It was no win in four games for today's hosts, with United still searching for their first victory on the road, so it was all poised for a blood and thunder affair as something surely had to give one way or the other.

Gillingham had new arrival Ben Chorley, joining from MK Dons midweek, to introduce to their fans whilst United welcomed defender David Raven back to the fold, who replaced the injured Paul Arnison at right back.

United took to the pitch for the first time this season show casing their distinctive Deckchair Strip, accompanied in the background by an inflatable sheep that was making its way around the assembled Cumbrian fans.

The Cumbrians found themselves kicking in to a blustery wind from the off, but Jermaine Beckford almost used the conditions to his advantage straight away when he hassled Ian Cox on the edge of the box. The big striker won the ball but Jupp was across to get himself in the way of the pass in to the middle.

At the other end of the pitch Clint Easton found a great cross of his own in the 4th minute, picking out Ndumbu Nsungu 12 yards from goal, but the downwards header was easy for Westwood to claim on the dive.

Andy Crofts, fresh from his first full Welsh International appearance, was presented with a good opportunity in the 6th minute when Ndumbu Nsungu controlled a ball over the top deep in the United box. His take down fell nicely for the midfielder, who could then only drag his left footed shot wide of the goal.

Matt Jarvis made space for himself after riding two challenges on the left in the next Gills surge forward, and his grass cutter through a gaggle of players had Westwood scrambling, though it was always heading wide.

It had been a decent opening from the home side and they were to capitalise in the 8th minute following more neat work out on the Carlisle left. Mulligan and Jarvis had linked up well before Mark Bentley took over. He cut inside and blasted a powerful shot towards the bottom corner, beating the unsighted Keiren Westwood with the accuracy of the strike.

Gary Mulligan was having an influential game for the Gills and his direct run on 11 minutes threatened to open things up again as he cut through the challenges of Murphy and Aranalde. Flynn took over, 22 yards from goal, putting his foot through the ball, but Westwood was able to watch it fly over the bar on its way in to the waiting fans.

Ndumbu Nsungu thought he'd doubled the lead two minutes later when he stuck a toe out to get on the end of a wicked Flynn cross from the right wing. The Gills forward connected, but couldn't put enough on it to send it in to the back of the net and Westwood took it in to his chest.

Gillingham remained the more likely to score as they kept pressing forward in numbers, with Mulligan and Jarvis the main instigators behind the good work that was coming, but United almost silenced the home crowd with a well worked free kick in the 23rd minute. Aranalde delivered it and Murphy, with his back to goal and 13 yards out, took it down on his chest before spinning and hitting a volley towards the bottom corner. Jack went on the dive, but it crept inches wide, much to the disappointment of the Carlisle players.

Murphy was on target again with a cheeky, quickly taken free kick after Harper had been felled 24 yards from goal in the 28th minute, but Jack had it covered and was able to palm it behind for a corner.

The dangerous Bentley got himself around Aranalde with some quick footwork on the half hour as Gillingham came forward again, and his low front post cross was placed in exactly the right place for the onrushing Ndumbu Nsungu. The Gills front man got there, but his half volley was sent a matter of millimetres the wrong side of the post, with the keeper beaten.

Matt Jarvis created another opening in the 33rd minute when he took himself out wide and his ball in eventually settled for Flynn, just outside the area. The crowd screamed for a shot and he duly obliged, though he will wish he hadn't as he sent it nearer to the corner flag than its intended destination.

Possession football led to Jarvis going for goal from a tight angle as he switched to the Carlisle right, and he was also the driving force behind a cut back for Ndumbu Nsungu when the Gills stayed in the Carlisle half in hope of grabbing another goal before half time. The Cumbrians defended stoutly, though, making sure that space and time in front of goal had to be worked for.

Half Time: Gillingham 1 - 0 United

United made two substitutions for the start of the second half with Grand and Holmes replacing Aranalde and Beckford.

A quieter start to proceedings saw things spring to life when Jarvis took it upon himself to make a run from the half way line to the heart of the Carlisle defence. He then swapped passes with Bentley, but Murphy timed his challenge to make sure that the final shot was never an option.

A Carlisle attack involving Harper, Raven and Gall was unlucky to come to nothing in the 52nd minute, but a long clearance from the back saw the tables turned as Gillingham were suddenly pushing on. Clint Easton swept the ball in to the box and Westwood had to tip the glancing header from Mulligan wide to make sure that it wasn't creeping in at his far post.

A long throw in to the Cumbrian box on the hour evaded everyone and it was left to Ndumbu Nsungu to pick up the pieces at the far post. His reverse pass found Easton breaking forward, but the defender couldn't get any direction on his shot and sent it wide.

Simon Grand had to be at his best in the 64th minute when a curling cross from the left found 3 midfielders running in. The Carlisle sub stayed brave and made it his own, sending it away for a corner as the blue shirts lurked.

United's best moment thus far came in the 66th minute when Holmes made a long ball forward his own. His flick bounced up for Gall, who tried to lift it over the advancing Kelvin Jack. The keeper jumped acrobatically and got enough of a hand on it to divert it on to the bar, via an agonising wait as it looped out of the sky.

It was much better from the visitors and they came close again on 70 minutes when Harper and Gall unlocked a hesitant back line. Raven took the ball on, whipping it low across the face of goal, but no-one was there to apply what would have been the vital touch.

Simon Grand went in the book for bringing Bentley down in the 78th minute and the resulting free kick saw Johnson sending a 14 yard header towards the roof of the net. Westwood had to make sure his handling was up to scratch as he plucked it from beneath his bar.

Mark Bentley somehow missed an open goal on 81 minutes after Jarvis sprinted clear and picked the perfect cross. With the goal at his mercy the Gills man took his eye off the ball and nicked the header wide from very close range.

The 88th minute brought goal mouth action at both ends, but would ultimately find United caught on the break following a great free kick from Lumsdon. A suspicion of hand ball at the back post as it flew past everyone in the Gillingham box was waved away and the Gills thumped the ball forward quickly. Flynn got it to Jarvis, who strode in to the box before cutting it back for the waiting Gary Mulligan to stab in to the back of the net from just 6 yards out.

In to time added on and Kev Gall was unlucky as he took a sweeping ball in to the box in to his stride, bringing him one on one with Jack. The Trinidad and Tobago international spread himself and blocked the shot with his legs as it looked odds on that the Cumbrians would score.

Goals

Gillingham - Bentley (8), Mulligan (88)

Bookings

Gillingham - Johnson (27)

United - Aranalde (31), Grand (78)

Teams

Gillingham - Jack, Jupp, Easton, Flynn, Cox, Johnson, Crofts (Jackman 71), Bentley, Mulligan (Savage 90), Ndumbu Nsungu (Chorley 71), Jarvis. Subs - Pouton, McDonald.

United - Westwood, Raven, Gray, Murphy, Aranalde (Grand 46), Lumsdon, Thirlwell (Billy 40), Hackney, Gall, Beckford (Holmes 46), Harper. Subs - Williams, Livesey.

Away Fans - tbc