It was back on the road for United as they made the trip into the south west on Saturday afternoon.

Cumbrian play-off dreams remain well and truly alive as the Blues picked up a well deserved point from high-flying Exeter.

United had two early deliveries to deal with as the Grecians attacked from the off but Hill guided the first one away on the volley, and Bonham was there to grasp the second as Sweeney tried to find his strikers.

The Blues had an excellent attack of their own when Bennett flicked a huge ball forward into Devitt's path. The wide man carried the ball into the box and popped a low delivery across the face of goal. Stockton got a toe to it but he was under pressure and his shot spun away to safety.

The visitors came again as Hope surged out of the packed midfield with the ball at his feet, and he won a free kick as he was upended 23-yards from goal. The opportunity was spurned as the set piece from Devitt flew over the waiting heads.

Hope came again with a direct run down the left flank and he had Pym worried as he unleashed a curler from the right hand angle of the area. The keeper reacted late and was relieved to see it skip off the surface and bounce past the post.

It was a good start from the Blues and Hill put a header from another Devitt corner right at Pym when he jumped highest to make contact. Joyce picked up a booking for a late tackle on Boateng, but the referee completely missed a nasty challenge from Tillson which left Jones writhing in agony on the floor.

Things calmed down and the football returned with a snapshot on the spin from Stockton which touched a thigh and went behind for a corner. Pym was off his line to grab the deep Devitt delivery.

It took the Grecians 38 minutes to really trouble the United back line, and that came when Liddle miscontrolled on the bumpy pitch as he tried to wrong foot Stockley. He pulled the forward back and picked up a yellow card for his efforts. The free kick was inch perfect but Parkes managed to get there before Troy Brown.

Three corners followed, and the third was made to count when a half clearance was nodded back into the mix. Moxey initially appeared to be offside, but he ignored the appeals and swept the loose ball home on the volley.

United were on the front-foot again from the restart but they couldn't make good from their attacking positions as they faltered going into the final third. 

Exeter bided their time and they broke through with a pass from Boateng which Taylor took in his stride. Bonham had to dive low to make the save as a driven shot came at him.

The Cumbrians missed an excellent chance of their own when they Bennett went on a run down the left wing. He used Nadesan to create an overlap, and then asked for the ball to feed it onwards to Devitt. The midfielder tried to guide his shot in from 19-yards but it whisked just past the upright.

Carlisle got the goal they deserved on 64 minutes when the Grecian defence got itself into a muddle. Substitute Ashley Nadesan was put clean through and he made no mistake with an excellent finish into the top corner.

Devitt tested Pym moments after the goal, with a dipping free kick from the edge of the box, but the keeper was well placed to pluck it from beneath his bar. Bennett then protected a pass from Parkes, but he scuffed his shot as he turned his man and went for glory.

Taylor wasn't too far away for Exeter when he tried his luck from distance at it opened up for him at the other end. His punt had power but it was always too high.

Both teams went for it through the closing stages - a deflected Hope shot sat up kindly for Pym when he was found by Twardek, and a punch from Bonham stopped a home free kick from mounting to much - and it was Carlisle who finished the stronger.

Hope forced a parry from Pym when he cut inside, and Lambe had two follow-ups blocked as he tried to finish things off. The same player then headed over from the resulting corner.

Bonham had a late save to make from Taylor, but that was that as the combatants shared the spoils.

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Goals

Exeter City - Moxey (42)

Carlisle United - Nadesan (64)

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Bookings

Carlisle United - Joyce (20), Liddle (40)

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Teams

Exeter City - Pym, Sweeney, Tillson, Harley, Holmes (Edwards 33), Stockley, Moore-Taylor (Woodman 8), Moxey, Taylor, Brown, Boateng. Subs - Jones, James, Archibald-Henville, Simpson, Jay.

Carlisle United - Bonham, Liddle, Ellis, Hill, Parkes, Devitt, Jones, Joyce (Lambe 64), Hope, Stockton (Nadesan 57), Bennett (Twardek 76). Subs - Gray, Grainger, Brown, O'Sullivan.

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Referee - John Busby

Attendance - 3,488 (201 away fans)