Greg Abbott named an unchanged side for the third consecutive game for the long trip to Plymouth following two impressive footballing displays at the start of the season.

Striker Jason Price was replaced on the bench by Ryan Bowman as he picked up a thigh problem ahead of the weekend trip.

United started at a good tempo and the home keeper was first to be tested when James Chester picked the ball up just outside the box after a good period of sustained pressure. He dropped his shoulder and went past one challenge before unleashing a powerful shot that brought a parried save.

The early pressure continued to mount from the visitors and Craig Curran was quickly onto a long ball over the top. Button came off his line to get hold of the ball as Carlsile forward tried to get the vital touch.

The game became tight as the battle moved to midfield but Ian Harte almost broke the deadlock on 28 minutes when he took charge of a 30-yard free kick. Button appeared to react late but he got enough onto it to push it behind for a corner.

James Berrett tried to find a neat volley from a Simek cross but Button was alert and showed good hands..

Carl Fletcher tried one from distance as the Pilgrims struggled to attack with any kind of purpose and Carlisle started to reassert themselves as they took control of the game.

Plymouth defended deep though and they saw the first half out with their goal intact.

Half Time: Argyle 0 - 0 United

The midfield remained tightly packed but the hard working Cumbrians took the upper hand as Madine and Curran provided a constant outlet.

And they took advantage of a string of corners when substitute Marc Bridge-Wilkinson volleyed a loose ball goalwards. It rebounded up off the greasy surface and Ian Harte notched his second of the season with a close range header that left Button with no chance.

A long kick upfield from Collin then gave Curran the opportunity to bear down on goal but N'Gala got enough onto it to make the save an easy one for Button.

Rory Patterson found space in the Carlisle box as Plymouth threw bodies forward but his twist and turn brought a superb save from the diving Adam Collin.

It was Patterson who popped up to level the scores with the last kick of the game when he shielded the ball and spun on the spot before drilling it into the back of the net to grab an unlikely point from a game that the visitors probably deserved to win.

Goals

Argyle - Patterson (90 +4)

United - Harte (68)

Bookings

Argyle - Molyneux (44)

United - Berrett (48)

Teams 

Argyle - Button, N'Gala, Fletcher, Arnason, Fallon (Patterson 37), Bhasera, Summerfield (Parrett 46), Peterlin, Timar, MaClean (Mason 62), Molyneux. Subs - Larrieu, Clark, Noone, Paterson.

United - Collin, Simek, Chester, Harte, McDaid, Thirlwell, Taiwo, Berrett, Zoko (Bridge-Wilkinson 67), Madine, Curran. Subs - Caig, Murphy, Hurst, Robson, Kane, Bowman.

Away fans - 312