United faced the Dons at home this weekend as league action returned to Brunton Park.
And manager Paul Simpson stuck with the same selection as the Tuesday visit to Field Mill, having seen the team dominate and create numerous chances during the midweek fixture.
Respects were paid to Queen Elizabeth II as the club and supporters remembered her on her passing ahead of kick off, with a minute of silence and a rousing rendition of the National Anthem, with her image displayed on the stadium's giant screen and in the match day programme.
United kept the ball well through the opening stages and their patience was almost rewarded after it had been worked from left to right and back again. Guy, Moxon, Dennis and Gibson all had a hand, but it was Patrick who broke the lines to get into the box. His low cross beat the keeper but it was stabbed behind for a corner before Dennis could pounce. Moxon delivered that, and Huntington was disappointed to see a goal kick awarded as his challenge sent it over the bar.
The Dons responded with an attack of their own when Chislett and Currie found unexpected space out on the left flank. Holy was down low to stop the first cutback, and the blue back line dealt with the crosses that followed.
It was a good spell for the away team, and a corner from Brown was headed clear by Mellish, but only as far as Currie, who had lurked on the edge of the box. His volley lacked power and purpose, and it spun harmlessly wide.
United carved their way inside from a quickly taken Back throw, which saw him use Gibson as a foil. The wide man slipped it inside to Moxon, who had found acres of space. He went for precision with his 22-yard shot but it was too close to Tzanev.
Mellish was superb moments later when he overlapped to combine with Armer. He strode into the box and crossed on the run, but it was just too far in front of the strikers as it flashed across the face of the target. Back battled for a corner, but the delivery from Moxon was an inch too high for Dennis as he jumped to meet it.
It was tight for a ten-minute spell, but Towler was booked on the half-hour when he was done for pace by a neat turn from Patrick. He pulled the nippy forward down as he crossed the halfway line, and the yellow card was produced.
United kept things alive from the Moxon set opiece delivery, with Dennis, Armer and Guy working hard to find a way through, but shots were blocked and crosses charged down with plenty of red shirts back to defend.
There was a near perfect through ball from Jack Armer as he literally split the defence wide open, with Carlisle starting to take the upper hand, and Gibson looked to take it on as he skipped towards the area. A defender moved across to close the door.
Clever play from Dennis almost did the trick on 38 minutes when he dug a difficult ball out from under his feet, after Feeney had worked extremely hard to win it back and keep the forward momentum alive. The clipped pass into the box dropped beyond the last man, but there was cover on hand from the keeper to smother Patrick's first touch.
Midfielder Owen Moxon was present and correct once again as Carlisle kept prodding and poking. His 20-yard rasper struck a defender and curled off into the Waterworks End.
A hopeful volley from George Marsh bent past the post when he got on the end of a cross from Currie, in what were becoming rarer forays forward from the visitors, but it was the Cumbrians who took the lead in some style as another great build up, with Gibson and Back accurate with their touches, invited midfielder Callum Guy to drop a shoulder. It was on his left foot, but his first goal on his 97th appearance for the club is one he'll most definitely remember. Tzanev had no chance from the moment it left his boot. Incidentally, it was also his first league goal, the second senior net bulger of his career, on his 175th professional appearance.
Carlisle were first to show after the break with a ball down the left flank from Armer. Patrick took it on, and he shot low as he stepped inside his man. Tzanev had covered it and he pulled it into his chest.
There were huge appeals for a penalty on 52 minutes when a cross from Armer was clearly stopped by an open palm. The referee chose to ignore it, much to the chagrin of the players and the home crowd. Moxon popped the corner at the near post but Huntington headed it into the Warwick.
A peach of a cross from Armer followed as the Blues hunted in packs, and Back threw himself at it as he arrived late. It skimmed off his head after it had received the slightest of touches off the relieved George Marsh.
Gibson had a shot charged down as Back provided a neat pass, with United now well on top, and Gibson provided vital 'last man' cover as the visitors threatened to break from the corner.
The Wimbledon equaliser came from nowhere on 59 minutes as Davison flicked on a huge kick from Tzanev for Assal to chase. His first touch took him clean through and he made no mistake as he swept it past the dive from Holy.
Patrick looked to lift the crowd with a moment of skill as he took the ball out of the sky on his chest. He turned quickly and let fly from 25-yards, but it was easy for Tzanev.
Maghoma dragged one wide at the other end, after possession had been overturned, and the same player won a free kick under pressure from Guy just six-yards outside the area. Pell kept the free kick low but Holy was equal to it.
Great interplay between Back and Gibson created an opening with 15 minutes left to play, but the lobbed cross skipped free across the face of goal before being put behind. The corner was cleared, but Moxon hooked it back into the danger area as it once again came his way. Two more corners followed as wicked deliveries provided a test, but the Blues couldn't find a way to make it count.
Patrick tried to take matters into his own hands as he cut in from the left wing before popping one at the top corner. Tzanev adjusted his feet to make the catch a clean one.
Goal number seven for the season for Kris Dennis came thanks to Jack Armer and Omari Patrick. The forward sent a beauty of a pass into the mix, and Armer, for some reason, was in an extremely advanced position. His clip took the ball into the air and Dennis did the rest, with a close range finish.
It was almost three for the hosts in the next attack when Patrick once again provided the outlet. He unselfishly fed it to Gibson, but Tzanev parried the thundering strike. Gibson controlled, but he was closed down effectively.
Guy had another blaster blocked as the Cumbrians stayed on the attack, and Harry Pell was fortunate to receive just a yellow card as frustration started to boil over within the away ranks.
Assal sent a shot over after another route one kick and flick left him with time to line it up, but United deservedly saw it to the end and a very hard earned three points.
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Goals
Carlisle United - Guy (45), Dennis (81)
AFC Wimbledon - Assal (59)
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Bookings
Carlisle United - Mellish (35), Armer (90)
AFC Wimbledon - Towler (30), Brown (67), Pell (89), Assal (90)
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Teams
Carlisle United - Holy, Feeney (c), Huntington, Mellish, Back, Moxon, Guy, Gibson, Armer, Patrick, Dennis. Subs - Kelly (gk), Hilton, Charters, Whelan, Harris, Stretton, Idehen.
AFC Wimbledon - Tzanev, Gunter, Brown, Marsh, Davison (Hudlin 86), Assal, Chislett (Pell 57), Towler (Osew 57) Pearce (c), Maghoma, Currie. Subs - Jaaskelainen (gk), Nightingale, Bendle, Bartley.
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Match officials
Referee - Andy Haines
Assistant Referee 1 - Chris Isherwood
Assistant Referee 2 - Steven Rushton
Fourth Official - Simon Clayton
Observer - Jeff Ward
Coach - Paul Canadine
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Attendance - 5,038 (164)
