A huge thank you goes to the gang at Penrith AFC for allowing us to host the second round Cumberland Cup fixture against Northbank FC at Frenchfield Park.
United had the ball in the net inside three minutes when Charters spread play to Taylor with a raking 40-yard pass. He sprinted past his man, but the ball went out before he cut it back for Hill to finish, and the goal was duly chalked off.
Taylor was the outlet once again as he overlapped and he earned his side another corner when a low pass was blocked. He delivered twice in quick succession, and Max Kilsby made no mistake as he thundered a close-range volley into the waiting net when he got his foot to the second of the dippers.
Another tester of a set piece from Taylor had Gordon interested as he found himself unmarked inside the box. He was disappointed to see his instinctive volley climb over the target.
Carlisle doubled their lead on 12 minutes when Charters stode forward from midfield. He checked and dropped a shoulder as he reached the edge of the area and Carruthers had no chance as a stinging drive sailed into his bottom corner.
United attacked again on 21 minutes when Hill fed a through ball for Leslie to chase. The left back surged onwards, and his precise pass found Fishburn with his back to goal. Gallimore got his body in the way and Little completed the defensive duties.
Northbank had half a sight when Breeze raced out to clear as Smith sensed an opening in what was a good spell for the visitors. The clearance was picked up by Johnston, but his attempt was low and Kilsby was there to hook it to safety.
Wide man DJ Taylor showed pace once again as he raced past Little, and a dinked delivery invited Leslie to leap. He did just that, but a glanced header dropped agonisingly just past the upright with the keeper well beaten.
The red shirts were close just past the half hour when Johnston floated a deep free kick into the mix. Gallimore met it, but his downward header flew just wide.
Central defender Harvey Gordon turned defence into attack with a run full of purpose, and he picked out Leslie in an advanced position. A shot on the turn from him was parried by the stopper and the follow up from Fishburn was bravely charged down.
Tenacity from Hill created another opening just before the break when he worked closely with Charters deep inside the final third. A side step opened things up but a thumping effort hit the inside of the post and somehow stayed out as it spun across the face of the target.
The second period started with the Blues on the front-foot but Charters and Taylor were both thwarted by solid defending.
Northbank went close on 50 minutes when Johnston took charge of a 25-yard free kick. Breeze had to scamper back smartly to tip it over his bar.
More pressure from the Bank brought a snapshot from Slack when the ball dropped unexpectedly at his feet. It took a deflection but Breeze watched it all the way and he comfortably pulled it in.
Hill curled one on the turn through bodies at Carruthers as Carlisle looked to reassert themselves, and Charters took matters into his own hands with a surging run from his own half that was brought to an end when he was sliced to floor on the 18-yard line. He took the free kick, and he beat the wall only to shave the outside of the post.
Carlisle created a series of half chances, with Nugent and Taylor closed down, and Charters was wild with a miscued effort that spun over the bar, and they found that they couldn't find a way through despite committing men forward and attacking in numbers.
United kept chipping away, but there was more frustration when Ellis jumped high to meet a deep corner from Taylor. The header was firm but he directed it past the nets.
Northbank had a late chance when Johnston found Travers with a superbly weighted pass. The forward controlled well but his volley was straight at Breeze.
The tie was wrapped up on 87 minutes when the visitors turned down the chance to clear their lines. The ball broke to Fishburn and he stabbed it into the empty net after his initial toe-poke had been saved.
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Goals
Carlisle United - Kilsby (5), Charters (12), Fishburn (87)
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Bookings
Northbank FC - Watson (41), Johnston (42), Travers (62)
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Teams
Carlisle United - Breeze, Ellis, Gordon, Kilsby, Leslie, Bell, Charters, Watt (Nugent 57), Hill (Hardy 69), Fishburn, Taylor (Garvey 85). Subs - Boyd (gk), Bollado.
Northbank FC - Carruthers, Cox, Little, Green, Gallimore, Slack (Miller 67), Travers, Watson (Irving 46), Smith (Plunkett 46), Johnston, Nixon. Subs - Atkinson, Culley.
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Match officials
Referee - Mark Hunter
Assistant - Matthew Rogerson
Assistant - Barney Pannone
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Attendance - 155
