Johann Smith got the nod for the starting eleven for this match between two of the Division's Play Off hopefuls as Karl Hawley continued on his road to full fitness.

The spectacular pre-match build up however, which included the arrival of the match ball via RAF helicopter, was soon dampened by a quickfire start from the visitors.

A run of the mill free kick, awarded 30 yards from the Carlisle goal, brought some speed of thought from the Swans as they got the ball down and hurried things along.

Leon Britton was unmarked, and he made his way to the edge of the box before squaring it for Lee Trundle. A deft touch and a spin on the spot from the big striker opened up a shooting opportunity and, from just 10 yards out, he drilled his shot in to the roof of the net to give his side the lead with just 47 seconds on the clock.

It almost got worse in the 5th minute when the Cumbrians fell asleep from a free kick of their own, deep in their own half. Robinson was on to the loose pass like a flash, and he found the ever willing Britton on the overlap. Breaking in to the box he aimed his left foot shot at the bottom corner, smacking the outside of the upright, much to the relief of Westwood.

Swansea were looking lively, and Robinson went for glory in another break when he dragged a long range effort wide from 23 yards out. There were nerves at the back again shortly after when a bobbling ball through brought Westwood, Duffy and Livesey together, leaving the two outfield players sprawled on the floor. The ball ran loose, but the Referee blew for the Physios to come on and see to the injured players.

United got forward in the 15th minute when a Raven free kick was floated towards the edge of the area. Garner won it, nodding it on towards Livesey, who had found a yard of space. The big defender spun, but lost his footing as he shaped to shoot and it fell nicely for Willy Gueret in goal.

Murphy then skied a 25 yard free kick high over the bar, won after some good work by Garner, as the Blues worked hard to get themselves back in to it, but the Swans were closing down quickly, buoyed by the early goal.

Andy Robinson went close to doubling the lead on 25 minutes when he took charge of a 22 yard free kick that was won by the tricky Lee Trundle. He got it beyond the wall, but it dropped just the wrong side of the post as far as the Swans were concerned.

The home side were guilty of playing themselves in to trouble in their own half on the half hour, allowing Trundle to take possession. His slide rule pass released Duffy, but Livesey was covering and executed the perfect tackle, preventing the shooting chance. A half clearance brought the ball back to Duffy, but his first time volley was easy for Westwood to gather.

Joe Garner was challenging for every header, but it was a good first half for the Swans, who were keen to win everything on offer. Murphy dispossessed Trundle in the 34th minute, but his low right foot clearance was right at Duffy, who cut in to the box. He tried to curl it beyond Westwood, but he missed his connection and lofted it right at the keeper.

A sustained period of pressure brought a header over from Iriekpen, as Britton, Trundle and Robinson combined in and around the box before sending the cross in for the black shirts to fight for.

Trundle won a corner with a fierce shot that deflected off Murphy with a minute to go before half time, and the whistle blew with the hope that United would regain their composure after the break.

Half Time: United 0 - 1 Swansea

The Swans opened the second half with the first attack when Trundle shielded a high ball forward before sending it wide to Duffy. He cut in, but his toe poke from 16 yards had no direction and flew wide of the target.

United were back on level terms on 49 minutes when Johann Smith used his strength and poise to burst through two challenges, before getting the vital touch to take Gueret out of the equation. Still with plenty to do he kept his balance, wrapped his right foot around it and smacked it in to the Warwick Road nets to score his first goal for the club in style.

Johann Smith was suddenly causing all sorts of problems and he ran from the half way line in the 52nd minute, leaving Lawrence in his wake. Taking it too far he ran it out of play, but had the Swans back line thinking twice about pushing too far forward.

Carlisle had their tails up, and a superb first time pass from Lumsdon set Jeff Smith on a path in to the area. He cut inside his marker, and it looked to be a clear handball as his wicked shot deflected off the Swansea defender and went behind for a corner. Mr Joslin took a long look, but decided that nothing untoward had happened.

Garner had a half hearted penalty appeal waved away on the hour mark, when he went down under pressure from Lawrence, and Murphy was in action at the other end when he lunged across to get a great block in just as Trundle gave himself a sight at the target. Andy Robinson then forced the best out of Westwood with a 19 yard grass cutter that the United stopper had to stretch to, to get the tip around the post.

United spurned the chance of taking the lead in the 68th minute when Hawley played a ball over the top for Johann Smith to race on to. He took it all the way in to the box but, with Lumsdon screaming for the tap in, he tried to find the bottom corner and brought the save from Gueret.

The Cumbrians looked very dangerous the more the half wore on and Aranalde found a great cross in the 73rd minute when he trapped it, with his back to goal, and stroked it towards the back post. Livesey went to control it on his toe, taking it away from Gall who was running in on the blind side.

Kev Gall had a speculative long range shot from just inside the Swans half, and Trundle brought another near post save from Westwood when he used strength to power his way in to the box, following a flick on from Robinson.

Aranalde took 3 defenders on in the 86th minute when he broke down the left, but his near post cross was too close to Gueret, giving him the chance to gather it up.

A superb move in the 90th minute carved Swansea to pieces when Thirlwell and Jeff Smith linked through the middle. The Carlisle left winger swept his shot across the face of goal, but the curl bent it away from the nets.

There was to be a real sting in the tail deep in to time added on when Trundle took advantage of some unexpected space on the edge of the area. He fed it out to Iriekpen, but his stinging 8 yard volley was parried well by the strong hand of Westwood. It was a decent block, but Duffy was on the follow up, and he was able to use his chest and hand to send it towards goal before thundering it in to the waiting nets to claim the smash and grab victory for his team.

Goals

United - Johann Smith (49)

Swans - Trundle (1), Duffy (90)

Bookings

United - Raven (66), Aranalde (90)

Swans - O'Leary (14), Britton (41), Robinson (82)

Teams 

United: Westwood, Raven, Murphy, Livesey, Aranalde, Gall (Holmes 90), Thirlwell, Lumsdon, Jeff Smith, Johann Smith, Garner (Hawley 66). Subs - Howarth, Gray, Joyce.

Swans: Gueret, Austin (Williams 71), O'Leary, Tate (Amankwaah 56), Iriekpen, Britton, Trundle, Robinson (Abbott 86), Lawrence, Duffy, Craney. Subs - Monk, Oakes. 

Away fans - 905