United's gruelling schedule continued with a kick off in the Saturday afternoon sunshine as Oldham made the short trip up north.
The hosts were unchanged from their midweek game against Tranmere, with Josh Kayode once more leading the line.
United had the bright winter sun on their backs as they attacked the Waterworks End and they threw the first jab when a long kick found Patrick on the challenge. He rolled his man and worked his way into the box but Borthwick-Jackson made an important block as the shot came in.
A free kick from deep from Guy followed and Hayden was in space at the far post. He nodded it down, and Kayode chested it into his control before pulling the trigger. Lawlor saw it late but he threw a hand up to tip it over the bar.
It was a good start from the home side and they worked a way through again when Riley took a quick free kick. It was shepherded out for a throw, and Kayode delivered for Hayden to flick. That had just too much on it and the Latics were able to clear their lines.
Patrick and Toure worked a one-two on the halfway line, with the latter breaking through, and Tanner took over as he came from deep. He dropped his shoulder once, then twice, but he slipped just as he was about to take the pop.
A tug on Kayode by Clarke earned the home side a free kick, close to the right hand corner flag, and a low delivery from Guy was almost perfect for Mellish. He swung a boot at it but it bounced away from his attempted connection.
The clearence brought a throw from Kayode which found its way to Toure, but his header at the target hit Borthwick-Jackson and spun harmlessly away.
Keillor-Dunne fired Oldham's first shot in anger on 20 minutes when he got onto a long ball from Clarke. He turned back inside Guy but his shot was too high.
Tanner was timely with a clearance as Adams sprung an attack with a pass to Keillor-Dunne. He tried to find McAleny, but the right back moved swiftly to prevent the shot.
Lawlor needed good hands when a Hayden header from a Guy corner bulleted his way, and the Latics responded with a run down the right flank from Bahamboula. His cross was met by Keillor-Dunn but the header rose high.
It was an excellently executed volley from Josh Kayode that gave the Cumbrians the lead as Guy swung a smooth corner into the mix. The big forward went for the scissor-kick approach and Lawlor had no chance as it buried itself in his bottom corner.
Hilssner and McAleny had shots from range that Farmer had covered as the Latics looked to get back into it, and Riley blazed one over at the other end after a winding run from Toure, with Carlisle looking good for their lead heading into the half time break.
Oldham changed to a 3-5-2 formation with Piergianni and Blackwood on for McAleny and Diarra after the break, and they tested the target with a free kick on the right wing which was whipped at the nets. Farman closed his body to make the save.
Carlisle responded with a run from Toure which took him past Adams. His cross was angling at Patrick until Clarke guided it behind to safety.
Toure slashed a volley over the bar as Guy, Riley and Bennett worked a way through the heart of the defence with Carlisle still on top. It came to the big forward but he couldn't keep it down.
Farman scampered off his line to gather a through ball as Keillor-Dunn stretched himself to get on the end of it, but there was a potential blow for the Blues when Guy caught his foot on the turf as he tried to make an interception. He needed treatment, and there was relief when he signalled that he could carry on.
It was Guy who sent another teasing corner onto the penalty spot and Mellish and Anderton kept it alive. The red and white stripes did enough to stop the shot from coming in.
The long throw from Kayode was still a threat and a half clearance from one such launch sat up for Guy to strike. It flashed past Toure, who couldn't get a touch, and it zipped past the post.
Oldham had their fair share of dead ball situations without managing to create anything of note, through a spell where they saw plenty of the possession, but they were awarded a penalty on 70 minutes when a cross from Adams caught Bennett on the arm.
There was hesitation, but referee Carl Boyeson eventually pointed at the spot. Marcel Hilssner stroked it into the bottom corner.
It got worse for the home side just six minutes later when Blackwood burst clear to cross. It was collected by Bahamboula and he worked a yard of space before clipping it into the net.
United tried to regroup and Riley had a 30-yarder deflected wide for a corner kick. Hayden then nodded behind from the corner, and Farman was needed at the other end when Grant found a way round the wall with a 22-yard free kick.
His full length save was put behind for a corner, and Adams put that on Piergianni's head. He made no mistake with a crunching finish.
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Goals
Carlisle United - Kayode (35)
Oldham Athletic - Hilssner (71 pen), Bahamboula (78), Piergianni (86)
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Bookings
Carlisle United - Tanner (70), Anderton (85)
Oldham Athletic - Diarra (32)
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Teams
Carlisle United - Farman, Tanner, Hayden, Bennett, Anderton (c), Riley (Alessandra 87), Mellish, Guy, Toure (Zanzala 81), Kayode, Patrick (Dickenson 68). Subs - Norman (gk), McDonald, Furman, Scott.
Oldham Athletic - Lawlor, Clarke, Borthwick-Jackson (Jameson 69), Keillor-Dunn, Grant, McAleny (Blackwood 46), Hilssner (Fage 76), Diarra (Piergianni 46) , Adams (c), Bahamboula, McCalmont. Subs - Bilboe (gk), Whelan, Vaughan.
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Match officials
Referee - Carl Boyeson
Assistant Referee 1 - Peter Gooch
Assistant Referee 2 - Bradley Hall
Fourth Official - Scott Williams
Observer - Michael Pike
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Attendance - BCD
