The Blues were at Glanford Park to face Scunthorpe this weekend as both sides looked to build momentum with the first month of the campaign drawing to a close.
A tough run of results, following last season's relegation for the Iron, has left them with work to do but signs are there that better days are ahead.
A hamstring injury for Stefan Scougall ruled him out for the visitors, and Carlisle boss Steven Pressley made three changes with Elias Sorensen and Harry McKirdy coming into the starting line up for Hallam Hope and Olufela Olomola, and with McKirdy drafted in for the injured Scougall.
Scunthorpe had former-Blues loanees Alex Gilliead and Regan Slater in their ranks, with a tweaked formation which saw them pack the midfield and go with George Miller as a lone but supported striker up front.
Following a slow start it was the home side who created the first opening when Miller was bundled to the floor by Knight-Percival tight by the corner flag. Butler jumped high to send the delivery from Clarke back across goal and Songo'o got there, with a downward header, which had to be hooked clear before it crossed the line.
The hosts came again when Lund worked space in midfield and his touch took him past Carroll and into space. He shot from distance but he couldn't keep it down.
That sparked a good home spell and determination from Slater saw him come through two challenges with the ball at his feet. He was forced wide, but he somehow got a shot away as he tumbled to the ground. Collin did well to make the save as it took a wicked deflection and flew low at his shins.
The lively Jordan Clarke picked up the loose ball as a Carlisle move broke down, and his cross invited Eisa to leap. He connected with his head but it angled high and over the bar.
More good work from Lund saw him curl a great cross into the mix from halfway inside the United half as the hosts remained on top in the game. Miller met it with a glanced header but he got his bearings wrong and it dropped just wide of the upright.
United had half a sight when play was spread wide to Iredale with 24 minutes on the clock. He dropped a shoulder and crossed early, and Sorensen moved off his marker's shoulder as he tried to make room to shoot. Watson spotted the danger and he was off his line quickly to smother the ball.
Scunthorpe had a run of three corners just before the half hour, but the green shirts did well to deal with the arrowed crosses which flew into the box. The Iron then went close when a slick exchange of passes from a Clarke throw which saw Slater and Miller combine to release Gilliead. His cross on the sprint had Slater stretching and his header on the dive smashed into the side netting.
Neither side made much of an inroad through the closing 15 minutes of the first half, but Gilliead and Clarke kept knocking on the door with crosses from the right flank, and Lund looked for forward movement for the hosts as he called for it in the middle of the park.
There was a scare for the visitors in time added on for the half when Miller shielded a pass from Eisa with his back to goal. He went to ground, accompanied by loud appeals for a penalty. He was quickly up on his feet, and a touch from his toe gave Eisa an opportunity. He unleashed a snapshot but it came off Carroll and spun away towards the corner flag.
The delivery from that was half cleared, and Slater showed skill to go past two United players before setting his sights on goal. He was off balance and his effort zipped into the United fans behind the goal.
Striker Ryan Loft came on to replace Elias Sorensen at the start of the second half, but United had a corner to deal with as Scunthorpe attacked in numbers. Butler headed it back across goal from deep, but Knight-Percival was there to clear before Eisa could make it count.
A good move from Carlisle followed as Bridge turned to create space on the edge of the box. Thomas overlapped, and his rasping delivery had to be cleared as Loft angled a run to meet it.
Another testing corner at the other end was headed over by McArdle, and his reaction suggested that he should have done better as he rifled it over almost completely unopposed.
The away side took the lead on 60 minutes when Loft made life hard for Butler as the pair got themselves underneath a huge kick forward. The ball bounced out towards McKirdy, who touched it back towards Loft, and the substitute made no mistake as he held off his marker before drilling an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner.
Things became very tight, but United were denied a penalty on 71 minutes when McKirdy and Sagaf broke from a clearance from a Scunthorpe corner. McKirdy tried to squeeze a shot through, and it then became a race between Thomas and Watson as to who would get to the ball first. The Carlisle man fell to the floor but the referee waved play on.
Collin was needed to make a fine save from a bullet of a header from Lund, as he met a corner from Slater on the full, but United saw the closing 10 minutes out in relative comfort as they closed the gaps and defended their lines with strength and determination and, in the end, they looked good for the three points they'd wrestled from Glanford Park.
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Goals
Carlisle United - Loft (60)
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Bookings
Scunthorpe United - Clarke (27)
Carlisle United - Carroll (35), Knight-Percival (65), McKirdy (74), Iredale (84), Loft (90), Elliott (90)
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Teams
Scunthorpe United - Watson, Clarke, Lund, Songo'o, Butler (c) (McGahey 63), Gilliead (Colclough 72), McArdle, Slater (McAtee 84), Brown, Miller, Eisa. Subs - Eastwood (gk), van Veen, O'Malley, Dawson.
Carlisle United - Collin (gk) (c), Elliott, Webster, Knight-Percival, Iredale, Bridge, Jones, Carroll (Sagaf 56), Thomas, Sorensen (Loft 46), McKirdy (Hope 80). Subs - Gray (gk), Mellish, Charters, Branthwaite.
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Match officials
Referee - Sam Purkiss
Assistant Referee 1 - Steven Rushton
Assistant Referee 2 - Grant Taylor
Fourth Official - Richard Wigglesworth
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Attendance - 3,359 (334 away fans)