United 3 - 1 Chesterfield

Manager Keith Curle made five changes to the starting line up from Saturday with McQueen and Balanta handed their full senior debuts for the club.

Chesterfield enjoyed the early pressure and the first corner of the evening brought a chance for Hird when a driven cross arrived at his feet. He struggled to readjust and all he could do was bundle it wide of the upright.

The Spireites looked good going forward and a cross from the left brought a flick from Gnanduillet which took Gillespie out of the game. Gardner picked it up and he cut back inside before poking a low shot through bodies. The keeper was beaten but it ricocheted back off the upright for Morsy to chase. A clipped effort appeared to be going in until the stopper dived across to make a fantastic save.

The visitors had their tails up and a through ball for Gnanduillet brought Gillespie off his line. A touch was enough to send the striker wide but Raynes was needed to cover as a shot came in on the spin.

Balanta was next to provide vital cover when he got in the way of a rasper from Hird but United weathered the storm and got forward in numbers when McQueen found space on the right. Atkinson took over but Chesterfield dropped deep to defend the deep cross.

Carlisle started to look dangerous and another McQueen cross brought a neat touch on the run from Rigg. Lee saw it late but he dropped quickly to make an excellent reaction save. 

It was almost a dream debut for McQueen when a half clearance from a corner fell into his path on the edge of the box. He connected sweetly with a stinging volley and Lee was happy to parry it away as it swerved and curled at his chest.

The pace of the game started to settle but Gillespie had to be on his guard when Gnanduillet stood over a 30-yard free kick. The keeper measured his angles and completed a comfortable save.

Angelo Balanta started to see a lot of the ball and he was stopped in his tracks by Raglan as he burst into the box with the ball at his feet. 

One-touch flowing football which involved Rigg, Brough and Hery left Balanta with a sight of goal moments later and Lee made another fine save as he reached across to tip the thunderbolt away.

Carlisle went close on the stroke of half time when Grainger took charge of a 28-yard free kick. He hit it well and Lee needed both fists to divert it over the bar. 

And Grainger went close again when Hery was felled on the edge of the box as he struck a fizzing free kick straight through the wall. The keeper saw it late but he somehow did enough to keep it out.

United were first to test the target after the break when a loose ball eventually ran clear for Wyke. He had to rush his shot and a deflection brought a twisting dive and another fine save from Lee. 

Chesterfield responded with another good spell and Ariyibi smashed one wide as he tried to thread a needle through a gaggle of bodies. Gillespie then had to concentrate as O'Shea ran past three challenges as he tried to walk the ball into the net. The keeper's chest did the trick as the angle became tight.

Alexander McQueen earned applause from the crowd when he used pace to fashion a crossing opportunity. Rigg took his eye off it and Evatt was relieved when his covering header bounced just wide of his own goal.

Grainger went close as the 'chances for' tally continued to tick over when another free kick deflected an inch wide. Raynes had to stand strong at the other end when O'Shea ran from deep. It was another good shot but the defender more than did his job.

Carlisle put themselves under pressure when they tried to play out from the back as Chesterfield tried to get things going. Atkinson was robbed but punts from Gnanduillet and Ariyibi were stopped at source as the defence started to creak.

But it was the home side who took the lead when substitutes Kevin Osei and Jabo Ibehre combined to rip Chesterfield apart. A jink and cross from the Frenchman brought a glancing header from the big striker - his second goal of the season - which nestled nicely in the bottom corner.

Gillespie had to dive to save from Raglan as he worked space for a downward header at a corner, and the visitors restored parity when Dieseruvwe was left in acres of space. He smashed a great shot into the net off the inside of the post.

Carlisle had to defend deep through the closing stages but they had a late chance when McQueen swung the ball into the area for Rigg. He got a touch but it was a difficult chance and it dropped well wide of the post.

Mani Dieseruvwe was the recipient of a straight red card when he clashed heads with Miller during a high challenge in the first minute of extra time. 

The sending off upset the rhythm of the encounter and the flow of chances slowed as both sides struggled to find a way through. Osei summed up the frustration when he tried his luck from distance as Chesterfield stubbornly kept things tight at the back.

Carlisle had a good chance on 105 minutes when Ibehre took the ball off a touch from Osei. He couldn't quite get it out from under his feet and Lee was able to watch it into his hands.

Kevin Osei scuffed a volley wide in the first minute of the second half of extra time and Jabo Ibehre went toe to toe with Lee as he touched and chased a ball over the top, but he made no mistake from a Grainger cross moments later when he executed a superb volley on the rise which almost burst the net as it ripped past the stranded keeper.

There was still work to do as Raynes blocked from Onovwigun and Gardner completely missed a volley when it dropped out of the night sky 12 yards out. Morsy wasn't too far away with a dipping effort as the Spireites kept plugging away and Jake Orrell wasted a very good opening when he miscued a volley with the goal at his mercy.

United kept their heads and survived a late shout for a penalty when Grainger blocked a header at close range, and they were able to celebrate with tired legs when Kevin Osei ghosted in from the right and bagged a wonderful goal with a very calm finish.

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Bookings

United - Dicker (72), Raynes (78), Rigg (112)

Chesterfield - Evatt (45), Morsy (49)

Sent off 

Chesterfield - Dieseruvwe (91)

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Teams 

Carlisle United - Gillespie, McQueen, Atkinson (Miller 74), Raynes, Grainger, Brough (Osei 65), Balanta, Dicker, Hery, Wyke (Ibehre 65), Rigg. Subs - Hanford, Sweeney, Archibald-Henville, Thompson.

Chesterfield - Lee, Hird, Raglan, Evatt, Jones, Morsy, Gardner, Ariyibi (Orrell 78), O'Shea, Banks (Onovwigun 95), Gnanduillet (Dieseruvwe 72). Subs - Cairns, Humphreys, Harrison, Donohue.

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Referee - Mr Seb Stockbridge

Attendance - 2,950 (207 away fans)