Carlisle United survived a testing encounter against St Albans City to make it through to the second round of the FA Cup.

A burst of second-half goals eventually saw Carlisle prevail, with Jabo Ibehre (two), Jason Kennedy and Reggie Lambe adding to Danny Grainger's first-half penalty.

But they were made to work all the way by their National League South hosts, who led early on through Junior Morias, who later added another to make it 2-2 before Louie Theophanous' late consolation.

In front of a 3,473 crowd at Clarence Park, the unbeaten Blues were stunned in the fourth minute when the dangerous Morias fired home a superb, dipping 30-yard shot.

Gillespie then made a superb save to tip over Theophanous' 25-yard shot as the National League South side applied more pressure.

Keith Curle's side then levelled on 19 minutes when keeper James Russell fouled Charlie Wyke in the box and Grainger made no mistake from the spot.

Morias continued to pose more problems, though, and after the frontman drew a booking from Michael Raynes, Curle subbed the centre-half before the break as he was at risk of a sending off.

Carlisle then got in front early in the second half when midfielder Kennedy headed home his eighth of the season after meeting a Nicky Adams corner at the near post.

But their lead did not last long, as Morias scored his second of the game, turning in the box before hammering a left-foot shot past Gillespie.

Hopes of an upset for the home side were then checked when Mike Jones picked out Ibehre to head home.

The big frontman then made it 4-2 shortly after when he powered a Grainger corner past Russell.

Sub Lambe followed in to force home the fifth after Russell denied Ibehre his hat-trick.

But Theophanous had the final say for St Albans when he cracked home a shot from the edge of the box.

Kennedy should have made it six for Carlisle at the death but was denied by a goalline block.

St Albans City: Russell, Casey (Lucien 62), Bender, Martin, Herd, Chappell, Hill, Noble (Merson 75), Thomas (Ball 84), Morais, Theophanous. Not used: Coulton, Akinyemi, Hoenes, Locke.

United: Gillespie, Ellis, Grainger, Brisley, Raynes (Lambe 42) Jones, Joyce, Kennedy, Adams (T Miller 74), Wyke (S Miller 70), Ibehre. Not used: Crocombe, Asamoah, Gillesphey, Devitt.