United manager Paul Simpson went for three changes to his starting line-up for the visit of Stockport County on Tuesday night.

Ben Barclay was ruled out due to his loan agreement rules, and that brought Corey Whelan back into the mix. 

Joel Senior and John-Kymani Gordon were stepped up as Alfie McCalmont and Omari Patrick shifted to the bench, with a slight tweak to the formation and a very attack-minded approach the order of the day.

There was a foray forward at both ends of the pitch within 50 seconds of kick off, with United first to get on the front foot. Gordon lurked to steal possession on the edge of the box, and he invited Armer to deliver. That was cleared before Dennis could make contact.

Stockport responded with a quick break with Hippolyte at the helm. He used Stretton for support, but the final pass was heavy and it all fizzled out.

Armer was alive again on the left wing as he found himself in space following a meaty challenge. Dennis moved first to meet the low cross, but he stepped out of the way when he got a shout from Senior. The defender struck with his left boot but he couldn't keep it down.

As it swung to and fro Stretton spun to volley a cushioned header from Horsfall from a Collar inswinger from just eight yards out. It had power but it blazed high into the Warwick.

A deflected Camps shot from distance brought a corner for the away team, and Hussey picked out Madden at the back stick. The former Blues man thundered a header at the top corner but it whisked just over and into the fans behind the nets.

Senior popped a long throw into the mix with 12 minutes on the clock but the flick was cut out as two blue shirts converged. United stayed forward, and a Moxon corner got the slightest of touches from Hinchliffe. The graze of his fingertips was enough to take it away from Huntington, who was poised to put it away.

Next to try his luck was Armer, who strode majestically onto a loose ball in midfield. He had just one thing in mind as he pulled the trigger, 25-yards out, but he was robbed of a goal of the season finish by the hand of the diving stopper.

The Hatters was clean through from nowhere moments later as a hopeful ball forward from Madden was touched on by Stretton. Collar had just Holy to beat, but he scuffed his effort from just inside the area and it went well wide.

Carlisle should have been ahead on 20 minutes when Dennis thundered one through bodies after a miscued clearance had been headed his way by Moxon. Gibson was first to react but he was disappointed when he slashed his touch into the side netting.

There were lucky breaks at almost every step of the way on 31 minutes when Stockport took the lead. Wright was mobile down the right flank, and it broke for him off a rebound as he moved into the area. He picked out Stretton, who was fortunate to see a wild swing hit his own boot and ricochet to Camps. He stayed calm as he fed it to Hippolyte, and a firm strike left Holy with no chance as it whistled into the net.

The wind was taken out of the home sails following the goal and Stockport came again, with a Camps header that struck a shoulder and bounced away for a corner. That eventually came to nothing, with much of the remainder of the half's action taking place in the middle of the pitch.

Trickery from Gordon earned a corner after the break, and Moxon sent it deep. Armer recycled it, but he was quickly shut down.

Gordon was the cause of another set piece to be claimed when he wouldn't give up in a tussle and it prived to be pivotal as Moxon caused all kinds of confusion with his inswinger. Mellish, who had been moved to midfield for the second half, sparked the celebrations as it came off his thigh and dropped over the line. That was his sixth goal of the campaign.

The crowd was alive, and a ball forward was screwed behind by Horsfall as he panicked. Huntington challenged for the first Moxon corner, but the defender was pulled up for a foul as he tried to get onto the second.

A deep free kick from Moxon deserved a touch as it dipped inside the area, and the midfielder went for one of his own after Gibson and Senior had held onto possession. He kept his left foot stinger low but Hinchliffe had watched it all the way.

Holy was confident as he watched a clipped set piece from Hussey spin towards the six-yard area. Horsfall lunged at it but he missed the touch and it skipped harmlessly away.

Croasdale volleyed for the bottom corner in what was a good spell for the away team, but it struck a blue shirt and bobbled away.

Camps was next to go close as he fashioned a one-two with Madden. He had his head in his hands as it swirled past the upright.

Gibson fizzed one right at the keeper from wide as the game remained in the balance, and Holy showed good awareness to step off his line to grasp a centred ball from Olaofe.

Tenacity in midfield from Moxon and Mellish saw them turn possession over and Patrick was sent on a run. He chose to try to place his shot with his right foot but the block was executed.

There was a wonderful save from Holy as the Hatters broke with purpose with 12 minutes left to go. Madden sprinted forward and Olaofe took over, with the home crowd asking for offside. The striker thought he'd done enough until a diving hand connected to take the ball away.

The game appeared to have been turned on its head with seven minutes left to play as the Cumbrians executed a devastating break. Patrick picked it up deep inside his own half and kept things tight with Moxon. Edmondson angled a 40-yard run towards the box and he kept his cool as he waited for support. That came from Moxon who netted his first Brunton Park goal emphatically.

But the lead lasted just three minutes as Evans, who had only replaced Croasdale two minutes earlier, popped up from nowhere to thump an unstoppable header into the roof of the net after space had been created for the delivery out wide.

Into time added on and Whelan had a volley charged down after an Armer corner was flicked into his path, and skill from Patrick was followed by a looped cross that Huntington wanted. His header was scooped up by Hinchliffe.

Horsfall could do nothing but send the ball at Holy off his thigh when it came to him late from Olaofe, and it was close at the other end when an Armer set piece hit a visiting head and swept an inch past the post, with the teams forced to take a share of the spoils.

+++++++

Match Sponsor - MKM Building Supplies
Associate Sponsor - Stanwix Holiday Park
Match Ball Sponsor - Heineken
Match Ball Sponsor - Tyler Design Services

+++++++

Goals

Carlisle United - Mellish (54), Moxon (83)

Stockport County - Hippolyte (31), Evans (86)

+++++++

Bookings

Carlisle United - Whelan (27), Senior (41), Mellish (90)

Stockport County - Knoyle (38)

+++++++

Teams

Carlisle United - Holy, Whelan, Huntington (c), Mellish, Senior, Gibson (Patrick 72), Moxon, Guy, Armer, Gordon, Dennis (Edmondson 72). Subs - Kelly, Devitt, Robinson, McCalmont, Garner.

Stockport County - Hinchliffe, Knoyle, Wright (Johnson 84), Horsfall, Camps, Madden (c), Collar, Stretton (Olaofe 69), Croasdale (Evans 84), Hippolyte, Hussey. Subs - Jaros (gk), Byrne, Davenport, Rowe.

+++++++

Match officials

Referee - Thomas Parsons
Assistant Referee 1 - Johnathon Bickerdike
Assistant Referee 2 - Bradley Hall
Fourth Official - Simon Clayton
Observer - Michael Pike

+++++++

Attendance - 7,198 (1,052)