Three straight victories for Keith Downing and his Cheltenham side gave the Robins the starting edge in this Friday night floodlit fixture, as United travelled to Whaddon Road hoping to banish a horrible run of away results that consisted of no League victory since October 27 last year and 3 consecutive defeats.
John Ward stayed loyal to the starting line up that had torn Crewe apart last weekend, handing Jeff Smith the role on the right hand side of midfield and keeping new arrival Scott Dobie in reserve, if required, on the bench.
A frantic start of rushed passes and lost possession finally took some shape on 8 minutes when Aranalde sent a long free kick in to the box. Garner won it in the air, but Graham's snapshot was easy for Higgs, who had positioned himself well.
At the other end Steve Gillespie got the wrong side of Aranalde to get on to a sweeping pass from Bird, but his first touch was heavy and Westwood was able to cover.
United found themselves in a wonderful position on 12 minutes when Joe Garner trapped the ball and slipped it beyond Caines in one deft move. Bursting in to the box he had both Hackney and Bridge-Wilkinson screaming at him to lay it square, but he went for glory and dragged it wide of the goal.
The Cumbrians were made to pay for the lapse when, despite enjoying the lions share of the possession, they let the Robins in round the back in the 20th minute. D'Agostino started the move with an eye-catching piece of skill, tight on the touchline, as he flicked the ball over Aranalde and in to the space behind the defender. Racing in to the area he delivered a low cross, picking out the near post run of Gillespie. His first shot was blocked, but he had the presence of mind to set himself before prodding the rebound in to the bottom corner, giving his side an unexpected early lead.
The visitors lost their way after the goal, but Lumsdon thought he'd found a route through in the 27th minute with a far post cross that looped over Caines and Gill. Hackney threw himself at it, but it drifted away, much to the frustration of the United bench.
Joe Garner thought he'd done enough to equalise in the 29th minute when he met a Bridge-Wilkinson corner with a clean header. As it whisked past the upright, the young striker plunged his head in to his hands, knowing that he was a matter of inches away from the all-important goal.
Bridge-Wilkinson then sent one wide as he made space for himself, 19 yards out, but Higgs had it covered, despite the theatrical dive.
Aranalde was needed in his defensive capacity in the 38th minute when Russell orchestrated a move from midfield that sent the lively striker clear and in to the Carlisle penalty area. A timely challenge from the left back was enough to do the job, diverting the ball behind for a corner.
United continued to knock on the door, and a scuffed Bridge-Wilkinson free kick almost worked in his favour in the 44th minute as it angled through the legs and towards the penalty spot. Joe Garner tried to swing a boot at it and knock it towards the bottom corner, but his studs caught on the turf and the tame shot was cleared.
Cheltenham should have had the last say of the half in time added on when D'Agostino latched on to a loose pass from Lumsdon and wasted no time in sending his cross in to the box. Brooker was waiting, but he somehow managed to put his 8 yard volley high over the bar, when all he had to do was get on top of it and keep it on target.
Half Time: Cheltenham 1 - 0 United
The Robins sat deeper at the start of the second half, frustrating the blue shirts at every opportunity, and they created the first moment of any note following good work from Lindegaard and Russell. Gillespie was again the man in the middle, but Aranalde was having none of it, getting his body in the way and preventing the shot.
The arrival of prodigal son Scott Dobie lifted the spirits of the travelling fans, and the returning hero almost kicked his second spell with the club off with a goal from a deceptive Jeff Smith corner. The big forward got his head to it, but it wasn't enough to find the target, and it whipped past Graham who was arriving late at the far post.
Dobie then gave a glimpse of what he could bring to the side in the 59th minute when he sprinted through a gap in the midfield and, from 23 yards out, unleashed a thunderbolt towards the top corner. Higgs scrambled across to cover, and was relieved to see it crash in to his side netting.
Bridge-Wilkinson was then sent clear in the area and, with options spread across the 18-yard box to his left, he tried to squeeze his effort in to the bottom corner, allowing the Cheltenham keeper to make himself big and kick it away with his boot.
It was becoming almost one way traffic, and Caines managed to get one off the line as Dobie and Murphy gathered at the near post for yet another well taken Smith corner. There were gaps appearing at the back, though, as Carlisle threw men forward, and a lightning quick break involving D'Agostino, Russell and Bird came close to hammering a nail in to the visiting coffin. Gillespie met the final pass, but he couldn't keep his volley on target, sending it in to the crowd.
Keiren Westwood produced the save of the night in the 79th minute when Russell curled a beauty from 19 yards, fading it towards the roof of the net. The slightest of deflections made it even more difficult, but two strong hands pushed it on to the bar. Bird steamed in to finish it off, but he was wild, blazing it high over the crossbar.
It was all hands to the pumps for Cheltenham in the closing stages, with Livesey acting as a make-shift right winger, but the ball wouldn't drop in the crucial areas for the visitors, and the Robins were able to celebrate a Football League club record as they recorded their first ever consecutive run of four straight victories.
Goals
Cheltenham - Gillespie (20)
Bookings
United - Raven (75)
Teams
Cheltenham - Higgs, Gill, Caines, Gillespie, Bird, Lindegaard (S Brown 65), Gallinagh, Wright, D'Agostino (Spencer 84), Brooker (Connor 78), Russell. Subs - SP Brown, Wylde.
United - Westwood, Raven, Livesey, Murphy, Aranalde, Smith, Lumsdon, Bridge-Wilkinson, Hackney (Dobie 56), Graham (Carlton 77), Garner. Subs - Howarth, Joyce, Arnison.
Away fans - 511
