Charlie Wyke struck his 17th of the season but Carlisle United had to settle for a point against 10-man Morecambe.

The striker's equaliser in the 74th minute earned the Blues their first point of 2017.

But they were unable to capitalise further in the closing stages despite the visitors being a man down due to Dean Winnard's sending-off.

And the result leaves Carlisle still third in League Two but now just two points above fourth-placed Portsmouth, who beat Leyton Orient 2-1.

Winnard was shown a second yellow card for a foul on sub Shaun Miller moments before Nicky Adams' free-kick was glanced home by Wyke.

That cancelled out Morecambe's lead from the seventh minute, earned by Aaron Wildig's goal.

The Morecambe midfielder volleyed home a Kevin Ellison cross as the visitors broke down the left.

That came during a shaky start by the Blues which could easily have seen them further behind.

An offside flag came to their rescue when Peter Murphy converted a Michael Rose cross on 13 minutes.

Lee Molyneux went close with a free-kick, Mark Gillespie flew off his line to deny veteran Ellison, and shortly afterwards a low Rose free-kick came back off the post.

That was all before the 20-minute mark but Carlisle, including new signing Gary Liddle in defence, eventually came into the game and applied some serious pressure on the visitors' goal as the half went on.

They almost levelled when keeper Barry Roche parried a Jason Kennedy header into Wyke's path, but Roche tipped the striker's finish against the crossbar.

Tom Miller, starting at left-back with Alex McQueen at right-back, then sliced wide after Adams sent him through, with Reggie Lambe also going close from the edge of the box.

Boss Keith Curle changed things at the break, bringing off Tom Miller and McQueen and sending on Michael Raynes and Shaun Miller and going to a three-man defence.

Murphy and Wildig could have increased the visitors' lead early in the second half before Carlisle applied further pressure.

Jamie Devitt shot wide after a free-kick rebounded back into his path.

And then United finally made the breakthrough after Winnard had seen red, Adams' curling free-kick nodded home by Wyke.

Sub Derek Asamoah was unable to score from close-range after a late Wyke header was saved, while the veteran headed a late Liddle cross wide.

Jabo Ibehre and Shaun Brisley did not even making the squad, with youth team forward Cameron Salkeld among the subs.

United: Gillespie, T Miller (Raynes 46), Gillesphey, Liddle, McQueen (S Miller 46), Joyce, Kennedy, Lambe (Asamoah 80), Adams, Devitt, Wyke. Not used: Crocombe, Ellis, McKee, Salkeld.

Morecambe: Roche, McGowan, Kenyon, Edwards, Winnard, Wildig (Conlan 80), Rose, Murphy, Molyneux (Wakefield 90), Ellison, Mullin (Turner 59). Not used: Nizic, Jordan.