Carlisle were on top throughout the game as far as possession was concerned, although matters did look even stevens in the early stages as crosses for each side were dealt with. The eighth minute though saw goalkeeper Luke Daniels, another Tranmere loanee, fumble a long distance Ian Harte shot wide, Scott Dobie then heading the resultant Kevan Hurst corner over the top.
On 21 minutes United stopper Lenny Pidgeley, hoping for a quiet afternoon after earlier in the week having been charged with drink driving, made an easy save from an Alan Mahon shot. Dobie up the other end then flicking a header from a Hurst long throw well wide of the target as the home side pressed once more.
Daniels making another error in the 29th minute as Hurst beat him to possession on the edge of the box only for the Carlisle winger to be crowded out by retreating Rovers defenders. Play went on though and eventually Paul Thirlwell smacked in a fierce 20-yard drive that Daniels fisted away from danger with both sets of knuckles.
Tranmere had a good little spell shortly afterwards as first Mahon had a shot deflected wide then Ian Thomas-Moore curled an effort from outside of the box inches past the target. It was soon United again though and Danny Livesey headed over the top from a Hurst cross before Matty Robson brought a good save out of Daniels with a dipping half-volley.
On 42 minutes Harte pinged a 25-yard free-kick back off the face of the Rovers crossbar, then with the interval looming Logan's minute of madness came. The diminutive right-back first seeing yellow for pulling Robson's shirt in the centre-circle, the resultant free-kick up towards Logan and Robson on the left then finding Logan elbow the Blues winger straight in the face in an aerial challenge for the ball, that alone perhaps worthy of a straight red card.
Down to ten men the visitors went to three at the back in the second period, that tactical change allowing both Hurst and Robson to make hay down the Carlisle wings in 45 minutes that became like the Alamo. Daniels having to work hard to beat away fierce shots from Hurst and Graham Kavanagh in the opening nine minutes.
Kavanagh then pulled another useful save out of Daniels with a pacey low drive before Peter Murphy missed a good chance for the home side when he sent a free header wide from a corner. United finally did take the lead in the 59th minute when Robson broke away down the left of box and side-footed the ball back from the by-line for Joe Anyinsah to knock home from close range.
Beleaguered Rovers boss John Barnes made a double change to try to stem the tide for the visitors but it was 2-0 at the midway point in the half when Livesey, still up from a corner, headed home a deep Hurst cross to the back-post. The overworked Daniels then blocking Dobie one-on-one in the Carlisle striker's last action of the match.
With 79 minutes gone United made it 3-0 when Harte got in front of Ian Goodison to glance a neat header across goal and into an unguarded far corner of the net from Robson's flag-kick in. Home debutant Richard Offiong unable to do the same though when he headed over the Tranmere crossbar from another excellent Hurst delivery.
Rovers were still looking for a consolation goal and Gareth Edds headed into an empty Waterworks End from a Paul McLaren corner in the 85th minute. Carlisle with their foot off the gas then allowing Edds to lob a soft effort wide of the target before hard-working half-time substitute Ash Taylor had a shot deflected wide as the clock ticked into injury time.
That three minutes seeing United trying to grab a fourth goal only for Hurst, Harte, Robson and Thirlwell to all be denied in an almightly goalmouth scramble. The final whistle signalling a relatively easy three points gained for the home side against a very poor looking Tranmere outfit managed by an already heavily under pressure John Barnes.