It was the first of two home games in the space of four days when Mansfield visited Brunton Park on Tuesday evening.
There was one change from the Saturday away draw at Wimbledon with John-Kymani Gordon in for Joe Garner.
Carlisle looked menacing early on as they attacked the Waterworks End and Gordon did well to wriggle into space tight by the corner flag. A backheel allowed Armer to overlap and cross, but Kilgour dived low to clear.
The Stags suddenly found interest when Keillor-Dunn was played through on the angle of the 18-yard box. Huntington moved across to block the shot, and Mellish helped out as the rebound ran free.
United passed the ball around on 10 minutes, with the back three staying patient as they waited for a gap. Gibson pulled wide to take over and he nutmegged his man before clipping it in. Moxon tried to feed the ricochet towards the bottom corner but his effort was blocked.
Senior was accurate as he floated a pass to Gordon, with the hosts still looking settled, and the first touch set the striker on a run. He crossed, but it was met by Perch when he committed himself to the challenge.
But it was the away team who celebrated when Bowery popped a short throw to Quinn on the left hand touchline. They moved it back and forwards, and Quinn's delivery fell nicely for Ollie Clarke, who made no mistake with a bullet of a header that nestled in the corner of the target.
Away tails were up and Hewitt had options as he found space to deliver. Quinn threw his boot at it, from 18-yards out, but he miscued and it flew high into the sky.
The United passing game was good to watch, with Feeney well advanced on 22 minutes to play his part. Senior and Moxon had touches, but the cross from Gibson was too close to Pym and he plucked it out of the air.
Holy was almost caught out when Harbottle sent the ball high from deep at the other end. It arrowed towards the roof of the net and the stopper had to scamper to tip it over the bar.
It was a short-lived reprieve as Keillor-Dunn flighted another good corner into the mix. Kilgour jumped highest and the header landed over the line.
The night got worse on 27 minutes when Feeney was judged to have jumped through Keillor-Dunn when Wallace whipped a rushed pass into the mix. The referee immediately pointed to the spot, and Lucas Akins did the rest with a rasping penalty kick.
Mansfield carved a way through again on 39 minutes when the dangerous Keillor-Dunn made his way to the byeline. A cheeky cut back with the instep was perfect for Elliott as he swept it past the stranded keeper.
An inswinging corner from Moxon needed just a touch on the stroke of half time, but it fell beyond everyone as it skidded its way beyond the back stick.
And there was a great chance for Mellish in time added on for the period when Dennis lofted a lovely ball through a static back line. Pym spread himself as the shot came and he made the save with his boot.
The resulting corner from Armer spun out of a clearance for Gibson to volley, but another block left the Blues with nothing to show from what was a disappointing first half.
Boss Paul Simpson made a triple substitution for the second half, with Harris, Garner and Patrick on for Huntington, Gibson and Senior, so it was a very attack minded group that approached the 45 minutes.
The crowd looked to do their bit, cheering every touch, and Garner clipped a great ball into the box as he tried to lift spirits. Dennis went for an overhead kick, but he couldn't make the connection.
Room for Bowery at the other end saw him pull wide and aim for the top corner. Feeney got enough of a block on it to divert it to safety.
Akins then bullied his way through, as he twisted with his back to goal, but another block from Feeney took the sting out of the effort.
A foul on Gordon by Harbottle gave Moxon the chance to deliver, but Pym watched it all the way into his hands.
There was another good passage of play from the home team when Moxon skipped down the right hand touchline. He beat one to find Dennis, who deftly touched it to Harris. He had to stretch to shoot and he couldn't keep it down.
Holy was in action twice as Boateng caused problems, with low driven volleys that had to be stopped before others could get there.
Moxon brought the best out of Pym with a 25-yard free kick that had to be tipped into the Warwick, and there was a mix up at the back post as Patrick and Feeney challenged for the corner.
Half chances to create were spurned by the Cumbrians as the spark eluded them, but Armer gave a moment of hope when he lunged to send a Guy pass back into the box. Moxon was again on corner duty, but it was another that Pym came to claim.
Mellish headed over from a Patrick cross late in day, after Guy had recycled a cleared set piece, and Feeney did the same when he leaped to greet a Moxon free kick wth his forehead.
Will Swan was denied a goal when he struck the upright after being played clean through with two minutes left on the clock, and possibly the move of the game from the Blues ended in a block after one-touch passing appeared to give Gordon the time he needed. Two yellow shirts came across to smother.
The last chance of the night fell to Robinson, from a Feeney nod down, which was thundered just over the bar from just inside the area.
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Match Sponsor - Stanwix Holiday Park
Associate Sponsor - NFU
Match Ball Sponsor - Warwick Road Bed Centre
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Goals
Mansfield Town - Clarke (14), Kilgour (25), Akins (29 pen), Hewitt (39)
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Bookings
Carlisle United - Gordon (43), Garner (58), Harris (70)
Mansfield Town - Harbottle (55)
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Teams
Carlisle United - Holy, Feeney (c), Huntington (Harris 46), Mellish, Senior (Patrick 46), Gibson (Garner 46), Guy, Moxon, Armer, Dennis (Robinson 76), Gordon. Subs - Kelly (gk), Whelan, McCalmont.
Mansfield Town - Pym, Hewitt (Anderson 88), Harbottle, Akins, Clarke (c) (Boateng 46), Bowery, Perch, Quinn (Law 75), Wallace (O'Toole 68), Kilgour, Keillor-Dunn (Swan 75). Subs - Flinders (gk), Johnson.
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Match officials
Referee - Ben Toner
Assistant Referee 1 - Paul Newhouse
Assistant Referee 2 - Ivan Stankovic
Fourth Official - Andrew Kitchen
Observer - Andrew Himsworth
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Attendance - 4,645 (212)