United returned to league action for the visit of Bristol Rovers - and manager Paul Simpson made four changes following the FA Cup exit at Leyton Orient.
Dylan McGeouch was handed a first league start for the Blues with Jack Armer, Paul Huntington and Luke Plange also coming into the 11 in place of Callum Guy, Jack Robinson, Dan Butterworth and Sean Maguire.
The visitors made five changes of their own after a midweek draw against Reading and started brightly, with United having to deal with several tempting deliveries into their area in the opening exchanges.
And it was the Gas who had the first real chance of the afternoon as Aaron Collins pounced on a deflected clearance and advanced on goal before fizzing a strike into the side netting from just inside the area.
Carlisle grew into the encounter and started to ask some questions of their visitors, with a low Plange cross requiring some last-ditch defending to clear as Armer showed real endeavour to try and make a connection at the near post.
As the half progressed the game became a more end-to-end affair, with both teams exchanging half-chances.
Tomas Holy got down well to hold Collins’ low shot after a quick counter-attack, before Jon Mellish showed persistence to win the ball back in the opposition area with his cut-back narrowly evading the on-rushing Jordan Gibson.
Harvey Vale was the next to threaten for Andy Mangan’s side after being picked out in space with a deep cross, but he failed to trouble Holy and blazed over from 12 yards.
At the other end, Plange twisted and turned before drawing a foul to hand the hosts a free-kick in a dangerous area. Owen Moxon’s delivery was a good one but was well-defended by the Gas – before the midfielder sent a follow-up volley from distance over.
United were starting to gain momentum and Gibson’s fast feet saw him beat two players and surge into the box before fashioning some space for a shot which drifted wide.
But just as the Blues were beginning to look more likely, it was Rovers who took the lead on 38 minutes as Jack Hunt’s low cross took a deflection off Sam Lavelle and looped in at the back post.
And the hosts were dealt another blow moments later as captain Huntington was forced off through injury, with Maguire introduced in his place.
There was little time for the forward or United to threaten before the half-time whistle sounded, but they began the second half on the offensive.
McGeouch was first to threaten with a venomous drive from 25 yards after a corner was only half-cleared - visiting stopper Matthew Cox parrying into the turf before gathering at the second attempt.
Another corner then produced a first sight of goal for Maguire, who peeled away at the front post and flicked Moxon’s low delivery over the bar as the Blues enjoyed a sustained spell of pressure.
The chances kept on coming, with only Cox’s fingertips preventing Plange’s header from finding the bottom corner after the Crystal Palace loanee leapt highest to meet Ben Barclay’s floated cross.
Simpson introduced Terry Ablade as the Blues looked to continue their momentum and the forward was involved in a key moment of the second half.
As he battled to get on the end of Barclay’s through ball and bear down on goal, Tristan Crama was adjudged to have impeded his progress and his shown a straight red card by referee Martin Woods.
Moxon was superbly denied by Cox from the resultant free-kick before the visiting ‘keeper then again thwarted Plange after he let fly with a low drive from 20 yards.
United spent the final stages of the game camped in the opposition half as they committed plenty of bodies forward in search of a leveller.
Maguire sent a header over from a Moxon corner before turning provider and feeding Gibson, who just couldn’t get himself set before seeing his eventual shot deflected wide.
Holy then had to stand strong to parry a Marquis derive as the Gas launched a late foray forward, but the majority of the five minutes of added time were spent in and around the visiting penalty area.
But United couldn't find a way through a stubborn Bristol Rovers backline, as the visitors held on to secure the three points.
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Match Sponsor – Thomas Graham
Associate Sponsor – Go Hardware
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Goals
Bristol Rovers – Lavelle og (38)
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Bookings
Carlisle United – Barclay (5), Garner (14), Gibson (90+1), Moxon (90+5)
Bristol Rovers – Woods (14), Friend (45+2), Collins (51)
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Red Cards
Bristol Rovers – Crama (73)
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Teams
Carlisle United - Holy, Armer, Moxon, Lavelle, Huntington (Maguire 42), Gibson, Garner (Abalde 68), McGeouch (Butterworth 82), Mellish, Barclay, Plange (Edmondson 82). Subs – Andresson, Whelan, Robinson
Bristol Rovers – Cox, Wilson, Collins (Brown 83), Woods (Gibbons 83), Martin (Marquis 66), Vale, Evans, Bogarde, Crama, Friend, Hunt (Grant 76). Subs – Hall, Sinclair, Thomas
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Match officials
Referee – Martin Woods
Assistant Referee 1 – Daniel Woodward
Assistant Referee 2 – Darren Williams
Fourth Official – Alex Gray
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Attendance – 7,838 (597 away)
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