Goals from Romeo Park, Jake Allan and a brace from Freddie O'Donoghue saw United claim the three points from their first Youth Alliance League game of 2024 against Morecambe.
The early exchanges of the game were shared between both sides, with neither side really creating any clear-cut chances. United's first chance of the game came 15 minutes into the game when a United free-kick in a threatening area was hit narrowly wide by Jake Allan. Thomas Randall was called into action soon after, when he made a superb save to deny the visitors to open the scoring.
With 20 minutes gone, it was United who took the lead courtesy of Romeo Park. Freddie O'Donoghue played a delightful through-ball to leave Park one-on-one with the Morecambe goalkeeper, and he calmly slotted it in the bottom corner.
Seven minutes later, United doubled the lead. As Morecambe attempted to clear the ball on the edge of their box, the ball deflected off Jake Allan over the visitors' defence and bounced into the path of O'Donoghue who stabbed the ball home.
United's bright passage of play got even better as two became three. This time it was Allan with a brilliant strike from the edge of the box. His effort flew into the bottom corner, giving United a 3-0 lead with 30 minutes played.
With half-time drawing nearer, Morecambe pulled a goal back. A weak ball played across from the right-hand side of the box, found its way to the back post where the Morecambe forward was able to tap it home into an empty net.
Randall was called into action once more in the final piece of action before the whistle was blown, when once again he made a smart diving save to prevent Morecambe reducing the deficit to one goal at the break.
Half-time arrived with United leading 3-1 at the break.
Into the second-half and Morecambe really began to apply the pressure on United's defence with numerous crosses and attempted shots requiring to be dealt with on a consistent basis.
Morecambe's efforts were rewarded after 68 minutes, when the referee pointed to the penalty spot for a foul in the box. Randall was sent the wrong way from the resulting penalty to make the score 3-2.
With two minutes remaining in normal-time, Morecambe found an equalising goal. A deep corner evaded Randall as he attempted to punch the ball clear and the ball was nodded home to make it 3-3.
As Morecambe ran back to the halfway line thinking they could go on to finding a winning goal, it was United who were celebrating the final goal of the game.
Robbie Swinburn found O'Donoghue charging into the Morecambe box who toe-poked his effort in off the post in the first minute of injury time, to give United the lead once again.
The referee continued to play another seven minutes before he finally blew to signal the end of the game as Carlisle came out as 4-3 winners to get the New Year off to an excellent start.
Speaking after the game, manager Mark Birch said: "It's a good start to the year, it was an up and down game with some good and bad moments.
"We know we have a lot to work on, but we asked the lads to start the new year with a win and that sets us up now to carry on for the rest of the season.
"Goals have been hard to come by for us this season sometimes, so scoring four goals was very positive.
"To be leading for so long and then going again to score a fourth late on to secure the three points, shows the character the lads have and I was really pleased with their attitude to go and get that winning goal."
Starting: Randall, Maddison, Nicholson, Walsh (67'), O'Brien, Allan, Murray (45'), Swinburn, O'Donoghue, Park, Skinner (45');
Subs: Barry, Fleming (67'), Hopper (45'), Chapman (45').