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It was United though who opened the scoring three minutes later when Ryan Bowman chased an Andy Cook flick-on down the right-hand channel. Bowman seeing his right-footed shot from 15 yards out well saved by Stanley goalkeeper Matthew Ince, only for the ball to fly across to Cook who had his initial effort on goal well blocked by Harun Bhatti before he was then able to thump the ball home left-footed from close range.
Accrington came back though and after 13 minutes a cross in from the left by Tom Murphy was only headed weakly on the bounce into the arms of Alex Mitchell from 12 yards out. Just after the 20 minute mark and, following a Matt Duffy foul on Danny Hutton 25 yards out on the Carlisle left, Hutton's free-kick in deflected off the head of Jonny Blake and onto the roof of the net. The resultant Adam Strode corner in being headed away by United's Shaun Law.
Some poor marking by the Cumbrians in the 24th minute saw a throw-in by Murphy find Hutton in space 20 yards out in the left-hand channel, Hutton though slicing his right-footed half-volley across goal and inches short of the far corner flag. Bang on the half-hour mark and Bowman was brought down 30 yards out by Bevan Burey, Cook curling the set-piece right-footed over Ince's crossbar at pace.
Bowman was fouled again on 33 minutes, this time 35 yards out on the right by Zak Riley, Connor Tinnion's left-footed free-kick in flying inches over the head of Cook at the back-post as it flew out for a goal-kick. United did make it 2-0 four minutes later when Bowman pressurised Murphy well down the right flank to nick the ball off him, Bowman then cutting in quickly past Zak Riley and Burey before shooting accurately in left-footed at the Accrington near-post from 12 yards out.
The last action of the first-half was courtesy of yet another Stanley foul, although referee Mark Powell did give about 3,000 picky free-kicks against both sides, although a lot of them did seem to go against Carlisle. Blake 40 yards out, after a poor Ami challenge on Law, sticking in the set-piece which Stanley skipper Alan Burton, in front of Cook, seemed to head inches wide of his own near-post only for referee Powell to somehow point for a goal-kick.
No changes were made by either side at the break on a horrible soggy night and three minutes into the second-half some nice crisp passing on the floor from United eventually saw Tinnion's left-footed cross in from the right drop for Cook. The Blues striker couldn't find the net this time though as his right-footed volley from ten yards out skipped just wide of the Accrington far-post.
Two minutes later and Carlisle skipper Tom Aldred was the first player booked on the night, although it looked very harsh as he seemed to win the ball off Zak Riley. The resultant 22-yard free-kick was hammered in left-footed by Hutton, Mitchell parried the shot out in front of him and then in a melee of bodies the ball was bundled in the net at the back-post. The referee had spotted a Stanley hand involved somewhere along the line though as the goal was chalked off.
United were having a good spell in the game now and on 56 minutes a Tinnion cross in from the left slid off the head of Cook 12 yards out and well wide of the far-post. Two minutes later Blake's right-footed free-kick in, following a foul on Duffy by Bhatti 40 yards from the Stanley goal over on the left, was only headed up into the air by Tom Riley, Cook then slightly mistiming his 12-yard right-footed half-volley as it was easily saved by Ince.
Bang on the hour-mark and the home side were trying to pull a goal back after a Blake foul on Burton 35 yards out on the right. Murphy's left-footed cross in being headed on the bounce by Strode straight into the arms of Mitchell. Cook shortly afterwards, from a nice Law pass to him, pulling a right-footed shot wide of the Stanley far-post from 25 yards out.
Accrington did miss a very good chance to make it 2-1 on 64 minutes when a good run down the right by Burey saw the ball cut back into the path of Tom Riley just outside the Carlisle 'D', an unmarked Riley though hitting a right-footed shot across goal and inches wide of Mitchell's far-post. United then making the first substitution of the night three minutes later when John Seaton replaced Law, Seaton going out on the right as the Blues seemed to change from their usual 4-1-3-2 formation to a 4-4-2.
After 72 minutes Strode was booked for the home side after bringing down United centre-half Jamie Cleary, then moments later the Blues went 3-0 up. Blake's header down to Liam Davison 25 yards out seeing Davison hit in a right-footed half-volley which Ince somehow managed to juggle into the top corner of the net. The Stanley goalkeeper then too busy booting the post in disgust to see his team-mate Bhatti being replaced by Daniel Haworth during the break in play.
The next point of note came in the 77th minute when Bowman left the field for Carlisle as Chris McDougall came on in his place upfront. Tinnion then firing in a fierce left-footed drive from distance shortly afterwards which Ince did well to push behind one-handed at full stretch, the resultant Blake corner in producing nothing for the Blues.
United were well on top now in the closing stages and after Tinnion had been fouled, yes yet another free-kick, by Strode just inside the Accrington half, Davison played the set-piece quickly through to the feet of Cook. The United striker then hitting a powerful left-footed drive from 25 yards out straight at a well-positioned Ince. The whistle blowing once more in the 84th minute when Duffy was probably fairly booked for hauling down Burey over on the left.
Carlisle boss Eric Kinder made his third and final change of the night when he swapped Cook for Mark Sloan upfront on 87 minutes. Sloan straight into the action a minute into injury time when some nice build-up play between he, McDougall and Seaton saw Tinnion's curling left-footed 22-yarder go wide of the far-post. Stanley then making a substitution before the goal-kick as Jordan Neild came on for Murphy.
Rather fittingly the final word in the tie went to referee Russell who spent most of the night whistling like an unguarded kettle, the official somewhat pointlessly booking Accrington's Tom Riley for dissent three minutes into injury time. So, ten wins and two draws from United's last twelve games now, the young Blues safely into the third round of the FA Youth Cup where they will play at home to Stockport County or Crewe Alexandra.
Accrington line-up :
Matthew Ince, Harun Bhatti (Daniel Haworth 73), Tom Murphy (Jordan Neild 90), Bee Ami, Zak Riley, Adam Strode, Bevan Burey, Alan Burton (c), Adam Black, Tom Riley, Danny Hutton.
Unused substitutes :
Joshua Molloy (GK), Brian McGrady and Scott Craggs.
United line-up :
Alex Mitchell, Simon Lakeland, Matt Duffy, Tom Aldred (c), Jamie Cleary, Jonny Blake, Sean Law (John Seaton 67), Liam Davison, Andy Cook (Mark Sloan 87), Ryan Bowman (Chris McDougall 77), Connor Tinnion.
Unused substitutes :
Mark Gillespie (GK) and Steven Swinglehurst.
Referee - Mark Powell (West Yorkshire).
Attendance - 245.
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