Colchester Utd 0 Carlisle Utd 1: Sub Jamie Devitt scored his first Carlisle United goal to earn a third straight away win for Keith Curle's side.

Devitt broke the deadlock on 58 minutes at Colchester when he ran onto James Brown's long pass and slotted it across keeper Sam Walker.

It was the midfielder's first goal in his 57th Blues appearance.

And United were defensively strong to close out a third consecutive victory and clean sheet on the road as they moved back up to 14th in League Two.

It also saw the Blues clinch their first ever win at the Weston Homes Community Stadium at the eighth attempt.

Jack Bonham was also a hero for United with the keeper making a superb double save early in the second half.

The loanee parried Drey Wright's initial attempt then saved brilliantly at the feet of Brandon Hanlan.

Devitt had come on at the break for Kelvin Etuhu after a dour first half.

A fine Gary Liddle challenge had ensured Carlisle reached the break with their goal intact.

The defender timed his tackle perfectly to deny Sean Murray as the midfielder tried to go through on goal after half an hour.

There were few moments of excitement, though, in the first 45 minutes in Essex, in front of a 3,402 crowd including 236 travelling Blues fans.

United, with Reggie Lambe starting in place for Hallam Hope, created little in the way of clear-cut openings in the early stages.

Shaun Miller had a shot blocked after a counter-attack with Nicky Adams also having an attempt blocked.

Bonham made an early save from Kyel Reid at his near post, while Danny Grainger later blocked a Wright attempt.

Bonham's heroics then kept United intact on 47 minutes, before Devitt ran through to open the scoring.

Carlisle then fended off John McGreal's side, who struggled to find a way past their rearguard, where Clint Hill and Liddle were again solid at centre-half.

A smart Bonham save from Wright aside, United were seldom troubled and now they will hope to improve their home form against Wycombe on Tuesday.

Steven Rigg was an unused sub for Carlisle as the Cumbrian starts his second spell with the Blues.

Hope made way from the side that started last weekend's home defeat to Exeter, with the striker having been suffering from illness this week.

Colchester: Walker, Kpekawa, Kent, Eastman, Jackson, Wright, Loft (Odelusi 78), Murray, Reid (Kabamba 83), Mandron, Hanlan (Slater 66). Not used: Gilmartin, Lapslie, Comley, James.

Carlisle: Bonham, Brown, Grainger, Liddle, Hill, Jones, Joyce, Etuhu (Devitt 46), Adams (Hope 66), Lambe, S Miller (T Miller 83). Not used: George, Kennedy, Cosgrove, Rigg.