Tranmere Rovers 0 - 2 Carlisle - Wyke earns Cumbrians vital victory

A quick-fire double from Carlisle striker Charlie Wyke gave United a precious 2-0 win that saw them leapfrog fellow strugglers Tranmere in the League Two table.

Wyke scored twice inside the space of just four minutes as the Cumbrians ended the game with 10 men following Kyle Dempsey's red card.

After United keeper Mark Gillespie tipped Rory Donnelly's curling effort over the bar in the 15th minute, Owain Fon Williams made a smart one-handed stop to deny Antony Sweeney at the other end.

He was forced into action again when Steven Rigg arrowed a header towards the top corner from Danny Grainger's cross.

Gillespie then turned Jennison Myrie-Williams 29th-minute strike around the foot of the Carlisle post and Lee Molyneux saw his shot saved from an identical position just before the break.

Power sent a shot wide soon after the second half began but it was Carlisle who went in front when Wyke ushered the ball inside Danny Holmes on the edge of the Tranmere penalty area, before curling it beyond Fon Williams and inside the far post with 65 minutes on the clock.

And Wyke doubled the Cumbrians' lead just four minutes later when he slid in to take advantage of some lacklustre Rovers defending before Dempsey saw red as tensions spilled over late on.