On a warm summer afternoon at last the 2012-13 season got off to a start in unusual fashion with a Saturday cup tie instead of a league opener. First up and it took Danny Livesey to block a Karl Sheppard shot for the visitors before at the other end Ian Dunbavin saved a Lee Miller touch on a Jon-Paul McGovern cross, then Miller was again involved, this time heading wide from another McGovern ball in. The next real shot in anger coming the way of the Reds when former Carlisle midfielder Luke Joyce curled in a shot from outside the box which brought a catch for the cameras out of Adam Collin.
The home side were soon back pressing again and some nice approach play by Liam Noble, McGovern and Miller ended in a low drive from a tight angle for James Berrett which Dunbavin did well to push around his near-post. Carlisle weren't to be denied though and they did take the lead in the 39th minute with Stanley busy appealing for a throw-in further up the pitch. The Blues didn't take any notice though and McGovern, Miller and Berrett were all involved before Robson curled a lovely side-footer into the far top corner of Dunbavin's net from 18 yards out for the only goal of the game.
Into the second-half then and Noble and McGovern were on the ball to set Miller up but his long range drive flew well wide. Noble then the man off target for the Cumbrians with his effort on the Accrington goal. Stanley weren't out of it though and firstly Aidan Chippendale shot powerfully but narrowly wide before the ex-Huddersfield youngster had Collin palming an aerial drive behind. The resultant corner seeing Luke Clark send an overhead kick too high from Charlie Barnett's flag-kick in.
With Stanley pushing for a leveller to take the tie into extra-time Collin had to push away a Chippendale free-kick, but it was Carlisle who looked more like scoring on the break. Robson getting away down the left before cracking in a half-volley straight at Dunbavin, and then substitute Dave Symington really should have made it 2-0, when clear in on goal down the right from a Berrett pass, he could only drag his shot well wide. Little matter though as the final whistle soon came as United safely made it through to the second stage of the newly named Capital One Cup.