The first of United's Central League Cup games was against Wigan Athletic on Tuesday afternoon.
It was a very competitive fixture played between two good sides and in the end it was the Latics who took the spoils courtesy of two solid second half strikes.
United started brightly and the first chance of the day came when McGeouch spotted Charters in space after a quickly taken free kick. The midfielder put his laces through a shot from distance but it dipped too late.
Both teams battled in midfield but the hosts got forward with purpose on 11 minutes when McHugh fed it down the line to Smith. He crossed low but Whelan had tracked the move and he did well to hook it clear.
Carlisle looked good in possession and McGeouch executed a beauty of a crossfield pass to send Nugent on a scamper down the wing. A first good touch invited a volley from a tight angle and there was disappointment as it spooned high into the sky.
The away team came again as Charters took the ball down with his back to goal, after McGeouch had intelligently flicked it through. His shot on the spin was charged down and Edmondson was flagged offside as he forced a diving save out of Amos from the rebound.
It remained nip and tuck and Jones found the side netting after Balagizi had worked hard to make room. Breeze had to sprint out to confront the same player as he once again tried to angle his run into the area.
Wigan enjoyed a good spell and Smith pulled wide before dinking a cross towards the far post. It was just too far in front of Magennis and he couldn’t give it the touch it needed.
United regrouped and Robinson showed real purpose as he bounced two passes off Charters before delivering on the run. Nugent was up for it but the whistle went as his marker tumbled to the floor.
Keeper Gabe Breeze was excellent just past the half hour when Sze jinked his way clean through. A strong hand prevented a certain finish, and he stayed big as he forced Magennis to curl his follow-up snapshot wide.
The half ended with another good away move as Butterworth gave Charters an option on the left flank. Nugent arrived late to meet the cross but he was off balance and his effort went wide.
And Breeze had to be alert deep into time added on when Smith connected with a fierce long-range rasper. The keeper dived high to get both hands to it, and his touch took it away from the target.
It was much tighter after the break but a strong challenge from Harris sparked a flowing Carlisle move as McGeouch, Charters, Barclay and Nugent all got involved. Butterworth had just one thing in mind as it came his way but his shot edged past the post.
Wigan forward Chris Sze thought he’d registered when he arrowed a powerful dipper over a leap from Breeze. It smacked the underside of the bar and somehow stayed out as it spun away off the line for Whelan to clear.
United responded with a quick break as substitute Jake Allan spotted Edmondson on the move on the right wing. The big forward took the pass in his stride as he rode a challenge, but his low cross was stopped just inches in front of the onrushing Taylor Charters.
The Latics wasted no time in getting the ball forward and Sze was suddenly in space, with the width of the goal to aim at. He made no mistake with an accurate finish.
And Sze was instrumental in doubling the advantage when he latched onto a short poke from Stones. Breeze made a point blank save but could do nothing as Josh Magennis rattled the loose ball into the roof of the net.
The Cumbrians were right back in it almost straight away as they sent men forward in numbers. Robinson provided a test with three teasing deliveries and the away side stayed high as they searched for a way through. It eventually broke to Harris, and he left Amos with no chance as he unleashed a piledriver that flew in via the bottom of the crossbar.
Breeze was twice called into action through the closing stages, with a one-handed full length fingertip save from Sze a real eyecatcher, moments after he’d dropped to his left to parry a volley from Stones away from his bottom corner.
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Goals
Wigan Athletic - Sze (59), Magennis (72)
Carlisle United - Harris (75)
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Bookings
Wigan Athletic - Jones (22), McHugh (61)
Carlisle United - Harris (28)
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Teams
Wigan Athletic - Amos, McHugh, Reilly, Balagizi, Mitchell, Shaw, Jones, Payne, Magennis (c) (Chentouf 80), Sze, Smith (Stones 46). Subs - Watson, Lloyd, Adams.
Carlisle United - Breeze, Ellis (c), Barclay (Allan 53), Whelan, Robinson, Harris, McGeouch (Park 73), Charters, Nugent, Edmondson, Butterworth. Subs - Barry, Hetherington, Swinburn.
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Referee - Chris Porter