Carlisle United 3 FC Halifax Town 0: Quickfire strikes from Zach Clough and Manasse Mampala and a late own-goal saw Carlisle United end their pre-season friendlies on a winning note.

The attacking duo scored inside the first 12 minutes as Chris Beech’s hosts were too good for National League FC Halifax Town's makeshift side.

Clough got his first Brunton Park goal with a free-kick after just six minutes.

And latest signing Mampala slid in a close-range second from Brennan Dickenson’s low cross.

United could have had more goals in both halves against opponents who fielded a glut of trialists, before a visiting defender turned a Gime Toure cross past his own keeper three minutes from time.

Carlisle reintroduced fit-again Rod McDonald in front of a 1,076 crowd as the Blues continued their build-up to the new League Two campaign, which starts next weekend.

United survived an early Niall Maher effort amid a slightly loose first five minutes, before stepping things up with two rapid goals.

Clough made and finished the first one, as the star summer signing’s quick footwork earned a free-kick 25 yards from goal.

He then stepped up to curl an excellent free-kick over the wall and into the left of the net, with Shaymen keeper Sam Johnson unmoved.

The Brunton Park crowd saluted the ex-Bolton man’s first goal at United’s ground – and soon they had more to cheer.

Dickenson was a danger down the left with some powerful runs, one of which saw Jack Armer have a shot blocked amid some brisk Blues attacking.

And shortly afterwards he was involved in number two, receiving a fine cross-field ball from skipper Callum Guy before sending a low cross in from the left which found Mampala in perfect poaching territory.

The ex-Everton man slid the ball home and after just 12 minutes Carlisle were in firm command against a Halifax side struggling to live with their waves of attacking.

The visitors, including four trialists from the start, struggled for any foothold, though they battled back to see off a run from the energetic Jon Mellish, before the midfielder drilled a low shot just wide.

Dickenson was then denied by a defender before Guy shot wide after good work from Clough – who was himself then thwarted by a diving Johnson save.

Clough’s movement between the lines often outfoxed Halifax, with Dickenson and Mellish’s driving runs giving United different angles of attack, though the Cumbrians' creativity waned for a spell later in the half amid some overhit crosses and the lack of a precise final touch.

At the other end, Aaron Hayden was watchful to see off occasional Halifax inroads.

Carlisle almost added a third before the interval when Clough volleyed narrowly over and then picked out George Tanner with a diagonal ball, the right-back’s header diverted just over his own bar by Maher.

A trio of half-time substitutions then brought Toure, Joe Riley and Tristan Abrahams into the fray, as Mellish dropped back into a three-man central defence, Halifax bringing on a further glut of trialists in a 10-man change.

United were denied a third by the offside flag as Clough touched in a Tanner volley after a good cross from Abrahams, while Hayden was again sharp to thwart a visiting trialist in the box.

Lewis Bell then replaced Dickenson after the hour mark, the teenager taking Tanner’s place as right wing-back with the latter switching left.

The second half was largely uneventful for a spell, although Tanner was denied a penalty when going down as he tried to reach a Toure cross and, at the other end, Kian Spence saw a deflected shot go wide after a counter-attack.

Clough then went close with another free-kick 20 minutes from time, before Billy Waters failed to get on the end of a useful-looking cross for Halifax.

A good move involving Corey Whelan, Guy and Tanner ended with Abrahams’ flick almost putting himself through, before more changes saw Taylor Charters, Josh Dixon and fit-again McDonald introduced. Halifax also brought on a trialist keeper, who was very nearly charged down by Abrahams for a United third – the striker then poking another chance wide later after a good McDonald ball.

Toure’s cross from the right was then turned past his own keeper by a retreating Halifax defender as United finally got a third.

Riley’s cross was just beyond the reach of teenage sub Sam Fishburn in the dying moments as Carlisle ended pre-season on a winning note.

United: Norman, Tanner, Armer (Abrahams 46), Whelan (Charters 76), Hayden (McDonald 76), Guy (Dixon 76), Dickenson (Bell 62), Mellish, Alessandra (Riley 46), Clough (Fishburn 82), Mampala (Toure 46). Not used: Jensen.

Goals: Clough 6, Mampala 12, Own goal 88.

FC Halifax Town (first half): Johnson, Trialist, Trialist, Maher, Senior, Green, Woods, Gilmour, Tear, Trialist, Trialist. (second half): Johnson (Trialist 76), Trialist, Spence, Bradbury, Trialist, Summerfield, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Waters, Trialist.

Crowd: 1,076 (30 Halifax fans).

Ref: Anthony Backhouse.