United were back at Brunton Park on Saturday afternoon looking to put things right from their recent poor run of home form.

Captain Danny Grainger and Jamie Devitt were back into the starting line up, and George Glendon also stepped up as cover for Kelvin Etuhu, who had picked up a hamstring problem following last weekend's home game against Yeovil Town. Tom Parkes and Hallam Hope remained sidelined with their respective injuries.

The Blues started with a back three of Liddle, Gerrard and Gillesphey with Grainger and Sowerby dropping deep whenever needed. Yates and Devitt provided additional firepower as well as midfield presence, with Nadesan tasked with looking for the ball at every opportunity.

A long ball from Sowerby bounced awkwardly in front of Butler just after the kick off but Yates couldn't quite get there as Demetriou shepherded it back to safety. Carlisle came again when Devitt found a yard, but his shot from distance caught in the wind and dipped over the bar.

The hosts wasted a fantastic opportunity to take the lead with just seven minutes on the clock when a ball forward from Grainger was poorly dealt with by Butler. Yates was onto it in a flash and his first touch took him nicely into the area. He had just Day to beat but the keeper spread himself to make an excellent block.

It was to be a short-lived reprieve for the away side though as blue shirts flooded forward in the next attack. Glendon pulled off his man to make space for the cross and he curled a beauty of a pass at the penalty spot, inviting attackers to make up the ground. Jamie Devitt didn't disappoint as he steamed in to guide his toe poke into the bottom corner, breaking a 480-minute home goal drought into the bargain.

Things got even better for the hosts when Devitt bounced a short corner off Yates just three minutes later. Day was off his line and the wide man caught him completely off guard when he drilled an unstoppable thunderbolt through bodies and into the back of the net.

Defender Macaulay Gillesphey tried his luck from distance as Carlisle stayed on the front foot, but Day got down to his right quickly to make sure he had things under control.

The Exiles reminded the home side that there was still a long way to go when a high ball forward was controlled by Semenyo. He rolled it back for Butler to strike, but a deflection took it wide of the upright.

Amond then scooped a poor attempt high into the Warwick Road End when he tried to shift the ball to make a better angle, and a run of three corners had to be watched closely, with Gerrard twice on the end of decent clearing headers.

The game should have been made even more comfortable just after the half hour when Butler got his bearings completely skewed as the ball whisked into the box. His touch merely served to slow the pace of the ball and that left Yates with just Joe Day to beat once again. He hesitated for just a fraction of a second and that gave the keeper the time he needed to close the gap and get the touch which took the ball spinning away on the wrong side of the upright.

A Grainger corner caused all kinds of problems as Nadesan raced in at the back stick, and it appeared that he was about to volley it goalwards until Pipe got in the way to send it to safety. Devitt angled the second corner to the near post and Gillesphey was disappointed to see his header flash over the bar.

Carlisle were made to consider their missed opportunities when Newport got themselves right back into the game just before the break. Willmott overlapped before popping a flighted cross towards the back stick, and Padraig Amond was given time to pick his spot with a thumping header which skipped beneath Collin. Liddle tried his best to keep it out but it had just too much on it and his attempted clearance sliced into the roof of the net.

A direct run from Yates took him into the box, as United looked to reassert their authority, and movement from Nadesan invited a pass. The forward got there but his first touch took the ball away from the nets and Newport were able to regroup.

Collin had to take care with a long range effort from Barkinson in time added on for the half, and Grainger unleashed a right-footed attempt which bobbled wide as both sides kept the pace of the game high.

A horrible mistake by Demetriou at the start of the second half saw him miscontrol and allow Yates to skip clear inside the box. It was a very tight angle, so he attempted a cut back, but Butler was across to intercept before Nadesan could shoot.

The Exiles got forward to good effect when Bakinson slid a pass through to take Sheehan clear. His touch was met by Semenyo, but Gerrard got enough on it to divert it behind. The corner was headed high by Liddle and Demetriou found himself in space as it fell from the sky. He scissor kicked an acrobatic volley at the top corner but Collin was well positioned to grasp it.

A whipped cross from Grainger deserved better as the game went from end-to-end, and Nadesan threw himself at it to get a touch. Day was put off, and his spill was begging to be struck as the ball rolled twards Glendon. Newport closed ranks to get it away.

Carlisle were almost undone on the hour when a ball over the top found Amond in space. He shaped to take the first-time volley as it skipped off the slick surface and Collin was relieved to see it fizz past his upright.

With the wind getting up as the afternoon wore on, a cross from Grainger left Day scrambling as it swirled its way just over the bar. Sheehan sent one into the side netting from 30-yards at the other end as the game remained very open, but Carlisle went closest in an intriguing spell when Slater carried the ball to the edge of the box. His piledriver was heading for the roof of the net until Day got a strong hand to it.

Good work from Bennett saw him pick Nadesan out with a telling delivery, and his strike partner was ready to celebrate until his header bounced down off the angle of post and bar. Newport broke and Matt almost marked his arrival in the game with a goal when he was released by Bakinson. He stabbed the ball with his toe but Collin was out to make a fantastic save.

A game that ebbed and flowed saw Willmott prod two teasing crosses into the United area, and he was frustrated that nobody was there to apply any kind of touch. Collin was in action again to tip a header from Matt over the bar as the clock ticked into the final ten minutes, and Day was also on his toes as Nadesan threatened to break through. The keeper came to the edge of the area to deal with the danger.

Newport were back on terms on 85 minutes when a fierce free kick from the right flank was met on the full by Butler. His inital header brought a wonderful save from Collin, but the defender reacted quickly to smash the rebound into the roof of the net.

Day saved from Devitt as United looked to respond, but Carlisle bagged the win they deserved with an absolutely fantastic volley from captain Danny Grainger as he blasted a snapshot into the top corner in time added on. Day had punched a high ball as Bennett challenged, but he could do nothing about the missile that launched its way past him and which claimed the points for the Blues.

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Goals

Carlisle United - Devitt (9, 12), Grainger (90)

Newport County - Amond (39), Butler (85)

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Bookings

Carlisle United - Grainger (90)

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Teams

Carlisle United - Collin, Liddle, Gerrard, Gillesphey, Grainger, Yates, Sowerby, Glendon (Bennett 67), Jones (Slater 67), Devitt, Nadesan. Subs - Gray, Miller, Campbell, Egan, McCarron.

Newport County - Day, Pipe, Butler, Willmott, Dolan, Amond, Bakinson, Sheehan (Marsh-Brown 85), Forbes (Matt 66), Demetriou, Semenyo (Harris 81). Subs - Townsend, Foulston, Cooper, Collins.

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Referee - Mr Chris Sarginson

Attendance - 3,541 (136 away fans)