Joe Garner came back in to the starting line up for this visit to face a Tranmere side who had just 3 points and a one place advantage on United prior to kick off.

That put Derek Holmes on to a strong looking bench alongside Paul Arnison, Johann Smith, Chris Lumsdon and on-loan Bolton keeper Chris Howarth.

There was almost an immediate wake up call for the visitors as they were caught napping from a quickly taken free kick in the 2nd minute that opened things up on the left hand side. The cross was delivered accurately as Jeff Smith tried to cover, and Kevin Ellison was disappointed to see his guided effort whip wide of the target.

Rovers got away again in the 3rd minute when a ball over the top wrong-footed Livesey and sent him tumbling to the floor. Ellison and Shuker were both in attendance, and it took some fantastic work from Aranalde, who got back at pace, to make the covering tackle as a dangerous pass came in to the 18 yard box.

It was heart in the mouth time for Luke Joyce on 8 minutes when he was the player to track back during another effective Tranmere break. Good use of the ball released Ellison, and he took it beyond Westwood as he got the better of the one on one situation. Joyce was there to make his tackle and Ellison hit the floor heavily, claiming a penalty kick on his way down. Mr Swarbrick had a good look at it, but pointed for a goal kick as he waved away the remonstrations of the Rovers players.

Having seen out the mini-spells of possession Carlisle stunned the home crowd when Raven wasted no time with a throw in on 10 minutes. Garner took it to feet, felt the defender behind him and turned quickly to make himself some space. Looking up, he spotted Danny Graham racing in to view, and the ball was perfect for the big striker to be able to guide in to the net with the side of his foot, registering his third goal in two games.

The match was being played at an incredible pace, and Keiren Westwood was forced in to making a wondeful save in the 13th minute when Mullin unleashed one from the edge of the area, looking for the top corner. The Cumbrian's keeper got a strong hand to it, and Greenacre, although offside, could only crash the rebound in to the crowd as he lifted his follow up over the bar.

Rovers tested United again in the 19th minute when they pounced on a slip by Livesey that let Taylor loose down the right wing. He cut in, making a run for goal, and popped the ball past Westwood on its way to the equaliser. Peter Murphy somehow covered the ground and got to the line, clearing it away for a corner. The area was flooded for the next ball in, and both Ellison and Shuker were just inches away from getting the touch the near post flick on needed to turn it in to a goal.

Raven had a cross / shot drift away from the predatory Danny Graham after a flowing three on three break in the 21st minute, but Tranmere were still piling on the pressure as they came in search of that elusive goal. Danny Livesey took the ball off Taylor's head, just as the tall forward was setting himself for the header in the next attack, but it needed another goal line clearance from the corner when Mullin slotted a volley through the bodies, only to find Garner in his way.

Kev Gall whisked a first time shot wide in the 28th minute, after linking with Graham and Garner in the Rovers half, as United continued to look lively on the break. Joe Garner then tried his luck with a speculative, dipping volley in the 34th minute, but he misjudged his angles and left it easy for Ward to gather as he backed towards his line.

A Taylor flick in the 36th minute caused more angst for the Carlisle defence when Greenacre and Shuker made their way towards it, and it took a combined block from Murphy and Westwood, coupled with a swinging clearance from Raven, to prevent the mobile Taylor from getting a clean strike on target.

The Cumbrians calmed things down with half time approaching, stifling Tranmere whenever they tried to get forward, and it was a very pleased Neil McDonald who ushered his team down the tunnel for the half time team talk.

Half Time: Rovers 0 - 1 United

The theme of the opening 45 minutes was continued after the break with every player on the pitch covering as much ground as they could, as quickly as they could, and Raven was caught in possession by Ellison with just 60 seconds having been played. Shuker was in support, but the cross was cleared by the blue shirts who were running back in to their own box to cover.

Both sides kept probing, but niggling challenges by a pumped up Rovers side took the flow out of the game, with only Greenacre getting anything like a shot off when he spun and drilled it over in the 55th minute after some good close control.

Joe Garner replied in kind in the 57th minute when he used the run of Danny Graham as a dummy, moving in to the space himself. With a path to goal open, he put his head over the ball and thumped a great low shot a yard wide, forcing Ward to scramble across to make sure.

The end to end play returned in the 66th minute when McAteer found Taylor with a nice ball in to the box. His flick bounced just in front of Davies, but he could only poke it towards Westwood as he went in at full stretch. The United keeper weighed up his options and pumped a long clearance deep in to the Tranmere half, causing confusion and hesitation as the ball dropped out of the night sky. Joe Garner was first to have a go, having a fierce shot charged down, and Danny Graham stayed calm as he took possession. His shooting opportunity was thwarted, but he picked out Kev Gall, who had ghosted in unnoticed, and he was able to slot the ball home for his eighth of the campaign.

Jeff Smith then curled a dipping shot wide as Carlisle looked very good for their two goal lead, and Ronnie Moore threw Zola on, as an extra forward, in a bid to get something from the game. Sherriff was the extra man when Davies delivered a deep cross in the 76th minute, and his involvement left Taylor free to bullet a header right at Westwood from close range. The United stopper made himself big, blocking the attempt and making sure that it was clawed clear. Tremarco was waiting, but his shot was easy for Westwood, who gathered the ball in to his chest.

Chris Shuker was guilty of a poor miss in the 77th minute when he got on to a flick on from a free kick and, 12 yards from goal, he leaned back and could only power his volley high over the target. Steve Davies then whistled a 20 yard free kick over the bar after a late Raven challenge, and Carlisle were standing tall, letting very little get through.

Paul Thirlwell was dismissed on 83 minutes, following a rash tackle in midfield that left Calvin Zola in a heap, and Joe Garner made way for Chris Lumsdon as the midfield hole was closed up by McDonald. Shuker and Zola kept trying their luck from distance whenever they got within range, and Rovers were restricted to crosses from deep as Peter Murphy made sure that the blue shirts held their concentration.

Derek Holmes made a late appearance to notch up his 100th outing in a Carlisle United shirt, and it was a good way to round off what had been a fantastic team performance that kept the Play Off dream alive.

Goals

United - Graham (10), Gall (67)

Bookings

United - Aranalde (76), Gall (90) - Thirlwell (straight red card, 83)

Teams

Rovers - Ward, Stockdale, Tremarco, Sherriff, McAteer, Mullin (Zola 71), Taylor, Greenacre, Ellison (Davies 60), McCready, Shuker. Subs - Hinchliffe, Thompson, Harrison.

United - Westwood, Raven, Livesey, Murphy, Aranalde, Gall, Thirlwell, Joyce, Jeff Smith, Garner (Lumsdon 83), Graham (Holmes 90). Subs - Howarth, Arnison, Johann Smith.

Away fans - tbc