REPORT: Luton 3 - 4 United

Luton used their goal kick to good effect when Lawless picked the loose ball up in midfield. He fed it to Marriott and the former-Carlisle loanee made no mistake as he took a touch, spun and thumped an unstoppable shot into the back of the net. 

Tails were up in the home ranks and Ellis had to be on his guard as Green bent a free kick into the six-yard box. The clearing header was quickly returned but Raynes did well to slide in and stop Marriott from going for goal. 

A 25-yard free kick from Green was little to write home about as Luton continued to probe, and Miller was unlucky at the other end when he got onto a clipped cross from Hery. His connection had power but he couldn't quite find the direction it needed. 

Carlisle knocked on the door again when a Grainger free kick from the half way line was nodded on by Raynes. The keeper came out to get it, but it fell loose, with plenty of blue shirts in attendance. Asamoah stretched out a leg but his toe-poke went well wide. 

The visitors suddenly looked the better side and some neat passing between Hery and Kennedy gave Grainger the chance to cross. Raynes leaped high but Tyler stood strong to make a block. 

Another glanced header from Raynes found Ellis with time at the back post and he put his head in his hands as he lobbed the ball into the stands as Tyler crept off his line. It was one-way traffic and the Luton keeper had to use quick feet to beat another Raynes head from under his bar as it threatened to creep over the line. 

Carlisle kept the momentum up and a run from deep from Hery allowed Asamoah to go on the overlap. It was more good defending as Cuthbert dropped low to stop Wyke from applying the finishing touch. 

For all the good work, Carlisle were almost undone again when Marriott showed good close control from a precise through ball. His left-footed shot beat Gillespie but it was never going to trouble the target.

But it was the Cumbrians who had the last say of the half when a long ball over the top from Joyce found Wyke with just one man to evade. His first touch set it up and he left Tyler with no chance as he picked his spot in the bottom corner with a well executed finish. 

The visitors were rocked back on their heels with just 56 seconds on the second half clock when a measured ball from Green which fell into the box was allowed to go unchallenged. Josh McQuoid sprinted between two defenders and the slightest of touches was enough to take it past Gillespie.

An intricate free kick routine involving Grainger and Joyce resulted in the latter drilling a low shot at Tyler, but it was disaster at the other end when Green was felled by Hery just 22-yards out. The lively wide man picked himself up to take the free kick and he got a second bite at the cherry as his first effort spooned up off the wall. A hopeful volley took a slight deflection and it spun awkwardly as it dropped in off the post. 

It took substitute Alex Gilliead just three minutes to make his mark when the Cumbrians battled for the ball inside the Luton area. It eventually broke free and the youngster kept his cool to gain his bearings before smashing his shot past Tyler to bring his side right back into the game. 

The away pressure levels increased and Ibehre crunched a header from a Grainger free kick over the bar, and he also had one ruled out for offside when he reacted first to beat Tyler as he palmed a Grainger volley back into the mix. 

Patient build-up play brought a cut back from Kennedy and Joyce let fly with a shot which hit a defender and went behind for a corner. A half clearance followed from the delivery and the second equaliser of the night arrived when Jabo Ibehre kept his eye on a bouncing ball to snatch his eleventh of the season with a fine strike.

The game was turned on its head just 60 seconds later when Derek Asamoah went on a run across the edge of the area. He had only one thing in mind as he sent a wonderful effort past Tyler's full length dive. 

Gillespie made a vital save from a free kick from distance in time added on, and Asamoah had a shot blocked as he went through with the closing stages proving to be very open indeed.

But it was job done for Carlisle as they plugged the gaps despite a late attempt from McCourt.