It was all change from Saturday for the visit of Nottingham Forest U21s in the second Group C EFL Trophy game of the season.
Both Forest and United had lost their opening fixtures, against Harrogate and Accrington respectively, so a win was a must with progression in mind.
Only Callum Guy survived as a starter from the weekend away win at Bolton, with Corey Whelan handed the captain's armband.
Pharell Johnson was an early casualty for the visitors when he went to ground clutching his thigh. Kyle McAdam was sent on as a replacement.
Gardner and Konate were lively down the Carlisle left on 15 minutes as they twisted and turned, but the ball into the box was cleared.
Konate then pulled right to deliver low, and the resulting corner eventually dropped at the edge of the box. Konate volleyed but he got his angles wrong.
Forest got forward in numbers midway through the half when Gardner fed it wide to McAdam. He dropped a shoulder and let loose but Whelan got in the way to put it behind for a corner. Perkins whipped that in but it was just too high.
Possession was nicked back deep inside the Carlisle half by the under-21 outfit and Barclay did well to get his boot in the way a fierce drive from Konate. It skidded off the surface and rose over the bar.
A sharp turn from Edmondson following good work from Robinson earned the hosts a corner and Butterworth floated the set piece at the penalty spot. Barclay got his head to it but it bobbled wide.
Another corner for the Blues was taken by Robinson, and Edmondson stole a yard at the front stick. A deft toe poke had the keeper beaten but it smacked against the bottom of the upright.
Striker Ryan Edmondson made good use of the space down the left flank with an overlap and his touch with his instep was blocked. Butterworth caused chaos with the corner, and Harris was disappointed when he blazed it from 14-yards into the Warwick.
Andresson had to parry when he saw a wicked swirling Konate 19-yarder late, and there was action at the other end when Edmondson switched to the right wing. A one-two took him beyond the back line but his cut back was cut out.
Defender Ben Barclay got forward with purpose just before the break and he looked to take matters into his own hands with a shot from range. It stayed straight as an arrow as it pulled wide.
Forest attacked in time added on and two corners had to be dealt with. Andresson punched the second, under pressure, and a deep cross from Konate that went long signalled an end to the first 45 minutes of action.
Blocked chances were the order of the opening ten minutes of the second period, summed up when Terry Ablade unleashed one from 18-yards. It struck a thigh and rose high.
Butterworth was next to have a go from distance but yet another deflection kept the nets untroubled. The same player raised the noise levels with a surge from the halfway line but a defending toe did just enough as he prepared himself to shoot.
Gardner put one right at Andresson at the other end when it temporarily opened up for him, and Konate stayed patient as he skipped forward with the ball at his feet. He drilled it when he reached the edge of the area but Andresson did well to readjust and get both hands to the deflected attempt.
Forest took the lead on 69 minutes when Powell suddenly found himself with space to run into. He went for it as he came under pressure and Andresson stood no chance as it skimmed off Ablade and nestled in his bottom corner.
Butterworth looked for an immediate response with a thundering missile but Shelvey watched it into his grasp.
The keeper did enough to palm a travelling 30-yard free kick from Moxon onto the post, and Moxon and Edmondson had follow-ups blocked before Harris volleyed high from the corner.
Gibson, Maguire and McCalmont were sent into the fray with 15 minutes left to go, but they had it all to do as Perkins and Perry carved a way through immediately after the round of substitutions had been completed with some neat touches. Perry stunned Andresson with a crisp close-range finish into the roof of the net.
Forest looked confident, and Konate was ready to celebrate when he raced in from a tight angle. Andresson dived to make a vital save.
There was a late injury concern for the team in red when skipper Sam Collins had to be stretchered off. It was later confirmed that he needed a trip to the hospital.
Plange and McAdam went in the book for a scuffle but the eight minutes of time added passed with no further incident.
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Goals
Nottingham Forest U21 - Powell (69), Perry (78)
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Bookings
Carlisle United - Robinson (85), Butterworth (86), Plange (90+8)
Nottingham Forest U21 - McAdam (90+8)
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Teams
Carlisle United - Andresson, Ellis, Barclay (Mellish 62), Whelan (c), Robinson, Ablade (Maguire 77), Guy (Moxon 46), Butterworth, Harris (McCalmont 76), Edmondson (Gibson 76), Plange. Subs - Breeze, Armer.
Nottingham Forest U21 - Shelvey, Konate, Gardner, Powell, Johnson (McAdam 5), Perry (Sinclair 83), Collins (c) (Norkett 90+2), Hammond, Hanks, Thompson, Perkins. Subs - Bott (gk), Clarridge, Larsson, Whitehall.
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Match officials
Referee - Thomas Kirk
Assistant Referee 1 - Johnathon Bickerdike
Assistant Referee 2 - Mark Cunliffe
Fourth Official - Michael Barlow
Observer - Michael Pike
Coach - Colin Webster
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Attendance - 1,268 (106)