Carlisle pulled themselves back into the match though just before the interval when Andrew Cook rounded Preston custodian Chris Thompson and slotted the ball home into an empty net. North End restored their two-goal advantage within two minutes however when another long-range deflected effort, this time from Ray Shearwood, found the back of the United net once more.
John Seaton replaced the injured Matthew Wood during the break with the Cumbrians 3-1 down and it was the Blues who were well on top early in the second-half with Connor Tinnion firing home to pull the deficit back to just one goal. With 15 minutes to go Shaun Law replaced Michael Dowson in the Carlisle midfield as the Blues looked to haul themselves level.
With United pushing for that late equaliser the match got a little bit tetchy in the final stages with Carlisle's Stephen Hindmarch and Preston's Dominic Collins both being booked after a bout of handbags. North End hung on easily for the win though, and the Cumbrians won't find life much easier next week either as they play a Bury side at home who have won three out of three while scoring a mammoth 15 goals in the process.
Preston line-up :
Chris Thompson, Mike Aspin, Mark Bloxam, Dominic Collins, Ray Shearwood, Danny Mayor, Thomas McMahon, Nathan Fairhurst, Matty Mainwaring (Tom Smyth 67), Arran McCarthy, Michael Conchie (Adam Barton 65).
Unused substitutes :
Jack Cudworth (GK), George Miller and Chris Rogers.
United line-up :
Alex Mitchell, Matthew Brown, Matt Duffy, Tom Aldred, Dan Wordsworth, Jonny Blake, Matthew Wood (John Seaton 46), Michael Dowson (Shaun Law 75), Stephen Hindmarch, Andrew Cook, Connor Tinnion.
Results in the division this morning :
Accrington Stanley 1-5 Oldham
Bury 6-4 Rochdale
Chester 1-3 Burnley
Macclesfield 2-2 Port Vale
Morecambe 1-2 Blackpool
Preston 3-2 Carlisle
Stockport 1-0 Shrewsbury
Wigan 2-2 Tranmere
Wrexham 1-0 Walsall
Fixtures in the division next Saturday :
Accrington Stanley v Wigan
Burnley v Blackpool
Carlisle v Bury
Preston v Morecambe
Rochdale v Oldham
Shrewsbury v Chester
Tranmere v Port Vale
Walsall v Stockport
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