment for the defender until Brain gathered it down low.

An Ian Harte delivery in the 9th minute was half cleared to the edge of the area but Taiwo couldn't get his left-foot first-time volley on target.

Tipton and Sappleton combined on the left wing when Macclesfield got forward but the latter chose to shoot early and he pulled his effort well wide.

A direct run from Robson took him past his marker as United camped forward, but Rothery missed his header as he came in from deep to try to apply a touch.

Ian Harte volleyed the resulting corner wide from the Kavanagh corner set piece that followed with the Cumbrians dictating the pace of the game all the way.

Cute play from Kavanagh took him into an advanced position and he carved the Silkmen open with an early cross. Bridge-Wilkinson was completely unmarked but he couldn't get the touch that it needed and he put too much onto the header, sending it high over the bar.

Bridge-Wilkinson thought he'd scored on 37 minutes when he cut inside and played a one-two with Tom Taiwo, who had found acres of space on the edge of the area. The nippy midfielder lofted the ball over the stranded Jon Brain but it rattled the crossbar on its way behind for a goal kick.

Stephen Reed rifled a 20-yard free kick into the Warwick as half time approached and Gavin Rothery earned himself warm applause when he carried the ball from the half way line and forced the keeper into a diving save.

The visitors stole an unlikely lead in time added on at the end of the first half when Bolland worked a short corner routine with Sinclair. His cross tempted Shaun Brisley into a run and he put enough on the clipped header to guide it beyond Collin and into the bottom corner.

Half Time: United 0 - 1 Macc

The Cumbrians had a good moment just after the restart when Kavanagh fed the ball onwards toward Offiong. He spread the ball across the six yard line but it was too far in front of Bridge-Wilkinson and Brain was able to clear.

Offiong nodded a Kavanagh corner inches wide in the 55th minute as the second half followed the pattern of the first with Carlisle in control and the Macc lads sitting deep.

Good work and a turn of pace from Offiong took him past the Macclesfield back line in the 57th minute and his cut back found Taiwo in his stride. The midfielder looked up and shot early but the spin of the ball took it away from the target.

Gavin Rothery was next to be wasteful with a wild shot from just outside the box, and Tom Taiwo leaned back and sidefooted a horrible shot onto the roof of the stand when Robson had done all of the hard work.

Greg Abbott went for a double change on 62 minutes with Dobie and Anyinsah taking to the field but it was Matt Robson who snatched the equaliser with a fierce shot that flew past the keeper and into the net at his near post.

Adam Collin was needed to save low from Bencherif when he burst through on 67 minutes, and the Cumbrians took the lead for the first time on the night when Scott Dobie stayed calm and used his pace to shrug off the challenge of Brown. Brain tried to close the gap but the substitute clipped the ball over him and into the corner of the net.

Dobie missed the chance to repeat the feat in the 73rd minute when Bridge-Wilkinson fed the pass through. He got the ball past the keeper but it was always drifting away.

A quick free kick from Harte released Bridge-Wilkinson in the 76th minute but he pulled his left foot shot inches wide of the upright. The turnaround was completed in the 78th minute when Ian Harte crossed early and Bridge-Wilkinson gambled with a run towards the near post that brought him the reward of a headed goal.

The game became a near rout when Bridge-Wilkinson sent the ball deep and Robson cleverly clipped it back towards Dobie. He claimed his second of the night with a powerful drive that Brain could do nothing about.

Youngster John Rooney made it a night to remember for himself when he scored a beauty from distance to give Macclesfield a bit of late hope, but it was a job well done in the end for a united side who had to show patience and resilience before the game finally turned their way.

Goals

United - Robson (64), Dobie (69, 80), Bridge-Wilkinson (78)

Macc - Brisley (45), Rooney (85)

Bookings

United - Horwood (77)

Teams 

Carlisle United - Collin, Raven (Horwood 21), Keogh, Murphy, Harte, Rothery (Anyinsah 62), Kavanagh, Taiwo, Robson, Bridge-Wilkinson, Offiong (Dobie 62). Subs (not used) - Gillespie, Burns.

Macclesfield Town - Brain, Reid, Brown, Sinclair, Reed, Bolland, Brisley, Daniel, Bencherif, Sappleton, Tipton (Rooney 77) . Subs (not used) - Dennis, Lowe, Mukendi, Thomas.

Away fans - 28