United remained unchanged from their last outing as they returned to League action at Brunton Park for the first time since the 3-1 victory over Leeds United at the start of November, with managerless Swindon Town the latest visitors.
With top spot beckoning, John Ward stuck with the eleven who had earned him a point in the tough away trip to the Withdean Stadium ten days ago, bringing captain Paul Thirlwell on to the bench after his near 3-month absence through injury.
A full-blooded start saw the ball pinging from half to half, without the forwards finding the space they needed to really test the target. Billy Paynter nodded wide from just inside the penalty area in the 3rd minute, following a Smith cross, and Joe Garner sent a long range effort wide 60 seconds later when he ran at the heart of the Robins defence, but the players struggled to settle to the pace of the game as the tackles flew in.
Bridge-Wilkinson brought safety first from Brezovan on 11 minutes when he curled a free kick towards goal, and the big keeper opted to push it behind as it looped towards his top corner. Joe Garner was close to putting the delivery away from the set piece, but his glancing header flew through a gaggle of bodies and bounced harmlessly behind.
A series of corners followed and Keogh had the crowd on their feet in the 14th minute when he met the ball on the full, having left his marker standing, but the connection lacked direction and went well wide.
Great vision from Lumsdon unlocked the Robins defence in the 18th minute when his long ball invited Anyinsah to go on a run. The pacy wide man got a touch on it, to take it beyond Brezovan, but Nicholas was covering and blocked well, denying the Carlisle winger his shooting opportunity.
Quick thinking from Lumsdon then released Hackney in the 21st minute, and he did everything right as he went beyond his man and sent in an accurate cross. Danny Carlton looked well placed but he mistimed his jump and the header fell nicely for the Robins stopper to claim. Michael Pook will have felt that he should have done better for Swindon when he found space at the other end, but he couldn't find the target with a 22 yard drive that was wild and wide when it came.
The breakthrough came for the Cumbrians in the 27th minute when a floated cross eventually broke to Garner. His powerful shot was blocked, but the ricochets set it up nicely for the waiting Joe Anyinsah, who made no mistake as he volleyed it home from just 9 yards out.
Simon Hackney was enjoying his evening and he tied Smith in knots on the half hour before clipping another teasing cross in to the area. Carlton stretched, but he could only get the merest of touches as the ball ran tantalisingly away from him.
Joe Garner put a header right at Brezovan in United's next attack, and then he demonstrated quick feet to create space for a lobbed cross that Anyinsah had been screaming for. His thundering volley looked to be doubling his tally for the night, but Brezovan went on the dive and somehow clawed it off his line.
A Jack Smith free kick reminded Carlisle that there was still work to be done as it begged for a touch from the advancing strikers but, fortunately for the home side, it evaded everyone and the moment was gone. Two miscued clearances, from Garner and Aranalde, invited yet more pressure in the 42nd minute, and United were relieved to see a McGovern cross go too high, completely missing out the waiting players.
Danny Carlton, still searching for his first goal for the club, came close as half time approached when Hackney crossed early, finding the mobile front man on the move. Shooting early he went for the top corner, but it rose sharply and flew a yard over the keeper's near post.
Half Time: United 1 - 0 Swindon
With a strong wind in their favour for the second half United looked to capitalise, with Simon Hackney wasting no time at all in testing Brezovan with a long range shot. It bounced awkwardly in front of the keeper, but he watched it all the way and was able to smother it as it rose up in to his arms.
Carlton almost burst clear in the 52nd minute when Lumsdon picked him out with a chipped pass, but Smith was on his toes and got the tackle in as the Carlisle man brought the ball down from his chest.
Joe Anyinsah made it 2-0 in the 54th minute with a superb finish, clinically drilling a Joe Garner nod down beyond Brezovan and in to the back of the net from 13 yards out. The on-loan winger had plenty to do, but he kept his head and made sure that he found the target with what was a difficult shot to pull off.
The Robins refused to give up, though, and Cox came close with a deft header in the 60th minute when he found himself on the end of an Easton cross. He tried to place it, but it went behind as it dropped just a foot over the bar.
Ben Tozer was shown the red card in the 63rd minute when he took Joe Garner to the ground, but there was controversy as the Referee initially waved play on followng the challenge. It took a confirmatory flag from the Assistant to bring the whistle, and the sending off had to follow due to the nature of the offence.
Anyinsah was denied his hat-trick on 67 minutes when he lashed a left-foot volley through the defensive gaggle, arrowing it towards the bottom corner. The keeper made himself big, blocking it well, and Smith was able to sweep it clear as Garner ran in.
Simon Cox put another header wide as the Robins kept going, but it wasn't his night, and he frustratingly wheeled away, knowing that he should have done much better.
The points were wrapped up in the 75th minute when Joe Garner timed his near post run perfectly to meet a curling delivery from Hackney. A firm touch left Brezovan rooted to the spot, and he could only watch as it zipped beyond him and in to the back of the net.
Lumsdon was having an influential game and he sparked another flowing move in the 77th minute when he found Hackney with a 40 yard pass. The nippy left winger took it to his man before crossing low, but it was just in front of Anyinsah, who threw everything at it in an attempt to get the vital touch.
The ten men of the Robins were finding it difficult, and both Lumsdon and Aranalde tried their luck as shooting became the order of the day for the blue shirts.
It was comfortable for the Cumbrians, and Danny Graham was disappointed not to be able to cap things off when he had a late volley blocked, well inside the penalty area.
Loud applause greeted the final whistle as the fans showed their appreciation for the much improved and very disciplined display.
Goals
United - Anyinsah (27, 54), Garner (75)
Bookings
United - Bridge-Wilkinson (48)
Swindon - Tozer (63, sent off, professional foul), Pook (65)
Teams
United - Westwood, Raven, Livesey, Keogh, Aranalde, Anyinsah (Gall 86), Lumsdon, Bridge-Wilkinson (Thirlwell 79), Hackney, Garner, Carlton (Graham 61). Subs - Howarth, Murphy.
Swindon - Brezovan, Smith, Easton, McGovern, Comminges (Blackburn 78), Nicholas, Aljofree, Pook, Paynter (Corr 57), Tozer (sent off 63), Cox (Sturrock 74). Subs - Allen, Scott.
Away fans - 216
