Barrow were the visitors to Brunton Park on Tuesday night for the rearranged league fixture following December's weather enforced postponement.

Manager Paul Simpson made three changes from the weekend away win at Rochdale with Ben Barclay in at right back for Joel Senior, Joe Garner in for Kris Dennis and Omari Patrick in for John-Kymani Gordon.

The weather turned wintry ahead of kick off, with strong winds and belting rain, but that did little to dampen the spirits of the 9,000+ crowd who had turned out to watch the game.

United had the gusts at their backs as they kicked towards the Waterworks from the off, and they almost worked a way through when Patrick cushioned a pass forward for Moxon to use. It was recycled, with Guy involved, but Moxon took over again with a dinked pass. It had just too much on it for Gibson to catch.

The hosts worked their way down the left flank once again with Armer ready to cross. It ricocheted to Mellish, and his low pass was put behind for a corner. Moxon whisked that in, but it was cleared out of the six-yard box before Mellish could get a touch.

Carlisle kept the ball in a tight spot on the halfway line and Garner moved off his marker to flick it onwards for Patrick to go after when it came his way. He cut inside his man and shot from a tight angle but Farman was down smartly to grasp it.

Barrow showed as an attacking force when Brough pulled out wide, into acres of space. He was released, and his delivery spun as it dropped out of the air. Mellish challenged, and Newby had to be blocked as he went for a volley. Holy mopped up the pieces.

United were close again from a Moxon free kick from deep that was nodded back across the face of goal by Feeney. Garner was an inch away from finishing it off, but Farman wasted no time in sending it forward. Kay was into the opposition area at the other end but he was wayward as he dropped a shoulder and let fly.

A cross that turned into a shot from Warren smashed the bar as Holy backtracked to try to get there, and the keeper was relieved to see it bounce back and away from his nets.

Carlisle thought they'd done enough on the half hour when a ball forward from Holy was won by Garner. That put Patrick into a great position, and he quickly got it to Gibson. A clever backheel left Mellish with just Farman to beat but the keeper spread himself to make the save.

A lunge fron Neal on Guy just before the break gave the home side a free kick, almost central and 24-yards out. Moxon's piledriver hit the wall and skewed wide.

But the Blues took the lead with a minute to go before the break when Armer floated a second attempt at catching the bouncing ball just right towards the area. Barclay nodded it down and Jon Mellish took a touch, then another, before clipping it past the advancing keeper from ten yards out.

An excellent corner delivery from Moxon got the Warwick excited with two minutes on the second half clock, but it skimmed off Feeney's head, onto Ray, and away from the target.

The second goal for the Blues came on 50 minutes after Moxon had robbed possession in his own half. He bent a beauty of a 25-yard pass to Garner, and the striker did the rest, on his first start on his fourth spell at the club, with a calm and composed finish into the bottom corner. His first touch created space and his second left Farman with no chance.

Another superb pass from back to front, this time from Feeney, had Patrick beyond the back line on the left flank. He skipped past his man and thumped a shot low from the angle, but Farman did enough to bundle it away.

Carlisle had defending to do as the away team threw men forward, and a header over the bar relieved the pressure. 

A miscued kick from Farman as he came under pressure from Garner went straight to Gibson, and he let fly from distance as the keeper scurried back. It hit Canavan and spooned to safety.

United's third of the night was as simple as it was effective. Guy stuck out a boot to make sure the ball kept rolling forward, and Jordan Gibson dragged it under his boot before spotting Mellish in space. He opened himself up before lifting it beyond Farman and into the waiting net.

United's sixth win from seven looked assured - their fourth on the bounce - when Moxon spun out of a challenge on the angle of the 18-yard area. He could have shot, he didn't, but what he did do was put it on a plate for Omari Patrick. He gobbled it up with a sublime finish.

A deflected effort from Waters earned a corner for the Bluebirds, but he was guilty of putting too much on his return cross when it came all the way to his boot from the set piece.

Barrow had something to cheer when a Ben Whitfield cross was put into his own net by Ben Barclay, as he threw himself in front of Waters.

But smiles were back on faces when Moxon fed a ball through for Gordon with three minutes left to go. Farman was off his line, and he wheeled off in disappointment as he felled the rampaging forward. The referee pointed at the spot, and Kris Dennis bagged goal number 18 for the season (17 in the league) with a lovely penalty kick.

The bumper midweek crowd greeted the final whistle as you would expect - with real appreciation for what they had seen - and it's on to Saturday and the visit of Harrogate to see if the winning run can be stretched to five.

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Match Sponsor - Bimson Haulage
Associate Sponsor - Stanwix Holiday Park
Match Ball Sponsor - Heineken
Match Ball Sponsor - Donaldsons

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Goals

Carlisle United - Mellish (44, 67), Garner (50), Patrick (72), Dennis (88 pen)

Barrow - Barclay (og 84)

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Bookings

Carlisle United - Mellish (75), Gibson (90)

Barrow - Ray (34), Gotts (56)

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Teams

Carlisle United - Holy, Feeney (c), Huntington, Mellish (Devitt 79), Barclay (Whelan 86), Gibson, Guy, Moxon, Armer, Garner (Dennis 74), Patrick (Gordon 74). Subs - Kelly (gk), Robinson, McCalmont.

Barrow - Farman, Brough, Canavan (c), Newby, Kay (Whitfield 73), Neal (White 65), Gotts (Gordon 58), Foley, Warren, Ray, Bennett (Waters 58). Subs - Lillis (gk), Young.

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Match officials

Referee - Andrew Kitchen
Assistant Referee 1 - Simon Clayton
Assistant Referee 2 - Gary Hilton
Fourth Official - Martin Woods
Observer - Barry Sygmuta

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Attendance - 9,351 (965)