Carlisle United made it six games unbeaten with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Sutton United at Brunton Park.
A Harvey Macadam brace, followed by Ryan Galvin’s strike on the brink of half-time, was enough for the Blues to cruise to three points.
Mark Hughes made one change from the 2-2 draw at Morecambe on Monday, with Callum Whelan coming in for Alex Gilliead, while Josh Williams returns from injury to make the bench.
David Ajiboye looked to get the Blues on the front foot with a mazy run down the right wing, seeing him eventually find Regan Linney, who burst past his marker before sending a shot into the side netting.
United took the lead in the tenth minute through Macadam after Whelan worked hard to press and win the ball back, with the ball worked to the Blues midfielder on the edge of the box to curl an effort into the bottom corner courtesy of a deflection.
Georgie Kelly was next to worry the U’s defence, glancing Galvin’s cross from the left flank just wide.
Linney was proving to have the beating of Kwaku Donkor and raced past the Sutton fullback yet again before his low cross with outside of the boot was blocked by Jack Sims.
Macadam grabbed his and the Blues’ second in the 22nd minute, rising highest to meet Whelan’s pinpoint free-kick delivery.
Besart Topalloj attempted to kickstart a revival for the visitors, flying down the left and hitting a scorching effort over the crossbar.
A scramble in the visitors’ penalty saw the ball fall to Ajiboye on the edge of the penalty area, and his deflected effort had to be palmed wide by Sims.
United had a third in the 41st minute when Linney found the on-rushing Galvin, who powered into the penalty area and fired high past Sims into the roof of the net.
Kelly was not far from adding a fourth sliding in at the back post after Linney’s initial effort had rebounded off the post, but his effort was off target.
HALF-TIME: Carlisle United 3-0 Sutton United
Ajiboye thought he had got himself on the scoresheet, bundling Morgan Feeney’s flick on from a corner past Sims, but the goal was ruled out due to Macadam being offside in front of the keeper’s line of sight.
A sumptuous cross from Galvin from the left touchline fell to Kelly, but he got underneath the strike, diverting the ball high over the bar before the Blues striker received a cross from Wearne that he could not divert on goal.
Whelan was quick to jump in front of Ruiz and steal possession, but his shot was high and off target.
Galvin was having plenty of joy on the left, and his cross made its way to Williams, whose driven effort was cleared off the line by Junior Eccleston.
FULL-TIME: Carlisle United 3-0 Sutton United
Teams:
Carlisle United: Breeze, Thomas, Feeney (C), Ajiboye (Yeboah 76), Whelan (Williams 76), Kelly (Wyke 76), Linney (Davies 85), Galvin (Harper 85), Wearne, Ellis, Macadam
Unused subs: Mair, Muagbi
Sutton United: Sims, Simper, Harris, Taylor, Eccleston, Njoku, Topalloj (Byron 82), Ruiz, Muller, Francis (Ogbonna 61), Donkor (Urpens 63)
Unused subs: Haigh, Rodari, Pruti, Eze
Goals:
Carlisle United – (Macadam 10, 22) (Galvin 41)
Sutton United – N/A
Yellow cards:
Carlisle United – (Ajiboye 63)
Sutton United – (Simper 8) (Taylor 28) (Ruiz 44) (Harris 74)
Red cards:
Carlisle United – N/A
Sutton United – N/A
Match officials:
Referee - Declan Brown
Assistant Referee 1 - Alex Gray
Assistant Referee 2 - William Vaughan
Fourth Official - Bilal Moosa
Attendance:
6296 (91)
