Carlisle gained a priceless three points against promotion chasing Leyton Orient at Brunton Park last night.
A gutsy performance highlighted by an exceptional Scott Dobie goal was enough to edge the Cumbrians off the bottom of the table and force the teams above them to start looking over their shoulders. The relegation fight is now beginning to bubble up with only seven points separating the bottom nine clubs.
An ecstatic Ian Atkins said after the game: "We had to endure a nervy last five minutes but managed to hold out for a vital win. We are now putting a lot of clubs above us under pressure because the just can't shake us off. We pressed the ball well and pinned them back. The goal was something we have worked on in training and Mick Galloway's delivery was terrific with a quality header from Scott Dobie for the finish."
After a lacklustre start to the half Orient almost snatched the lead on 15 minutes when Carl Griffiths' shot was deflected goalwards by Stuart Whitehead only for Matty Glennon to change direction to brilliantly turn the ball away for a corner.
The Cumbrians had two penalty appeals turned down in quick succession when Ian Stevens was bundled over by Dean Smith and Simon Downer respectively.
With Carlisle now getting on top a Scott Dobie shot was blocked and the rebound fell to Stevens who was thwarted by a last ditch Smith tackle.
A minute before the break another Dobie blocked shot screwed away to Stevens whose spectacular scissor kick flew narrowly wide with O's keeper Barrett beaten.
The visitors had the ball in the net in first half injury time through Griffiths but the effort was ruled out for offside.
Seven minutes into the second half the Cumbrians took the lead when Galloway's free kick was driven long to find Dobie, who had peeled off his marker at the back post, for the striker to power an unstoppable header passed Barrett.
On 64 minutes Lee Maddison drove through the middle from his own half only to see his resulting shot spectacularly turned over the bar by Barratt.
The O's came into it in the final twenty minutes as Carlisle began to defend too deep. Ahmet Brkovic drove a thirty yard effort straight at Glennon closely followed by Smith shooting wide with another long range effort.
Carlisle had a final let off in injury time as Griffiths missed a Harris cross at the far post. Substitute Steve Halliday should have wrapped things up in the final minute of injury time but dwelled too long on his shot, after Dobie had played him through.
The Cumbrians now travel to Cardiff on Saturday with the Welshmen in good form following their four- nil demolition job at Shrewsbury.
Mike Corry
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