Carlisle United 1 Notts County 2: Ahead of the match, Carlisle manager Keith Curle indicated he felt it would take the whole game for the result to be determined.

For the first 85 minutes of this 97-minute contest, including added time, everything was going according to plan for United.

Jabo Ibehre had come off the bench on his return to action and made an immediate impact, rifling past Notts County’s Cumbrian keeper Adam Collin.

And that looked like it would be the story of a slender, hard-fought Carlisle win at Brunton Park.

But former England Under-21 international Jon Stead scrambled home a scrappy equaliser for the visitors after a mix-up between defender Shaun Brisley and goalkeeper Mark Gillespie.

Things got even worse for the Cumbrians and their League Two promotion bid when a Matt Tootle effort squirmed through the grasp of Gillespie as the Blues fell to defeat.

Despite the presence of returning attacking threats Jason Kennedy and Ibehre, Curle - against one of his former clubs - decided to stick with largely the same team that had beaten Yeovil in Carlisle’s last match. The only change saw Jamie Devitt replace Luke Joyce in midfield.

In a relatively uneventful opening to the match, both sides struggled to create any genuine clear-cut chances.

It was the Blues who had the first opportunity in the seventh minute as Devitt drifted into the penalty box. But his shot-cum-cross lacked any power and was comfortably gathered by away stopper Collin.

A minute later, the Magpies created their first chance of the contest. Jorge Grant appeared to slice his shot. Initially, the effort looked like it might have caught Gillespie out, but he did manage to make the save and hold onto the ball.

The first chants of “United” rang around Brunton Park with 15 minutes on the clock and, three minutes later, Carlisle looked to open the scoring. Skipper Danny Grainger took a free-kick in his own half, John O’Sullivan flicked the ball on and Brisley shot wide.

Carlisle delivered their first real spell of sustained pressure soon after, with Bermudian international Reggie Lambe eventually firing wide with a right-footed effort after 22 minutes.

Former Newcastle United man Shola Ameobi, brought to the club by manager Kevin Nolan in February, thought he had broken the deadlock on the 24th minute. He directed a Tootle cross past Gillespie from the far post, although former Peterborough defender Brisley was adjudged to have got back in time to hook the ball off the line.

Both teams then created chances as the clock ticked towards the half hour mark.

Gillespie had to remain alert to punch clear a Robert Milsom corner which looked like it could have been sneaking in. Gillespie then launched a counter, throwing the ball to Lambe. The ball eventually found its way to O’Sullivan who crossed and Devitt blazed over the crossbar.

On the stroke of half-time, the visitors’ Grant curled wide of Gillespie’s left-hand post at the end of the goalless first half.

Notts County made the better start after the restart and created their first opportunity of the second period inside the first minute of the half. Stead curled wide of Gillespie’s left-hand post although, in truth, the Blues keeper probably had his angles covered.

Adam Campbell was the next man to waste an opportunity for the away side, volleying over the crossbar on 50 minutes when he should really have done better.

The game was calling out for an injection of life and, after Kennedy and Ibehre had been introduced to the loudest cheers of the afternoon from the home contingent, an even bigger noise came from the Carlisle fans as striker Ibehre rifled into the roof of the net to mark his comeback in style.

Ibehre, dubbed the Islington Assassin, then raised a shirt aloft to the crowd in a tribute to former Carlisle team-mate Joe Thompson, who is fighting cancer for a second time.

County came close to a quick response when Stead fired wide shortly before the hour.

But, at this stage, Curle’s men looked relatively comfortable and could have established a two-goal cushion on the 74th minute. Ibehre was again involved in the move, laying the ball back to O’Sullivan, who crossed towards Jamie Proctor. But the Bolton loanee couldn’t catch-up with the delivery.

As the Blues continued to push for an all-important second goal, James Bailey forced a relatively simple save from County goalkeeper Collin with a long-range strike, before Grainger flashed a delivery across the face of goal 10 minutes from time.

But the visitors levelled on the 85th minute when Brisley diverted the ball past Gillespie and Stead stabbed into the empty net, before tempers briefly flared in a melee after the goal.

And in the final minute of normal time, a Tootle shot from outside the penalty box managed to squeeze out of Gillespie’s grasp and into the bottom corner to stun United’s fans.

Six minutes of additional time were indicated by fourth official Geoffrey Liddle which did, at least, give Carlisle supporters some hope of yet more late drama.

Former Leyton Orient, MK Dons and Colchester hitman Ibehre seems to be picking up a knack of scoring against Notts County and he almost popped up with a second goal of the afternoon. But, this time, ex-Carlisle United and Workington Reds stopper Collin stood up strong and held his nerve to deny the 34-year-old frontman.

And the Magpies held on, despite Michael Raynes being thrown forward as an emergency striker during stoppage-time.

Carlisle still remain in seventh place in the League Two table, despite this defeat.

But, with Blackpool, Cambridge and Colchester all two points behind the Blues, with Wycombe a point further back, United will need to make sure they get a good return from their next two fixtures over the Easter period.