United were away for the second time in the space of five days as they made the cross country trip to Blundell Park.
And manager Chris Beech went for an unchanged starting eleven following another good midweek performance at Oldham.
A blustery wind and heavy rain greeted the players, but United were presented with an early chance when Taylor misjudged a header as he tried to guide it back towards his own goal.
Toure was on it in a flash and he took it under control as he shaped to shoot. He lost his footing as he made his connection on the edge of the area and he scuffed the effort wide.
There was a scare at the other end when Waterfall touched a chest high pass with his boot. He spun away and suddenly had just Farman to beat from very close range. The keeper spread himself to smother the shot, and McDonald hooked it clear as it screwed into the six-yard box.
Carisle had more defending to do as a high delivery caught on the wind, causing problems for the back line. McDonald kept his eye on it, and Farman was out sharply to help. His clearance was charged down but Tanner was back to assist with an important intervention.
Midfielder Callum Guy picked out Nick Anderton with a deep free kick at the other end and the skipper did well to put it back into the mix. Toure took over, and he clipped a cross past his marker as he dropped his shoulder. McKeown was well placed to pluck it out of the air.
There was easy work for Farman when Pollock got on the end of an inswinging set piece from deep. His touch was nothing more than a glance and the stopper dealt with it comfortably.
And the man in green was smartly off his line again when a recycled free kick was nodded back towards the box. His quick movement ensured he got there first.
United thought they'd taken the lead when good pressure from the orange shirts saw Toure and Kayode combine to break through. Alessandra allowed the delivery to drop over his shoulder, and he then whisked one in as he left his man in his wake. Kayode was up to meet it but his header, from eight yards out, went the wrong side of the upright.
A corner followed, and Toure's initial connection was blocked. A weak clearance came to Tanner but his shot from distance was always going wide.
The Mariners took the lead somewhat against the run of play on 24 minutes when a low corner somehow made its way through a ruck of bodies. Pollock was waiting, and he left Farman with no chance as he rattled his volley into the net.
Carlisle saw plenty of the ball following the goal, but both teams were guilty of sending set pieces too long or too low through what was a short, scrappy period.
But Toure did well on the half hour when he looked after the ball as he came under pressure. He managed to do enough to open a gap, but his shot was too close to McKeown.
More good pressure from the orange shirts saw Guy keep an attack live as a clearance spooned high. Toure won a header, Kayode shielded it, and Alessandra was disappointed to see his snapshot take a deflection, which took the sting off the drive.
A Tanner free kick from wide caught on a gust as the visitors looked to restore parity ahead of the break, and McKeown had to scramble back to make sure it landed on the roof of his net.
More good pressing from United saw Mellish pick the ball up 24-yards out and he cut inside before pulling the trigger on a left-footed shot. McKeown dived but it took an awkard bounce and smashed into the side netting.
Carlisle were close in time added on for the half as a huge throw from Kayode ws flicked on. Mellish got a second touch, and the ball bounced free, but a clearance off the line prevented the goal.
An absolute howler from keeper James McKeown gifted the away side a goal when Luke Waterfall, who had been pushed out wide, rolled the ball back towards his keeper with just 40 seconds on the second half clock. McKeown took a swipe, but it clipped off his boot and bobbled slowly and agonisingly, from his point of view, over the line.
Trickery from Toure carved out a decent chance just after the hour when his stepover created space. His delivery found Kayode but the downward header was cleared at the back post, with McKeown beaten.
Both teams worked hard to close each other down, but a patient build up from the visitors saw Tanner and Alessandra exhange short passes. The cross, when it came, was deflected and Kayode trapped it before letting fly. A block meant McKeown had no work to do.
Toure went on a run from the halfway line when he combined with Mellish to rob possession, but he was stopped at the last hurdle as he tried to get his shot past Pollock.
The better of the attacking play came from United and Alessandra put Tanner on the overlap as they pushed on in numbers. Toure bounced another pass to the right back, and his cross was sitting up for Anderton to blast, but Kayode couldn't get out of the way.
Another direct run from Toure took him past three, and he fed it on for Reilly, who had taken up a good position. He was closed down by two as he tried to find the target.
Carlisle had to concentrate when a free kick arrowed into the area, to be nodded on by Hanson. It pinged around, but Farman was able to jump on it as McDonald closed things down.
Guy almost helped to unlock the door when he floated a deep free kick to the back stick. It bounced high for Alessandra, but his touch was taken away from the onrushing Reilly by Kayode, who had stretched out a boot.
Hayden had to shadow Windsor as he made a surge into the area late in the day, but the defender stayed tall to bring the run to a close.
The visitors sent one last set piece into the mix, in time added on, but the wind held it up and the whistle blew on a hard-fought share of the points.
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Goals
Grimsby Town - Pollock (24)
Carlisle United - Waterfall (og 46)
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Bookings
Grimsby Town - Taylor (36), Waterfall (76), Starbuck (82), Pollock (90)
Carlisle United - Anderton (19)
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Teams
Grimsby Town - McKeown (c), Hendrie, Pollock, Waterfall, Preston, Clifton (Starbuck 60), Morton, Taylor, Tilley (Hanson 53), Williams (Green 71), Windsor. Subs - Battersby (gk), Mohsni, Idehen, Gomis.
Carlisle United - Farman, Tanner, Hayden, McDonald, Anderton (c), Riley (Reilly 66), Guy, Mellish, Alessandra, Kayode, Toure. Subs - Dewhurst, Devine, Hunt, Charters, Furman, Malley.
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Match officials
Referee - Christopher Pollard
Assistant Referee 1 - Simon Clayton
Assistant Referee 2 - Stephen Wade
Fourth Official - Conor Brown
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Attendance - behind closed doors
