Carlisle United 2 Accrington Stanley 0: After the strangeness of losing to Everton in front of a resigned full house, this was much more like it: a smaller but feistier crowd, a visiting manager on the end of match-long gyp, and a Carlisle United performance that seemed to have been straining at the leash all week.

Last Sunday’s compliant display against the Toffees and their friendly boss, Roberto Martinez, was replaced with this noisy old spectacle. It shook United’s League Two play-off campaign back into life and in the process sent John Coleman home with extremely sore ears.

“Coleman, what’s the score?” was the most printable chant from a choice selection, as United’s fans found an easy target in the form of Accrington’s boss. Coleman’s December remarks about the “unfairness” of Carlisle’s temporary ‘home’ game tour away from flooded Brunton Park were thrown back at him with gusto.

At times, United’s players were just as purposeful. There was a refreshing bite about their efforts against a very useful Stanley team and it earned them a win - thanks to Charlie Wyke and Alex Gilliead’s first-half goals - that blew fresh air through a stale mid-season.

Hopefully this was the afternoon when the distractions were kicked into touch and United got back in full contact with what this campaign could bring. There was an unavoidable feeling, as things progressed in their favour, that they had encountered just the right enemy at just the right time.

The regular venting towards Coleman and his hyperactive assistant, Jimmy Bell, was nothing like the murmuring that had greeted Everton’s regular glides forward on the same turf. While the main core of United’s fanbase had more elbow room than the previous weekend, they also enjoyed more opportunity to loosen their vocal cords.

Sometimes it got very spicy indeed. At half-time, the sight of Accrington’s injured right-back Brad Halliday being helped off was met with cheers and jeers from a crowd enlivened by United’s two-goal lead and the ritual targeting of Coleman.

One of the medical men assisting the stricken Halliday approached the baying Paddock with one finger raised – and not in the cricket umpire style. The barracking continued.

It was that sort of day, and the hostility overlapped into United’s football. Responding well to the early loss of Michael Raynes, they were aggressive and muscular against one of their division’s form sides.

Wyke, at times, led the line like a man possessed. In midfield Brandon Comley’s tackle count went through the roof. At the back they limited Stanley to scraps and at various times bothered the visitors into unforced passing errors which were also cheered with abandon.

“Carlisle were better than us,” Coleman later said. “Sometimes you have to accept defeat with dignity.” That message may have got lost on the way to Bell, as the manic No2 needled the fourth official and ref Geoff Eltringham during and after the contest.

And this little war is not yet over, for the teams battle again in Lancashire in eight days’ time. In Cumbria, Keith Curle freshened up his team and launched it into a keenly-fought contest that eventually went United’s way. There was a cameo of ball-chasing in the third minute, led by Wyke and Comley, that set the tone, and a Mark Ellis header, flashing wide, that represented Carlisle’s best early chance.

Bell began his arms-outstretched campaign of complaining when Halliday was penalised for a challenge on Hallam Hope. From Gilliead’s free-kick, Raynes was cleaned out by keeper Ross Etheridge’s punch and had to come off, first on foot and then on a stretcher, blood streaming from a facial wound.

Macaulay Gillesphey’s arrival as sub (some fans wanted Troy Archibald-Henville instead) saw United readjust, David Atkinson moving from left-back to centre-half, as Gilliead and Jabo Ibehre pulled to the right to support Alex McQueen’s forays. There was a brief spell where Accrington came at Carlisle following Raynes’ departure, but the opening goal soon followed: slotted home by Wyke after a disputed free-kick had led to a Comley delivery and a blocked Ibehre shot.

The Accrington bench pursued their grievance as the crowd roared back. United withstood a dangerous reply, Mark Gillespie saving at Shay McCarten’s feet after a through ball, and then promptly scored again, Gilliead this time the calm finisher after Ibehre and Wyke had helped a throw across the box.

This was a bonus lead for United and was almost extended in first-half injury-time when McQueen bounded down the right and overhit a cross beyond Etheridge and against the inside of a post. Shortly before and after this near-miss there were moments when no player in red could do anything right, much to the home fans’ relish.

As the players shuffled off for half-time, Eltringham accompanied by Bell, Curle was last down the tunnel, gesturing for more noise. It then perhaps summed up the visitors’ day when, wishing to make a sub for the restart, Liam Wakefield was not ready in time to replace the injured Halliday, so the game resumed without him, Stanley starting the second half with 10 men until a stoppage finally allowed the replacement on.

