John Ward stuck with his starting eleven for the visit of Crewe as he looked to his players to build on what had become a very impressive home record of seven League victories in a row.

With just one 0-0 scoreline between the two sides since their first League meeting, back in 1928, goals were a distinct possibility from a fixture that regularly provides plenty of goalmouth action.

A relatively subdued start brought little action of any note, until United fashioned a break down the right hand side. Smith took possession, cut inside his marker and ran onwards in to the space. With no challenge forthcoming he drilled a 23-yard curling shot towards the bottom corner, and was unlucky to see it rebound off the base of the post and behind for a goal kick.

Crewe were showing very little and the Cumbrians almost capitalised in the 8th minute when Bridge-Wilkinson floated a free kick in to the box. A weak half clearance fell to Murphy, but his cross was cut out at the near post. Aranalde reacted first to that, volleying low, but Cox was in the way, doing enough to get it clear.

United went on the prowl again in the 10th minute when Lumsdon lofted a long ball forward for Graham to chase. He slid it back towards Hackney, and his first time cross fell dangerously in the area. Smith was there to greet it, but a timely intervention from Baudet took it off his toes at the vital moment.

It was all about Carlisle and what they could do going forward, and they flooded the box again in the 17th minute when Murphy raced forward from deep. His shot came off his own player, but Hackney retrieved possession, swinging the ball in towards the near post. Abbey flung his boot at it, sending it high in to the air, and Williams was relieved to see it smash back off the top of the bar and go behind for a goal kick.

United carved a route down the right hand side in the 25th minute when Aranalde, Hackney and Garner combined, but the Railwaymen doubled up on the blue shirts and forced the corner. Aranalde eventually got to that delivery, but his attempted header back across the face of the goal had too much on it, and Graham had no chance of getting anywhere near it.

Danny Graham showed an excellent touch on 28 minutes when he trapped a looping ball, 23 yards out, and turned towards goal. His eyes lit up as Cox sat off him, and his shot was inches away from nestling in the bottom corner.

Crewe made their first chance of the day in the 28th minute when Maynard took it upon himself to run at the heart of the defence. Reaching the edge of the United box he tried to find the top corner, but it bobbled as he hit it and it screwed harmlessly over the bar.

Garner, Graham and Lumsdon all had shots from distance, none of which really troubled Ben Williams, but the home side should have taken the lead on 38 minutes following a lovely, defence splitting pass from Joe Garner. Hackney muscled his way on to it but, dead central and just 9 yards from the target, he somehow managed to poke it wide of the upright.

It was a frustrating half for the home side as they controlled possession and kept attacking, but it just wouldn't fall right for them in front of goal. Graham and Garner were linking well, and the pair unlocked the back line yet again in the 44th minute with a neat flick header that left Cox on his heels. Graham took a touch, but his shot was comfortable for Williams, who took it low and at his feet.

United 0 - 0 Crewe

The second half started off by following the same pattern as the first, with Carlisle first to every ball.

The width of the woodwork was the only thing that prevented Danny Graham from putting his side ahead on 50 minutes when he powered a Raven cross towards the top corner with a lovely 12 yard header. Williams was beaten, but it popped up off the bar and the keeper was able to claim it at the second attempt.

The patience paid off for the Cumbrians in the 52nd minute when Aranalde overlapped and whipped a low cross in towards Danny Graham. He jumped over it, and Joe Garner arrived just in time to pick his spot, making it 13 for the campaign.

Simon Hackney went close yet again in the 59th minute when he waited for a Bridge-Wilkinson pass to settle. Taking it on the bounce he wrong-footed Williams, with a deflection off Baudet's thigh, but the big keeper twisted and turned and clawed it off his line just as it threatened to creep in.

Bridge-Wilkinson had options left and right 60 seconds later when he ran from deep, but he went for the spectacular, succeeding only in blazing it over the bar.

The Cumbrians were enjoying their football, and a patient build up set Garner clear in the 64th minute, but the pass from Lumsdon had slightly too much on it, allowing Williams to grab it off the toe of the Carlisle top scorer.

Danny Graham was left wondering what he had to do to score on 66 minutes when Simon Hackney sent the perfect delivery in to the box from the left wing. The big Carlisle striker burst a lung to get there, but he couldn't put enough on it to force it towards the target.

The visitors started to get in to the game more, and Cox fizzed a 19-yard free kick a foot over the bar as they started to get more men forward. Maynard and Moore were the main instigators, moving well and trying to create space for the supporting midfielders, but shots on target were restricted, despite the increase in possession.

Williams flattened Joe Garner as Lumsdon floated a pass in to the box, with the home side starting to reassert their authority and, with the United forward on the floor, Bridge-Wilkinson tried to lob it back in to the net, but the Alex stopper had recovered quickly.

Crewe went for the direct route in the closing stages, sending it long and down the middle, and there was some hurried defending required on occasions as the ball bobbled around in the box.

The game ended with a Garner shot that crept wide of the goal, deep in time added on, when he turned quickly and unleashed one from just outside the 18 yard area, and it was job done for United as they made it eight consecutive home League victories in a row.

Goals

United - Garner (52) 

Bookings

United - Murphy (71)

Crewe - Maynard (90)

Teams

United - Westwood, Raven, Livesey, Murphy, Aranalde, J Smith, Lumsdon, Bridge-Wilkinson, Hackney (Arnison 81), Garner, Graham. Subs - Howarth, Carlton, Joyce, Gall.

Crewe - Williams, Woodards, Cox (Pope 85), Baudet, Schumacher, O'Connor, Maynard, McCready, Moore, Abbey, Church (Miller 25). Subs - O'Donnell, Bailey, Brown.

Away - 222