John Ward named an unchanged side for the fourth League game in a row as he looked to extend the unbeaten run to eight games and further cement the Cumbrians top 6 standing.

Joe Garner had shaken off a suspected tight hamstring to feature in the game, and his hard working strike partner Danny Carlton was given the nod ahead of joint top scorer Danny Graham as he kept up the hunt for his first goal in a Carlisle shirt.

Chris Lumsdon, celebrating his 28th birthday, kept his starting berth in midfield with the fit again Paul Thirlwell on standby on the bench.

The first chance of the day fell to Marc Bridge-Wilkinson when Garner was awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal. The set piece specialist lined it up but put too much on it as he sent it over the wall and high over the bar.

Orient, with an impressive away record to boast about, settled quickly themselves and fashioned an opening in the 7th minute with a break down the right. Melligan was in the middle, waiting for the cross, but he moved too soon and had to watch as the ball sailed over his head.

Bridge-Wilkinson almost fooled the keeper on 10 minutes when he shaped to deliver a 10th minute free kick in to the box. Morris stepped away from his line and was very relieved to see the ball smack in to the side netting, having left a gaping hole at his near post.

Lumsdon found an excellent pass in the 12th minute, floating it on for Garner who, on the edge of the area, took it down on his chest and turned inwards, with the clear intention of opening an angle for the shot. He side stepped his marker, but Morris was across sharply to smother the shot. Jason Demetriou had a snapshot that went straight at Westwood at the other end as the football remained largely in midfield, with both teams battling for supremacy.

Joe Anyinsah sent one over the bar on 22 minutes following a great cross from Raven that received a chorus of handball appeals as it bounced around in the area. The United right winger ignored all that, but his volley dug in to the turf and sprung up sharply, heading in to the Waterworks.

Chambers swung his boot through a long range, speculative effort in the 24th minute, as Orient tried to reassert their authority, but it was never going to trouble Westwood, who was able to watch it all the way.

United should have done better in the 26th minute when Garner won the flick on from an Aranalde long throw. Mkandawire hooked it away, but the O's conceded the free kick out by the touchline. Bridge-Wilkinson eventually whipped that one in and Garner, in acres of space, misjudged his header and put it wide, with the target at his mercy.

Bridge-Wilkinson was having an influential game and he won a corner through sheer persistence on 31 minutes. He took that one low, receiving a return pass from Garner, before lofting it in towards Carlton. It was a tight angle, and the diverted effort put a bulge in the side netting with the crowd on the blind side standing in celebration.

The O's carved Carlisle open in their next attack as one touch football left the Blues back line flat footed. Ibehre broke clear, and Westwood did well to stay big and instinctively block what would have been a certain goal.

The long throw routine was having some success and Garner won another one in the 34th minute, flicking it to Carlton. He controlled it with his chest, turned quickly and then sliced his drive wide, despite having done well to create the opening in the first place.

Anyinsah put himself in to a good area as Carlisle United up the pace, winning the ball on the edge of the area. It sat up for him, inviting him to take it on, but his touch was heavy and it was cleared off his toes and put behind for the corner.

A curling, high ball in to the United box just before half time ended up in the back of the net, with Referee Scott Mathieson happy to award the goal as he decided that nothing untoward had happened during the challenge on Keiren Westwood. The Assistant on the touchline had seen it differently, and raised his flag, much to the relief of the Carlisle stopper.

Joe Garner hesitated at the other end, missing out on a clear shooting chance as the ball rolled towards him in the D, just outside the box, and Mkandawire put a header over at the other end as the openings continued to come and go.

Half Time: United 0 - 0 Orient

Orient fashioned the first chance after the break with a run and cross that came from the right hand channel, courtesy of Chambers. Boyd was there to meet it, but his header was wayward and nowhere near the target in the end.

The Cumbrians responded brightly with Anyinsah heading for the heart of the defence before swinging it in to the penalty area. Carlton threw himself at it, but it zipped past him and was cleared over the target by the defender. Bridge-Wilkinson took the corner, aiming for Aranalde at the near post. He missed it, and Joe Garner did enough to make sure that it deflected off his leg and flew in to the back of the net.

Anyinsah, playing the last game of his 3-month loan spell, was involved much more, linking with Garner who seemed to be winning every high ball that came his way. He crossed again in the 52nd minute, and Carlton was unlucky to see it cleared just as he was about to put his head on it.

Anyinsah, Carlton and Garner combined in the 61st minute to leave the O's at sixes and sevens as they lost track of the ball with the United players passing it around crisply. Garner was the one to get the shooting opportunity, 18 yards out, but he sent it wide as the challenge came in.

Richard Keogh put a Bridge-Wilkinson corner over on 68 minutes, as the United midfielder continued to find his range with his deliveries, and Boyd did the same as Orient attacked at pace when he got underneath his header and put it over the bar.

Strong defensive play took over with clear cut chances restricted, and John Ward decided to switch things around as he introduced Paul Thirlwell in to the midfield. Joe Anyinsah walked off to a standing ovation, with everyone in the Brunton Park hoping that they'll see him again once the January transfer window comes round.

Boyd won a corner with a deflected shot on 83 minutes, and Mkandawire put his header wide from the decent delivery that followed.

Orient pushed more bodies forward as the clock ticked down, with United protecting their penalty area in numbers whenever they lost possession.

Adam Boyd nearly levelled the scores in the 89th minute when a flick on by Echanomi sat up for him. He spotted Westwood creeping forward and shot early, and was only a matter of inches away from registering as the ball dipped just over the target.

Daniels had a deflected shot that went in to Westwood's hands as Orient piled foward in time added on, but it was dogged and determined defending that kept the visitors at bay and claimed the 3 points.

Goals

United - Garner (50)

Bookings

United - Bridge-Wilkinson (20), Keogh (74)

Orient - Chambers (90)

Teams

United: Westwood, Raven, Livesey, Keogh, Aranalde, Anyinsah (Thirlwell 79), Bridge-Wilkinson, Lumsdon, Hackney, Carlton, Garner. Subs - Howarth, Murphy, Gall, Graham.

Orient: Morris, Purches, Daniels, Thelwell, Mkandawire, Melligan (Barcham 81), Chambers, Ibehre (Echanomi 86), Terry, Boyd, Demetriou (Corden 68). Subs - Smith, Palmer.

Away fans - 189