It was the home side though who got the first shot of the game in after four minutes when Neil Austin's long range effort was easily gathered in by Blues goalkeeper Adam Collin. It was soon 1-0 to Carlisle four minutes later though when, following on foul on Madine fully 40 yards out, Michalik absolutely hammered the free-kick like a bullet straight into the far top corner of Jake Kean's net.
Hartlepool did have plenty of chances in the first-half though and they wasted another after ten minutes when, after Joe Gamble's close range shot was cleared off the line by James Chester, an unmarked Andy Monkouse somehow headed wide from a cross back in. Shortly afterwards, as the game swung from end to end, Madine shooting past the 'Pools woodwork from a tight angle.
In a busy spell in the game Collin then made a good one-on-one stop from Antony Sweeney, with Michalik then doing well to block Denis Behan's follow-up effort from the rebound. Robson for Carlisle then cutting in from the right before having his shot comfortably held by Kean. United did make it 2-0 on 26 minutes though when Madine finished well beyond the reach of the 'Pools stopper after being set clear through good approach play by Zoko and Tom Taiwo.
For taking his shirt off in celebration Madine was yellow carded, following Taiwo into the notebook for an earlier foul, so on 36 minutes he had to keep his shirt on when he scored again to make it 3-0 to the Cumbrians. Zoko turning well before running in and knocking in a shot that was well saved by Kean, Madine though well placed to thump the ball into the Hartlepool net via a slight deflection off a home defender in the last real heavy action of the opening period.
One-time Carlisle boss Mick Wadsworth made a double substitution during the interval as he tried to find a route back into the game for his side by bringing on Armann Bjornsson and Leon McSweeney for Gary Liddle and former Cumbrians midfielder Paul Murray. But the closest they got in the early stages of the second-half was a Behan shot from just inside the Blues penalty area that flew away well wide of the target.
With 55 minutes on the clock it was almost 4-0 to Carlisle when Zoko set up Marshall for a left-footed strike that flew away inches past Kean's back-stick. Marshall then shortly afterwards feeding Frank Simek for a low cross in that was glanced narrowly wide by the boot of Madine at the 'Pools near-post. Michalik then being forced off with an ankle injury moments after blocking a Sweeney shot for United, as forgotten man Peter Murphy came on in his place.
Sweeney then sent a header wide from a Gamble corner on 64 minutes, then Robson volleyed well over for the Blues before shortly afterwards Zoko went close to getting on the scoresheet when, put through by James Berrett, his shot rattled away behind for a goal-kick off the base of Kean's right-hand post. Murphy then going almost as close with a free-kick that curled narrowly past the home woodwork on 68 minutes.
'Pools then made their final change in personnel as Adam Boyd replaced Behan, but after 71 minutes it was finally 4-0 to Carlisle as Madine claimed his hat-trick. Taiwo's ball up seeing the 20-year old rumble through a couple of weak home challenges before crashing a shot into the net beyond the reach of Kean. Curran then replaced Robson for the Blues and Gamble was booked for a foul on Berrett as the game began to wind down.
Berrett did have a long range half-volley saved from that free-kick though, and then Boyd sent a 'Pools header over the top from a Larkin cross before Norwood replaced Taiwo in the Carlisle midfield. Murphy's free-kick on 82 minutes was this time on target but easily saved by Kean, as Bjornsson was then booked for a foul on Berrett. The last action in a convincing United win coming in injury time when Madine's lay-off found Curran having a shot blocked away from danger by Austin.