Danny Carlton got his second start of the season for the JPT Area Quarter Final visit of Stockport County, as manager John Ward fielded a strong side, as promised over the course of the weekend.

Jeff Smith came back in to the fold, exactly one month since his last start at Yeovil, with Danny Graham getting the nod to lead the attack, and Joe Anyinsah returned following his enforced lay-off from the FA Cup clash at the weekend.

Stockport signalled their intentions early when, with just 54 seconds on the clock,  a quick throw caught the defence flat. The cross came in and Elding was there to touch it towards the target, bringing an excellent, instinctive save from Westwood. The big stopper had to be on his toes again from the short corner when a flick header flew at him, but he plucked it out of the air with a safe pair of hands.

United responded with a superb cross from Smith that turned the centre backs and had them scrambling back to cover. Danny Graham had made a good run but he couldn't find the touch that was needed to guide it in. Lumsdon followed that up with a deep centre that Smith was on to with a powerful header, but it was always high and it flew over the bar.

The Cumbrians looked good going forward in the early exchanges and Bridge-Wilkinson sparked an attack on 12 minutes when he picked out Carlton, with his back to goal. He waited for the runners and fed it out to Smith, on the edge of the area, who had already spotted Logan off his line. A teasing chip was almost inch perfect, but the keeper did well to get his fingertips to it and push it on to the woodwork.

Liam Dickinson was always likely to cause problems, if given the chance, and he sent a warning in the 13th minute with a 22 yarder that Westwood had to watch all the way.

Danny Carlton was next to go close when a Bridge-Wilkinson delivery took a deflection off a defender, slightly wrong-footing United's attacker. He threw his boot at it, but it zipped off his shin and whipped over the bar.

The Carlisle crosses and set pieces were proving to be very effective and the home side were left to ponder on how they hadn't scored when Bridge-Wilkinson curled a beauty towards the far post in the 21st minute. Livesey missed out by the width of a hair, and both Graham and Carlton threw their hands up in despair as it sped past them and went behind for a goal kick.

Briggs tried his luck from distance as the game lost a bit of tempo, and United stepped it up again in the 24th minute, winning a corner following strong work from Carlton. Bridge-Wilkinson took it, and challenges from Murphy and Graham caused confusion inside the area. Danny Carlton tried to capitalise on the hesitation, but his snap-volley was always rising, despite being well struck.

Adam Proudlock sent a low drive in to the side netting in the 34th minute as Stockport tried to get forward in numbers but his effort, from a Dickinson pass, was covered by the Carlisle keeper as he closed down the angles.

The Hatters closed the spaces in midfield and Carlisle had to wait until the 43rd minute for their next half chance, but Anyinsah couldn't keep the ball down as he swung wildly at a Bridge-Wilkinson corner. Anyinsah then popped a header wide, as Smith did well to beat his man and find some space on the wing, and it was a satisfied smile from Jim Gannon that accompanied the half time whistle.

Half Time: United 0 - 0 Stockport

It was a brighter start from Carlisle, with Bridge-Wilkinson winning a corner from a 21 yard free kick that a line of three players were waiting to take. The delivery from that kept Stockport penned in, and Bridge-Wilkinson eventually found a blistering shot that Logan did well to get to and push on to the angle of the post and the bar.

The Cumbrians were rocked in the 49th minute, though, when Adam Proudlock latched on to the ball 17 yards out and thumped an unstoppable shot beyond Westwood and in to the back of the net to give his side an unexpected lead.

United stepped up the tempo, stung by the goal, and they should have been back on level terms when Smith made space and lobbed the perfect cross in to the box. Danny Graham was on to it but, dead central and just 10 yards out, he could only find the post as the width of the goal beckoned before him. Bridge-Wilkinson took things in to his own hands in the next attack, aiming for the bottom corner from well out, but he was inches away from an equaliser as his drive curled at the last moment and edged wide.

Anyinsah was more direct as the hour mark approached, running on to a Bridge-Wilkinson pass and cutting inside his man. With a path to the target in front of him he went for the roof of the net, forcing Logan to take action and palm it behind for a corner.

Jeff Smith then had a go, bringing a block from Logan, and McNeill was first on to it to assist his keeper and complete the clearance. Smith turned provider in the 63rd minute when an early cross was well taken by Carlton in the area. He spun and shot in one movement, but he was leaning back and couldn't keep it down. It was better from the Cumbrians, but they couldn't find that killer touch, typified in the 65th minute when Gall burst clear and crossed low, towards the penalty spot. Three blue shirts were in support, but none of them could reach it and it bobbled away to safety.

United had all of the possession but Stockport were getting the joy in front of goal, and they doubled their lead in the 68th minute when the home side went to sleep at a corner. Elding delivered it, and McNeill, who had been playing as a makeshift defender all evening, rose highest to place his header in to the back of the net.

Anthony Elding made it 3-0 in some amount of style when the Hatters raced forward and took advantage of the amount of space that was presented to them in the box. The Stockport striker was able to pick his spot as he stroked the Liam Dickinson cross in to the roof of the net, stunning the Brunton Park faithful.

Simon Hackney replaced Zigor Aranalde with 7 minutes to play as John Ward pushed numbers forward in an attempt to rescue something from the game. It became a formality for the visitors, though, as they stifled the tempo and watched the clock tick down, securing their passage to the next round at the expense of a below-par Carlisle United outfit.

Goals

Stockport - Proudlock (49), McNeill (68), Elding (74)

Teams

United - Westwood, Raven, Livesey, Murphy, Aranalde (Hackney 83), Anyinsah (Gall 60), Bridge-Wilkinson, Lumsdon, Smith, Carlton (Garner 69), Graham. Subs - Howarth, Arnison.

County - Logan, Elding, Proudlock, McNeill, Griffin, Briggs (Rowe 46), Raynes, Tansey (Rose 68), Dickinson, Bowler, Turnbull. Subs - Owen, Tunnicliffe, Adamson.

Away fans - 123