Carlisle United 3-1 Hartlepool United: Kristian Dennis brace sinks Pools at Brunton Park

Dennis scored twice, either side of Josh Umerah’s 13th goal of the season, as Keith Curle’s side were beaten by high-fling Carlisle United.

Dennis doubled Carlisle’s lead inside half an hour after captain Morgan Feeney had converted from close range in the sixth minute.

Pools were gifted a route back into the game as Umerah capitalised on a mistake from Owen Moxon and were competing in the second half until Dennis headed in a third for the home side to seal all three points.

Carlisle have proven to be something of a bogey team for Hartlepool in recent years, with Pools winning just one of the last 12 meetings between the two sides and not winning at Brunton Park since a 2-1 success back in 2011 - a game which featured Peter Hartley, who was starting his second game back at the club on Tuesday.

That record, coupled with Carlisle’s fine first half of the season, meant there may have been slight trepidation for Hartlepool supporters making their way across to Cumbria, that despite heading to Brunton Park off the back of a much-needed win over Rochdale.

And Curle, returning to the club he managed for four years, held no preferential treatment for the starting XI who earned those three points when making two changes to his side to face Carlisle.

Out went Jamie Sterry, having completed 60 minutes on his return, and Joe Grey with Rollin Menayese and Mouhamed Niang handed starting spots.

Both Sterry and Grey were on the bench, with Curle, perhaps, erring on the side of caution over the full-back, whilst the club also confirmed the exit of another full-back ahead of kick-off with Reghan Tumilty’s time with the club coming to an end.

The arrival of Dan Dodds from Middlesbrough, and Sterry’s return to fitness, suggested that Tumilty’s game time would be limited moving into the second half of the campaign as a mutual agreement was reached over the Scotsman’s deal at the Suit Direct Stadium.

Carlisle had lost just once on home soil under Paul Simpson this season and knew victory over Hartlepool would move them to within a point of the automatic promotion spots and it was they who started on the front foot, taking the lead inside six minutes.

Jon Mellish and John-Kymani Gordon had already threatened down Hartlepool’s right-hand-side once before Edon Pruti was required to turn behind for a corner in which the home side took the lead from.

Moxon’s inviting cross was sent goalwards at the front post and Ben Killip, although he saved quite well instinctively, could only parry back out into the danger zone of the six-yard box where captain Feeney was on hand to poke the ball home.

Dennis got the better of Menayese down that side again to win another corner with Moxon’s delivery again causing Hartlepool problems - this time they were able to scramble clear.

Hartlepool’s first real threat in the game came courtesy of a long throw from Dodds in which Menayese flicked on towards Jack Hamilton who was unfortunate not to turn towards goal.

Dennis acrobatically tested Killip when Hartley slipped before he was able to cut out Jordan Gibson’s cross on the right before the Pools No.1 went from from one end of the spectrum to the other to deny Carlisle a second.

Gordon and Mellish again worked it well on the left with the cross almost catching out Killip at his near post as he was again only able to push out into the area where Dennis was on hand to slide towards goal, only for Killip to redeem himself with a big save.

The drama wasn’t done there, however, as Killip’s save cannoned back off Dennis before hitting the post as Hartlepool were able to escape.

They weren’t so fortunate 10 minutes later however as, again, Carlisle’s threat came down the Hartlepool right with Mellish’s cross finding Hartley, who got his clearance wrong when sliding into the path of Dennis who wasn’t going to make any mistake when rolling into the corner of Killip’s net for his 15th league goal of the season.

You worried for Hartlepool at that stage, who hadn’t really tested Tomas Holy in the home goal, before being gifted an opportunity to do so almost immediately from the kick-off.

Moxon picked up a loose ball from Matt Dolan’s header in the centre of midfield and looked to steer back towards his goalkeeper but got the weight of his pass all wrong to allow Umerah a sight of goal.

Umerah did what he has done all season for Pools and was clinical in front of goal when giving Holy the eyes to send him the wrong way and find the bottom corner to hand Hartlepool a lifeline.

The goal allowed Hartlepool a foothold as they were able to take a little bit of the sting out of an enthusiastic Carlisle, going in at the break having reduced the deficit.

And it was Hartlepool who actually started the second half brighter as they searched for a way back into the game with Hamilton close to providing it.

Killip sent a long free kick forward in which Hamilton towered to meet, forcing Holy into a smart stop low to his left.

Pruti saw a long range effort deflected wide as Pools probed for a way back into things before the home side began to turn the screw back in their favour.

Dennis almost benefited when Killip and Hartley were unable to clear Gordon’s cross before Killip saved well from Callum Guy’s dipping effort.

And then came the goal which effectively ended the contest as Moxon was able to pick out Dennis with an excellent cross from the right with the striker guiding his header down and beyond Killip.

Carlisle might have added a fourth when Dennis was twice denied by Killip at his near post before being withdrawn by manager Simpson.

Curle, too, made changes as both Nicky Featherstone and Dolan were replaced – perhaps with an eye on the visit of Colchester at the weekend.

But, as it was, Pools were unable to find an answer at Brunton Park with Carlisle securing a second successive 3-1 victory over Curle’s side.

Carlisle United XI: Holy, Senior, Armer, Moxon, Feeney ©, Huntington, Gibson (McCalmont ‘79), Guy, Dennis (Garner ‘79), Mellish, Gordon (Patrick ‘73)

Subs: Kelly, Whelan, Devitt, Robinson

Hartlepool United XI: Killip, Dodds (Sterry ‘76), Menayese, Hartley, Pruti (McDonald ‘76), Ferguson, Featherstone (Sylla ‘82), Dolan (Hastie ‘82), Niang (Grey ‘66), Hamilton, Umerah

Subs: Stolarczyk, Murray

Referee: Sam Barrott

Attendance: 5,172 (342 Hartlepool)