United’s worst enemy from here would be either a failure of nerve, or complacency. With Ellis controlling from the back, and young Comley showing his teeth in the tackle, these twin dangers were kept at bay. The Rangers-bound Matt Crooks shanked a pass out of play and glared at the recently-laid pitch. Hope then burst forward, linked with Wyke and was denied by a combination of defender and keeper.

Accrington continued conceding free-kicks, lured into challenges by Gilliead and others, and while Carlisle did at times get the benefit of Eltringham’s doubt, the visitors did not always help themselves.

When they did threaten a comeback, it was too late and too paltry. Billy Kee wasted a free header from a Sean McConville cross, Gillespie punched an Adam Buxton cross clear of the advancing Crooks, and Matty Pearson looped a header too high.

Only once did they seem to have grounds for genuine complaint, when a Gillespie parry squirmed out to Kee and the striker was upended by a combination of McQueen and the keeper’s trailing arm. Eltringham squinted at the scene and gave nothing. Mike Newell, a Stanley coach, broke into an outburst of finger-jabbing. The fourth official, Shaun Hudson, may be able to claim expenses from the United Nations given how much peace he was obliged to keep.

And so it ended, with Bell having further dialogue with more of the Paddock’s finest, a couple of unprintable songs, the final whistle, Carlisle’s deserved step back into the top half, and Coleman’s last walk from the field, defiantly applauding the folk who were heckling him to the very last.

It all happens again, at the Crown Ground, a week tomorrow. Who needs the FA Cup?

MARK GILLESPIE – A welcome clean-sheet for the keeper, who was well protected by his team-mates throughout. Made a sharp save at 1-0 and was alert when Accrington threatened at other times. 

ALEX MCQUEEN – On his first league start since November, the ex-Spurs man grew into the game, defending well enough and making some lively runs down right, including near-miss before half-time. 

DAVID ATKINSON – Made a decent fist of it at left-back but grew in authority when moved to centre-half after Raynes’ injury. Did little wrong as Carlisle kept their back door shut. 

MICHAEL RAYNES – United’s captain in Grainger’s absence had little time to leave a mark on the game as, competing for a cross, he was wiped out by the keeper’s punch and had to be substituted. 

MARK ELLIS – Another reliable showing from Ellis, who took command after Raynes’ departure and ensured there was no easy route to goal for Accrington’s frontmen. 

BRANDON COMLEY – On his full league debut, the loanee made another eyecatching contribution, making some aggressive tackles. Set United’s competitive tone in midfield. 

JASON KENNEDY – Without it being a sparkling performance, Kennedy covered plenty of ground and ensured Comley was not alone in the central midfield battles. 

ALEX GILLIEAD – Popped up in space with a cool finish to put United two up. Teenager worked hard throughout and always looked to create, either on the run or from set-pieces. 

HALLAM HOPE – On the left, Hope played his part in Carlisle’s attacking efforts and also put plenty of graft in to put visiting defenders under pressure. 

CHARLIE WYKE – First half display was his best for weeks, sharp and aggressive, capped with a clinical goal. Less dynamic after break but striker left a strong mark on this game. 

JABO IBEHRE – Although not at his game-changing best, he was still in the mix for both goals and did his best to engage defenders and give United a platform when attacking. 

Subs: Macaulay Gillesphey (for Raynes 17) – Sound job at left-back as United readjusted; Derek Asamoah (for Gilliead 78) – Tried to break defensive line; Antony Sweeney (for Ibehre 83) – Worked hard as United closed out the win. Not used: Dan Hanford, Angelo Balanta, Troy Archibald-Henville, Joe Thompson. 

Goals: Wyke 27, Gilliead 38. 

Booked: Ellis 

Accrington Stanley: Etheridge, Halliday (Wakefield 46), Buxton, Pearson, Wright, Conneely, Crooks (Brown 90), McConville, Mingoia, McCarten (Boco 67), Kee. Not used: Davies, Procter, Carver, Mooney. 

Booked: Halliday, Crooks 

Referee: Geoff Eltringham (Tyne & Wear) 

Crowd: 4,709 (184 Accrington fans)