Colchester United 0 Carlisle United 1: Before returning to the thorny issue of Carlisle United's home form there is a need to recognise their efforts on the road right now: three straight wins, each with a clean sheet, and each a resounding tactical triumph for Keith Curle and his players.

Here was another long-distance trip that made you wonder where this season could yet go if only they could get into shape at Brunton Park. It was a classic 1-0 away victory, as Jamie Devitt ended his drought and Jack Bonham made a blinding double save amid an excellent defensive display overall.

United were organised and content to make the first 45 minutes dour. Thanks to Devitt, they got the second-half goal this strategy required. Then it was over to Bonham, Clint Hill and the others at the back to see the job through.

They did so with enough command to make Colchester seem tame on their own turf. After wins at Crewe and Crawley, the outcome felt familiar. This expertise in someone else's ground suggests that, whatever hasn't gone right so far in 2017/18, United are still capable of good things when the correct parts slot together.

At the base of their team they were in particular harmony two days ago. Bonham's heroics before Devitt's goal were exceptional but rarely else was the keeper troubled. That was because Hill and Curle's other defenders were on excellently stubborn form in front of a structured midfield.

Hill has just tomorrow and Wednesday left as a 38-year-old yet this third clean sheet from five United outings was another tribute to his qualities. It was an afternoon of maximum commitment and control, and opposition that had opened up promotion favourites Mansfield seven days earlier were much less dangerous here.

At home, since Hill's arrival, Carlisle have also looked generally good at the back. The only snags have been Shamal George's double blunder against Stevenage and the set-piece slip against Exeter. These, though, have been made to feel worse by a lack of potency up the pitch.

That is where they must improve against Wycombe tomorrow and another high-flier, Notts County, four days later. A better week at HQ will consolidate the away efforts that are keeping United honest as far as League Two is concerned.

This win saw them inch back to 14th with the top-half again in sight. For the first time in 57 appearances it had Devitt as a goalscorer and the hope is that his tidy finish past Sam Walker now releases some of the stress that must naturally build when all your best shooting attempts either hit the woodwork or are defied by keepers or centre-halves.

That has been Devitt's lot since joining United last year. This time he showed anticipation to reach James Brown's searching ball before finding the bottom corner. "Danny Grainger said he was just waiting for it to hit the post," said the scorer, who has been especially familiar with the goal-frame this season. "Once it hit the net I was off."

There are many in Carlisle's fanbase who want to see Devitt claim a more regular role in Curle's starting side. On Saturday, he was a sub with maximum impact, coming on at half-time for Kelvin Etuhu in a bid to capitalise on a disciplined but dull first 45.

It was cagey, partly by design in Curle's attempt to frustrate John McGreal's side, but it also lacked finesse in both attacking thirds. United perhaps sensed an opportunity with Colchester a couple of key defenders light, but their system with three central midfielders suggested they wanted a foothold before thinking about opening up.

They did this steadily, even as the ball sometimes sailed beyond Shaun Miller's reach after a period of patient passing at the back. United's defensive shape when Colchester recovered possession was intact once the hosts' early efforts had blown out.

These included attempts from Kyel Reid (Bonham saved), Brandon Hanlan (Liddle intervened) and Hanlan again, when he got behind Gary Liddle but shot tamely. United in response had a few decent little possession spells but nothing that was getting supporters off their seats.

Curle, from his coaching area, kept calling on his keeper and defenders to "keep it, keep it", no doubt to bring Colchester on and examine their patience. The Blues did not always have the finesse to turn this into attacks of their own but a couple of ventures forward did see Miller have a shot blocked and Nicky Adams aim crosses through the box.

When Colchester came back, often looking for Reid's trickery, they gained one great chance, as Mickael Mandron eluded Grainger and Sean Murray almost sneaked through. Liddle, though, was there with a great challenge.

A few minutes later Grainger put his body in the way of a Drey Wright attempt and while you approved of this wholehearted defending, you also yearned for some entertainment, some real quality, to make these efforts feel truly worthwhile.

It came after the break, at both ends. First, Ryan Jackson sped into space behind Grainger on the right and crossed for Wright. His shot was saved by Bonham, who then surged across to stop Hanlan scoring what seemed a straightforward goal.

It was magnificent from the Brentford loanee and then, after the hosts wasted a handful of corners, Carlisle pounced. Brown's long delivery from right-back found Devitt alert and the substitute's run was rewarded with an excellent, first-time shot.

United's 236 supporters joined in the midfielder's celebrations and perhaps, having seen their side convert leads to points at Crewe and Crawley, they wondered if this would now turn into another productive day far from home.

Colchester became frustrated as United's players ate up time, whether taking goal-kicks, throws or free-kicks, and whether this was justified or not it does not explain why they were so ordinary in their own attacking efforts.

Craig Slater replaced Hanlan and promptly aimed a dreadful free-kick beyond the box. Sanmi Odelusi came on for Doug Loft but no great improvement in threat resulted. Grainger was stretched by Mandron a couple of times, earning a booking for a late challenge, but if Colchester's toils from here looked familiar it was because they resembled what Carlisle have themselves been doing when chasing a deficit at home.

Increasingly direct, with bodies thrown at the problem, it resulted in a couple of scrapes but nothing greatly convincing. One deep free-kick broke for Wright, whose low volley was on target, but again Bonham was sharp to save.

Otherwise, with Tom Miller on as a fifth defender (Curle abandoned a plan to bring Steven Rigg on for his second United debut), Carlisle seemed to relish the job. Miller extended a leg to thwart Odelusi and in the 95th minute Hill won two defensive headers as though he could have kept doing so until the sun went down.

He will, United must hope, carry on long past Thursday, when an extra candle goes on his cake. That will be a much more cheerful day if Wycombe can be accounted for tomorrow, and Brunton Park can feel like a stronghold again, after all these worthwhile trips.