United were back at Brunton Park on Saturday afternoon as they played host to Neil Cox's Scunthorpe United side.

Manager Chris Beech went for a tweak to his striking trio with Jordan Gibson making his first start for the club, having provided the assist for the goal at Crawley last weekend.

Zach Clough was also back in the eleven, with Lewis Alessandra and Brennan Dickenson taking a place on the bench.

An early deep free kick from Scunthorpe's Mason O'Malley was cleared by Mellor when he stepped in front of Wood, before he could pounce, but the ball came back in quickly from the right when Millen hooked it onwards.

That was put behind by Mellor, but the resulting corner caused all kinds of problems as Taft got on the end of it with a ripping header. Norman was down to make an excellent save, but the ball squirmed free after a scramble and Onariase wasted no time at all in putting back into the packed six-yard box. Aaron Jarvis kept his eye on it as it pinged around and he was able to bully it over the line from close range.

The away side were visibly lifted by their goal and Hippolyte had a shot blocked when he worked space on the edge of the area moments later.

A break from Mellish from a congested midfield area took him towards the edge of the box as he attacked the Waterworks End, and he checked back to bring Riley into play. The midfielder let fly, urged on by the home crowd, but it was charged down and cleared.

Winger Jordan Gibson raised home decibels on 18 minutes when he took off on a run down the right flank. He won a throw, and Riley launched that into the box. Mellor and McDonald nodded it on but Taft got a firm header to help it on its way.

Scunthorpe were almost gifted a second goal midway through the half when a heavy back pass to Norman brought a low clearance, which was controlled by Jarvis, 20-yards out. It was a tight angle, and the attempted lob dropped onto the roof of the net with the keeper relieved to see it clip the top of the woodwork.

Rory Watson completed a strong punch from a Guy free kick when United sent men forward, but Gibson was there to snaffle up the clearance as he looked for room. He dropped a shoulder to lose his man but his drilled attempt was straight at the stopper.

Carlisle should have been back on terms on 28 minutes when Abrahams took the ball on his toe with his back to goal. He spread it wide but the first delivery was dealt with, but it came to Riley who swept a beauty to the back stick. Armer was up to meet it but he had to lean back, at an awkward angle, and his header back across the face of goal crept the wrong side of the upright.

Good football from the hosts saw Clough spread it for Mellor and Gibson to use. Guy was in attendance, and his precise through ball sliced the defence apart. Mellish crossed on the spin as he reached the byline, but Taft was once again in the right place to wrap his laces around it.

Brennan Dickenson replaced Joe Riley with the home side looking for a spark to ignite their afternoon just before the break, but they were given an even bigger mountain to climb when an inswinging corner found Manny Onariase completely unmarked and on the sprint. He had the simple task of popping it into the back of the net from very close range.

United won an early corner at the start of the second period when Dickenson crossed low into O'Malley. The delivery brought a touch from Abrahams and shouts for handball when Taft came with away it, but the referee ignored the appeals as the visitors broke. Wood tried his luck with an effort from range but Norman was down to make a save.

Dickenson then fed Clough, who was 20-yards out and had plenty to do. He spun his marker, and it briefly opened up, but it got stuck under his boot just as he shaped to shoot.

It was better from the Cumbrians, and an attempted through ball to Abrahams from Dickenson was stopped in the nick of time. Clough then floated one to the back stick when he was picked out by Whelan, as the Blues came again, but it had too much on it and the moment was gone.

The home fans roared their team on and Mellish won another corner when he overlapped. Mellor and McDonald wanted it, but the Iron stood tall to nullify the threat.

Villa loanee Brad Young looked to inject something a little bit different and a twist and turn on 65 minutes took him away from two defenders. Clough tried to give it back to him when it came his way but he was off-balance and Wood got it clear.

A volley off the left boot of Mellor sailed into the Warwick with the hosts searching for a way back into the game, and a slip from Mellish as he tried to test the target saw the ball scuttle well wide.

Rod McDonald was a whisker away from bringing his side back into it on 79 minutes when he made a Guy free kick from deep his own. The header was cushioned but it dipped just wide with Watson well beaten.

Keeper Rory Watson pulled off a good one-handed save when he went to his left to palm a 12-yard snapshot from Dickenson after Alessandra had spotted his run. 

And the spell of pressure was made to tell when Gibson kept his cool just inside the area when a fizzed clearance hit his boot. He recovered after an initial block to find the bottom corner with a sweet strike to register his first goal for the club.

The dangerous Brennan Dickenson watched a rocket from distance take a deflection and spin so close to the top corner once again, and a brace of corners were kept at bay with defending that saw the Iron throw all hands to the pump.

Dickenson pulled another shot wide as the clock ticked into time added on, and an 18-yard thunderbolt from Armer ricocheted all over the place, with the offside flag ending hopes of that particular effort being helped over the line.

United got their equaliser with almost the last touch of the game when Gibson pulled wide to take a pass from Mellor. The cross was sublime, and the finish was excellent as the wide man steamed in to head home from close range - marking his 250th career appearance with a vital goal.

+++++++

Match Day Sponsors

Associate Sponsor – Harrison Northern

Click HERE to visit the Harrison Northern official website.

Associate Sponsor – Hoteligent

Click HERE to visit the Hoteligent official website.

Match Ball Sponsor – More Handles

Click HERE to visit the More Handles official website.

+++++++

Goals

Carlisle United - Gibson (81), Dickenson (90)

Scunthorpe United - Jarvis (3), Onariase (44)

+++++++

Bookings

Carlisle United - Beech (90)

Scunthorpe United - Perry (66), Hippolyte (78), Rowe (86), Cox (90)

+++++++

Teams

Carlisle United - Norman, Mellor, Whelan, McDonald, Armer, Riley (Dickenson 40), Guy (c), Mellish, Clough (Alessandra 67), Abrahams (Young 59), Gibson. Subs - Jensen (gk), Charters, Feeney, Mampala.

Scunthorpe United - Watson, Millen (Rowe 82), O'Malley, Taft (c), Onariase, Beestin, Hippolyte, Wood Pugh 68), Scrimshaw, Jarvis (O'Neill 82), Perry. Subs - Balme (gk), Green, Hallam, Hackney.

+++++++

Match officials

Referee - Rebecca Welch
Assistant Referee 1 - Gary Hilton
Assistant Referee 2 - Paul Newhouse
Fourth Official - Graeme Fyvie
Observer - Brian Parry

+++++++

Attendance - 4,499 (176)