United manager John Ward opted for a very attack minded selection for the visit of a Hartlepool team who, by their own standards, had under-performed throughout the first half of the season.
Danny Carlton returned from a niggling back injury to claim a starting place, alongside fellow strikers Danny Graham and Joe Garner, with Kev Gall stepping down to the bench. Chris Lumsdon also returned, in his familiar midfield berth, with Paul Thirlwell rested as he continued his own recovery from injury.
Richard Keogh, playing the last game of his current spell, kept his place at the heart of the back four with the team as a whole looking to improve on their last two outings as a defensive unit.
The Cumbrians started with Carlton sitting on the right of the midfield four, supporting Garner and Graham whenever the ball went forward, but it was a tense opening, with most of the action in the midfield third. Hackney pulled a 25-yard effort wide in the 4th minute, with Moore doing the same in reply at the other end, and it was 'Pool who created the first real opening with a break from Humphreys down the left. He whipped in a wicked cross, but Moore and Barker were on their heels and the ball sped behind for a goal kick.
Michael Nelson then pumped a volley over the bar from 12 yards in the 13th minute, following a near post delivery from an outswinging corner that was only half cleared. The big defender had time and space but he couldn't keep it down as it dropped on his boot from high.
With things tight both teams continued to probe, with the visitors creating a good opening in the 25th minute. Gary Liddle found space and clipped it in to the area, inviting Barker to attack it from 7 yards out. His header was powerful, but Westwood was well placed to block it and smother it as he fell.
Carlisle upped the pace and a Bridge-Wilkinson free kick on 29 minutes was won at the back post by Livesey. It looped up, falling to Carlton in the penalty area, but he missed his first shot, allowing Antwi to block. The loose ball came back to Bridge-Wilkinson, and he volleyed it first time, sending it back towards the packed box. Danny Graham was there to meet it, but his shot thumped off the outside of the woodwork as the big striker threw his hands on to his head in despair.
Hartlepool got the breakthrough on 39 minutes when Moore trapped a tricky pass on the edge of the 18-yard area. A drop of the shoulder took his marker out of it, and he rifled a blistering shot towards the top corner. Westwood executed a fantastic save, but the blue shirts stood still as the ball came to a stop 10 yards from the target. Humphreys didn't need to be asked twice, and he stroked it in to the back of the net to give his side the lead.
Heads didn't drop, and the scores were level in the 41st minute when Carlton kept his cool when he picked up possession on the right wing. Waiting for the right moment to deliver, he measured a left foot cross towards Joe Garner, and he despatched his 11th League goal of the season with a neat header from just 8 yards out.
Carlisle could have taken the lead a minute before the break when Danny Graham raced on to a defensive error and found himself one on one with Budtz. Waiting for the ball to settle he tried to pick his spot, but the keeper spread himself and did enough to divert it behind for a corner. The delivery from that from Bridge-Wilkinson caused all kinds of problems, with Carlton and Garner unable to apply the finishing touch as it bobbled around in front of them. Chris Lumsdon had the last say of the half, blazing a 35-yard shot in to the Waterworks as the home side started to exert some control.
Half Time: United 1 - 1 Hartlepool
'Pool almost undid the good work of the closing 15 minutes of the first period with just 17 seconds on the second half clock when Humphreys drilled a low cross in from the left. Barker stuck his boot on it, and he did enough to direct it towards the bottom corner. Westwood was alert, diving low to block it as it threatened to go in.
Ian Moore then took advantage of a great pass that released him on the Carlisle left. Dancing inside Danny Livesey he rolled a pass in front of goal, and Humphreys had the easy task of placing the ball in to the gaping empty net.
United started getting men in to the box with Keogh missing out on a free header when Nelson got a vital touch from a Carlton cross. Danny Carlton then had a back post header blocked as it looked to be going in, and Livesey could only bundle the rebound behind under pressure from Antwi.
The visitors were still getting forward in numbers and Foley broke away in midfield when he lifted the ball over two United defenders. He had Moore on the overlap, and the 'Pool forward went for the bottom corner, pulling it well wide of the post.
Hartlepool were keeping the ball well and Ian Moore was next to go close with a 23-yard shot that was rising from the moment it left his boot.
Jeff Smith made his first appearance since November when he came on for Danny Graham with 25 minutes left to play, and he made an immediate impact when he took up an advanced position in the box. Joe Garner had his initial cross blocked, but Dave Raven was decisive with a header that put the ball back in to the mix. Carlton shielded it, alowing Jeff Smith to take one touch before burying it in to the back of the net.
The game was turned on its head in the 68th minute when Joe Garner was played through by a lovely ball from midfield. The picture of composure he waited for the keeper to commit before slotting it in to the roof of the net to score his second of the day.
It was becoming a very good game and Keogh had to put a Nolan cross behind in the 74th minute as Danny Wilson sent his players forward, and this was followed by a Liddle piledriver that flew over the angle when Livesey popped a header down towards him.
At the other end Garner took a Bridge-Wilkinson free kick off the head of the in-rushing Richard Keogh, and both players were left to consider what might have been had they got it right.
Barker tried to glance a Liddle free kick in to the top corner on 81 minutes, but Westwood got both hands on it as it dropped out of the air.
Joe Garner almost capped a man of the match performance with what would have been a wonder goal in the 87th minute when he thumped a shot from all of 35 yards. It grazed the crossbar on its way behind, but had the crowd on its feet.
Bridge-Wilkinson then tried something similiar in the 88th minute, but his shot took one bounce as it skipped inches wide of the keeper's far post.
It was heart in the mouth time when Aranalde miscued a clearing header deep in to time added on, but the visitors rushed it, making it easy for Westwood.
The points were wrapped up in the 94th minute when Simon Hackney scored his fifth of the campaign when he kept his cool under pressure. A ball over the top from Lumsdon took him one on one with Budtz, and he deftly lobbed it over the stranded keeper before taking it on and sliding it home, accompanied by the famous Brunton Roar.
Goals
United - Garner (41, 68), Smith (66), Hackney (90)
Hartlepool - Humphreys (38, 48)
Bookings
Hartlepool - Liddle (52), Foley (68)
Teams
United - Westwood, Raven, Livesey, Keogh, Aranalde, Lumsdon, Bridge-Wilkinson, Hackney, Carlton (Gall 90), Garner, Graham (Smith 64). Subs - Howarth, Arnison, Murphy.
Hartlepool - Budtz, Elliott, Nelson, Liddle, Humphreys (Robson 86), Barker, Sweeney, Foley (Brown 84), Antwi, Moore, Nolan. Subs - Clark, Porter, Gibb.
Away fans - 701
