Carlisle United 4 Colchester United 0: Goals from Hallam Hope, Jerry Yates, Jamie Devitt and Danny Grainger gave Carlisle a convincing and much-needed home win against third-placed Colchester.

The Blues impressed to claim their best Brunton Park win of the season in a game played in tough wintry conditions.

Hope slid John Sheridan's side ahead after 33 minutes before Yates struck his first Brunton Park league goal early in the second half.

Devitt claimed his seventh of the season shortly after and Grainger scored with an injury-time free-kick, as United's first win in five moved them up a place to 12th in League Two, in front of a crowd of just 3,547.

As Carlisle made a positive start amid heavy wind and freezing rain, Hope was denied by keeper Dillon Barnes while Yates, starting up front, could easily have scored when intercepting a Kane Vincent-Young backpass, but shot wide.

Mikael Mandron volleyed wide for the Us after Frank Nouble went past Gary Liddle, while at the other end Nadesan diverted a Macaulay Gillesphey header over the bar.

As John McGreal's side grew into the game, Blues keeper Adam Collin pulled off a superb save to deny Sammie Szmodics.

United, though, had enjoyed some decent spells of pressure, including a host of corners, and opened the scoring six minutes later through Hope's fourth of the season.

He was there to convert at close range after Yates had turned a Liddle cross into Nadesan's path, the latter driving the ball into the six-yard box.

United, who had fit-again captain Grainger and midfielder Devitt back in the side after injuries, then pulled clear after the break.

After Jack Sowerby had tested Barnes from distance, he was fed on the break by Grainger before Devitt teed up Yates, who had time to drive home in the 52nd minute.

Five minutes later, it was three, Devitt on hand to score after Nadesan had been denied by Barnes.

It was Carlisle's first three-goal lead in a Brunton Park game for more than a year and they seldom looked in danger from there.

Indeed, Hope and Nadesan could have made it four, the former shooting across goal and wide, the latter's control failing him after pouncing on a Harry Pell error.

Devitt saw a shot deflected wide while, for Colchester, sub Luke Norris sent a free-kick wide.

Liddle saw a cross dip just over the bar, Norris then denied by Collin after a Hope error.

Grainger then increased the victory margin at the death when his 30-yard free-kick deflected past the wrongfooted Barnes to wrap up an excellent result in their last home game before Christmas.

The Cumbrians are four points outside the League Two play-off places.

United: Collin, Liddle, Grainger, Gerrard, Gillesphey (Parkes 46), Sowerby, Yates, Etuhu (Slater 85), Devitt, Hope, Nadesan (Campbell 69). Not used: Gray, Jones, Bennett, McCarron.

Colchester: Barnes, Jackson, Vincent-Young (Dickenson 59), Prosser, Kent (Kensdale 68), Pell, Lapslie, Senior, Szmodics, Mandron (Norris 59), Nouble. Not used: Gilmartin, Comley, Gondoh, Collins.