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It was a quiet opening period to the game really but it was evident from the get-go that the Blues were certainly prepared to take things seriously as they put in some meaty challenges throughout. After five minutes the Pars' French trialist centre-half Soulemayne Bamba headed over from a Scott Muirhead corner, then shortly afterwards Gall was sent away down the right by Adam Murray but his cross in was poor and easy for Roddy McKenzie to take.
In the 15th minute a good ball in from Craig Wilson saw Keiren Westwood make a good flying save from a header by ex-Scottish international Mark Burchill. Five minutes later Muirhead limped off the field to be replaced by Morrison, then seconds afterwards Bridges shot narrowly wide of the Dunfermline goal for the Blues from distance. Midway through the half Kevin Gray was in the right place at the right time for United as he blocked a Wilson shot, after a good run to the by-line and pull-back by Burchill.
After 26 minutes Calum Woods tested Westwood with a 35-yard drive, before a free-kick on the edge of the box for a poor tackle on Wilson allowed Gary Mason to roll the ball into the path of Burchill, the striker's attempt being well blocked by the Carlisle wall. Morrison swung the loose ball back in to the edge of the Cumbrians box but Bamba's volleyed effort went straight into the grateful arms of Westwood.
On the half-hour Gall missed a chance when he failed to control a ball in from Michael Bridges, which went out for a Dunfermline goal-kick. Paul Arnison was beaten easily by Morrison twice in quick succession on 37 minutes, the first time Morrison chipping the ball over Westwood's head but inches past the Carlisle far-post, then seeing his cross in cleared out for a corner by Adam Murray at the United back-stick.
The Blues were lucky not to go behind a minute before the break when a pass by Freddie Daquin found Jamie McCunnie, the central midfielder firing a powerful 25-yarder in on goal which beat Westwood only to ping back off the inside of the Cumbrians far-post, Peter Murphy hacking the loose ball away from danger. Carlisle had the last chance before the two teams went back down the tunnel though when Bridges cut in well from the left, but the ex-Leeds man's well-hit 18-yard drive flew straight into the chest of McKenzie.
The second period got away to a even quieter start than the first had, with about the only action coming at the very beginning when Iain Campbell replaced Aaron Labonte for the Pars. In the 59th minute the game sprung into life though when the home side were denied what seemed like a nailed-on penalty by referee Mike Tumility, Burchill worringly outplacing Murphy with ease and being felled by the Dubliner as he entered the Carlisle box, only for the officials to wave away the vehement Dunfermline protests.
Shortly afterwards, Karl Hawley and Bridges combined, but the two were off-colour all afternoon and Bridges could only slice an effort well wide of McKenzie's goal. The Cumbrians did take a slightly undeserved lead after 63 minutes however through that man Gall, the ex-Yeovil man getting on the end of more good work by Paul Murray to fire home into the Dunfermline net from ten yards out. That goal being the signal for United boss Neil McDonald to bring off Adam Murray and replace him with one-time Dunfermline, and current Cumbrians trialist, Neale McDermott.
Only three minutes later and Carlisle were 2-0 up all of a sudden, when just seven minutes earlier they could easily have been one goal down. Paul Murray again at the centre of things as he raced away down the left and fed Gall who sent an exquisite dipping half-volley over the fingertips of McKenzie and into the far top corner of the net from fully 30 yards out. A fantastic finish, and one that brought a prolonged round of applause from the travelling contigent of 174 fans, the total East End Park attendance being 1,067.
The next action saw a rather rotund Noel Whelan enter the fray for the home side as "A Trialist", the one-time £2million man certainly looking like he's seen better days. Carlisle bringing their second trialist on moments later when ex-Blue Rob Edwards replaced Zigor Aranalde at left-back. Whelan tried to get a cross in from the right on 78 minutes but Arnison did well to head it behind for a corner at the United back-post.
Woods tried a snapshot from range which Westwood was able to watch wide in the 80th minute but the Cumbrians began to make a few changes as the game ran down. Simon Hackney coming on for Paul Murray sixty seconds on, Michael Bridges being replaced by Derek Holmes on 83 minutes, and Chris Billy coming on for Chris Lumsdon with six minutes to go. Gray got a rare foray forward for the Blues in the 86th minute but his long-ranger was straight at the untested McKenzie.
McDermott had a good chance to get himself on the Carlisle scoresheet as the clock ticked into injury time when he was set up by a Holmes knockdown. The 20-year old Newcastle-born midfielder couldn't find a sidefoot finish from 15 yards out though as he sent his effort inches wide of McKenzie's far-post. The final whistle came moments later on another of those kind of United wins where they hadn't really clicked, had ridden their luck a bit, but had still come away with a 2-0 victory. Long may it continue!!
Dunfermline line-up :
Roddy McKenzie, Aaron Labonte (Iain Campbell 46), Soulemayne Bamba, Phil McGuire (Greg Shields 72), Calum Woods, Craig Wilson, Jamie McCunnie (Stephen Simmons 68), Gary Mason, Scott Muirhead (Owen Morrison 20); Mark Burchill (Calum Smith 75), Freddie Daquin (A Trialist (Noel Whelan) 68).
Unused substitutes :
Bryn Halliwell, Nicky Phinn, Alan McDonough.
United line-up :
Keiren Westwood; Paul Arnison, Kevin Gray, Peter Murphy, Zigor Aranalde (Rob Edwards 70), Chris Lumsdon (Chris Billy 84), Paul Murray (Simon Hackney 81), Adam Murray (Neale McDermott 63), Kevin Gall, Karl Hawley, Michael Bridges (Derek Holmes 83).
Unused substitute :
Anthony Williams.