United welcomed Exeter City to Brunton Park on Saturday afternoon for their latest Sky Bet League Two fixture.
Carlisle threw everything at Exeter, having conceded an early second half goal, but last ditch tackles, goal line clearances and unbelievable saves ultimately left them with nothing to show for their efforts.
United showed attacking intent early in the day when Etuhu used skill to get away from two in the visiting half. He fed it through to Miller but the forward's shot was blocked and ran behind for a corner. Adams took that one quickly and Grainger was a whisker away as he drilled a powerful shot just past the far post from a tight angle.
Exeter responded with a meaningful attack of their own when Jones lost out to a tackle just outside his own box. It eventually came to Stockley and he hooked the bouncing ball over his own shoulder and past the stranded Jack Bonham. It popped onto the base of the post and Etuhu slashed it clear.
It was end-to-end stuff and a spin from Miller gave him room to move in midfield. His pass hit James and sat up nicely for Hope, but a recovering slide took it behind for another corner. Grainger tried his luck again but his shot was always heading wide.
Bonham was at his stunning best between the United sticks when he readjusted to tip a blistering effort from Holmes over the bar, with the Exeter man setting himself to celebrate. Troy Brown had a goal ruled out for a push on Liddle as he bulldozed his way onto the end of the ball, and Pym was off his line at the other end to grab a cross from Joyce as the game continued at a hectic pace.
James Brown then had appeals for a penalty turned down as he raced into the box and put Woodman under pressure. The referee watched the tumble but waved play on.
Next to try his luck was Lee Holmes when he was granted unexpected space on the edge of the Carlisle box, but Bonham was well-placed to grab the punt out of the air. A wonderful cross from Miller had the Grecians stretched as Carlisle gave as good as they got but Hope couldn't quite get there as he arrived late in the box.
The Cumbrians were denied a free kick from what looked like a clear handball from Woodman as both the referee and his assistant appeared to completely miss the incident, and the game became bitty before the break as stoppages prevented the hosts from turning up the heat.
Another instinctive cross from Grainger had Etuhu on the move until Reid guided it away with a volley, and James Brown swung one in moments later which Boateng had to head clear. United then kept the ball well with Brown and Hope exchanging passes and the latter found a lovely pass for Etuhu to try his luck. He took a touch and smashed a thunderbolt wide when he could possibly have gone for it first time.
Boateng headed over from close range when he found half a yard of space at a late corner, and Grainger had his 23-yard free kick blocked with what was the last chance of the half.
A fantastic 60-yard run from James Brown took him to the edge of the visiting box from the second half kick off and he had the presence of mind to pick out Adams with a slide rule pass. Sweeney had to block as a shot came in.
But Carlisle were undone when a deep corner was kept alive at the back post. Pierce Sweeney used his strength to get through the bodies and he put enough on his header to get it over the line.
Jones dragged a shot wide from 25-yards following another good passage of play, with Carlisle well and truly on the front foot, and Pym handled well as crosses came into his area from left and right.
United switched to three at the back and that left them light as the Grecians found a way down their right flank. Reid steamed into the area and a crisp header went wide as he got onto it at close range.
Pym produced a late reaction save from a whipped drive from Joyce, and Shaun Miller thought he'd done everything right as he guided a Lambe cross back across the face of goal. It was going in until an Exeter boot cleared it off the line.
Carlisle were asking all of the questions and a cross from Devitt found Hope in space. His guided header beat Pym but it also bounced just the wrong side of the post.
The blue shirts camped forward and Liddle was next to have a go as a half cleared corner fell at his feet. He went for a volley but couldn't keep it down. Pym produced a magnificent one-handed save as the pressure stayed on when Kennedy volleyed at the top corner. The stopper somehow got to it and pushed the ball onto the bar, and he then had help from his defenders to complete the clearance.
Gary Liddle received a round of applause in time added on when he raced back to clear off the line from a Stockley shot, and Hill was an inch away at the other end when he headed the last chance of the afternoon just past the target with Pym well beaten.
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Goals
Exeter City - Sweeney (48)
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Bookings
Carlisle United - Hill (19), Grainger (67)
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Teams
Carlisle United - Bonham, Brown (Devitt 58), Liddle, Hill, Grainger, Etuhu (Lambe 66), Jones (Kennedy 75), Joyce, Adams, S Miller, Hope. Subs - George, T Miller, Nabi, Cosgrove.
Exeter City - Pym, Sweeney, Woodman, James, Holmes, Stockley, Croll (Moxey 37), Taylor, Reid (Tillson 71), Brown, Boateng (McAlinden 90). Subs - Hamon, Archibald-Henville, Jay, Edwards.
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Referee - Eddie Ilderton
Attendance - 4,677 (233 away fans)