United played host to Mansfield Town on Saturday afternoon in their latest Sky Bet League Two fixture.
And it was a tight affair which ended all-square after Mansfield bagged a second half goal to cancel out an early impressive finish from hallam Hope.
A foul on Hope sparked an early Carlisle attack as Grainger's delivery was nodded out for a throw. Tom Miller launched it into the box but Logan was well placed to pluck a looped Ellis header from beneath the bar.
Mansfield played some good football of their own as they settled into the game but concentration from Miller and Grainger in wide defensive positions kept the home back line safe.
Striker Richie Bennett showed good strength when he took a ball on his thigh and worked room for a cross, which was clipped behind for a corner. The whistle blew for an infringement as Grainger drilled that into the area.
The Cumbrians were almost made to a pay a heavy price for a moment of hesitation when Angol robbed Liddle deep inside the United half. Kane Hemmings set off on a sprint but he didn't quite have enough to get onto the swirling through ball.
Carlisle were the width of the crossbar away from taking the lead on 14 minutes when Tom Miller whisked another long throw into the mix. Mark Ellis met it on the full with a crisp header and Logan was relieved to see it smash back off the woodwork.
It was a short-lived reprieve for the Stags as Luke Joyce found a perfect through ball for Hope to latch on to. The striker's first touch took him clean through a sliding challenge from Rhys Bennett and he didn't disappoint as he gobbled up the yards, drew the keeper and picked his spot in the bottom corner.
United were close again when Adams fizzed a fierce corner into the six-yard box. The slightest of touches from Benning was just enough to stop Ellis from heading it into an open goal.
Keeper Jack Bonham had to take care as a long range effort from Anderson flew right at him, but it was the hosts who continued to look the more likely as they played some excellent football. One such passage of neat play ended with a cross from Adams which was just a millimetre too high for Ellis to do anything with.
Set pieces were proving to be a good method of causing problems for the opposition for United and a deep one from Grainger was hooked back into the penalty area by Richie Bennett. Hope got there but his header dropped onto the roof of the net.
A free kick at the other end had the Blues momentarily at sixes and sevens and Bonham showed strong hands to beat a thunderbolt from Mellis over the bar as he put his boot through a 17-yard half clearance.
Stags striker Lee Angol was fortunate not to see a red card when he lashed out at Ellis, as the pair picked themselves up from the floor following a meaty challenge, and Mansfield almost took advantage of a temporary loss of concentration in the aftermath of the arguments. Bonham showed more excellent keeping skills as he became the last line of defence with a superb one-handed save from Hemmings.
An acrobatic overhead kick from Joyce wasn't too far away as he showed first for a Miller throw, well into time added on for the half, and it was Carlisle who left the pitch the happier when the half way whistle blew.
Keeper Jack Bonham achieved hero status shortly after the restart when Tom Miller was judged to have pulled Anderson to the floor inside the box. The keeper guessed the right way as Hemmings put power behind his penalty kick and completed a stunning save as he got both hands to the drive.
Carlisle had an appeal of their own moments after the save but it was turned away as Bennett fell to the floor under pressure from Benning. And disaster struck for United just before the hour when Bonham raced off his line to punch a deep cross out of the area. Stags substitute Calum Butcher Marked his arrival with a measured lob from the clearance which left the stranded Cumbrian stopper with no chance.
The visitors edged on top after their equaliser and Butcher was close to a second when he was the man to get on the end of another punch from Bonham. He chose to rifle it on this occasion and it rose just too high over the bar.
Carlisle had to settle themselves and good work from Hope saw him hold the ball up as he waited for support. He spun and played it through but Jones had his shot blocked as he looked to finish it off.
Bonham saved at full length from Hemmings as Mansfield went on a quick break, and Joyce was denied by the width of the post as he volleyed from deep through a ruck of bodies. Logan was beaten and relieved to see it bounce back to safety.
The same post came into play moments later when Shaun Miller pulled the trigger from 30-yards out. Logan could only watch as it rattled into the frame and was hooked away by Mirfin.
A deflected shot from Kennedy was tipped over by Logan as it threatened to drop under the bar, and that was that as the clock ticked down to a share of the spoils from an enjoyable game.
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Goals
Carlisle United - Hope (15)
Mansfield Town - Butcher (59)
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Bookings
Carlisle United - Joyce (25), Ellis (42)
Mansfield Town - Mellis (27), Angol (42), Butcher (82), Mirfin (86)
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Teams
Carlisle United - Bonham, T Miller, Grainger, Joyce, Liddle, Jones, Hope (Cosgrove 90), Adams, Bennett (S Miller 80), Ellis, Lambe (Kennedy 70). Subs - George, Devitt, Nabi, Brown.
Mansfield Town - Logan, Bennett, Benning, Pearce, Mellis (Butcher 55), Angol (Rose 68), Anderson, Atkinson (Potter 55), Mirfin, Hemmings, Byrom. Subs - Olejnik, MacDonald, Spencer, White.
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Referee - Darren Handley
Attendance - 4,677 (280 away fans)