United were in South Wales for their return to League Two action on Saturday afternoon as they made the trip to Rodney Parade to face Newport.
And it was breathtaking stuff as both sides went all out for the victory in an action-packed second half.
The Blues created an early half chance when Lambe robbed Pipe of possession tight by the corner flag. He clipped a through ball to Bennett, and the striker’s immediate spin and cross found Joyce in an advanced position. An awkward first touch meant the moment was gone.
Carlisle stayed forward and more good work from Lambe took him into the six-yard box. He went for a first time cross but it was just too high for Bennett to make it count.
Bennett was the man causing problems out wide again as the Blues controlled the early play, and his drop of a shoulder earned space for a cross. He delivered it well and won a free kick for his efforts as he was chopped to the floor.
The delivery from that from Lambe was perfect to attack but Etuhu sent his header over the bar as he came under pressure at close range. Newport showed for the first time as an attacking force on the quarter hour when Demetriou cut in from the right flank and rode two challenges. It opened up for the shot and Bonham had to dive full length to tip it round his upright.
County enjoyed a good spell and Hill had to take care when Butler drilled the ball through legs. Willmott then found himself at a tight angle with room to work but his thumping drive was blocked by a very brave lunge from Liddle.
The home side edged on top and Bonham had to take care with a long-range punt from White as it skipped up off the slick surface right in front of him. And the big stopper was in action once again when McCoulsky breezed past Parkes to try his luck. It was a good connection, but Bonham dealt with it well.
Both sides wasted set piece opportunities as the game tightened up, and Lambe forced a save out of Day when Etuhu bided his time to get on to a bouncing high ball. His set up invited the shot, but the home keeper was equal to it.
Dolan volleyed over for Newport when a Butler cross dropped out of the air, and Butler was disappointed when he latched on to a miscued clearance from Brown. The opening was there but he lost bearings and whipped it harmlessly wide.
Having kept things so tight, Carlisle were undone in disappointing fashion when a free kick from the halfway line was floated into the box. Bonham was off his line, as the first connection took the ball pinging around the box, and he could do nothing as McCoulsky flicked a neat lob into the roof of the net.
The Cumbrians were back on level terms with just 40 seconds on the second half clock when Newport completely fell asleep as a ball was flicked on by Bennett inisde the area. It bounced inside the six-yard box and Luke Joyce made sure he got enough on it during the fracas that followed to encouage it to roll over the line.
And the game was turned on its head when a Tom Miller long throw was missed by everybody. Kelvin Etuhu waited for the optimum moment before slamming a beauty of a crunch past Day and into the bottom corner.
But County were back on terms just four minutes later when Matt Dolan took charge of a 23-yard free kick. Bonham could do nothing as it dipped over the wall and into his net.
The Blues looked a threat every time they got into the box and they made a high cross from Parkes count when Tom Miller sat deep and stayed away from his marker. He stepped forward to jump high and Day allowed the ball to squirm under his body and over the line as the header bounced off the floor.
There was barely time to draw breath as County pegged things back once more with another peach of a free kick from Dolan. Closer to 30-yards this time, he swept a dipper into the top corner with Bonham unable to do anything about it.
It was suddenly finely balanced and a mistake from Jones allowed Labadie to run on. He fed it back for Nouble to shoot but it was easy for Bonham to gather. Jones asked questions at the other end when he forced a parry from Day when he latched on to a loose ball, and Hope was a whisker away when he popped the rebound just wide with the keeper well beaten.
Set pieces continued to cause upset in both final thirds and Carlisle weren't too far away when Lambe found Parkes from out wide. The big defender got something on it but it wasn't quite enough to trouble the nets.
Amond swept a late chance wide when he was in acres of space, and Labadie nodded over from close range, and Bonham made a points-saving save when the last kick of the game came at him from the edge of the box. His fingertip touch took it behind to safety as the home shirts set themselves to celebrate.
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Goals
Newport County - McCoulsky (43), Dolan (56 & 69)
Carlisle United - Joyce (46), Etuhu (52), T Miller (63)
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Bookings
Newport County - Nouble (65), Willmott (90)
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Teams
Newport County - Day, Pipe (Reynolds 54), Butler, Labadie, White, Willmott, Dolan, Nouble, McCoulsky (Amond 82), O'Brien, Demetriou. Subs - Bittner, S Bennett, Owen-Evans, Touray, Rigg.
Carlisle United - Bonham, Brown (Hope 65), Liddle, Hill, Parkes, T Miller, Lambe (O'Sullivan 86), Joyce, Jones, Etuhu, Bennett (S Miller 82). Subs - George, Devitt, Cosgrove, Ellis.
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Referee - Mr L Swabey
Attendance - 3,176 (160 away fans)
