Carlisle Utd 2 Swindon Town 1: Callum O'Hare struck his first career goal to give Carlisle United a first win in six - and send the Blues back into the play-off places.

Aston Villa loan midfielder O'Hare scored the decisive goal in the 79th minute as Steven Pressley's side got back to winning ways.

The 20-year-old's goal came after Hallam Hope's opener had been cancelled out by Kyle Bennett's free-kick.

United moved up to seventh, but their day was tarnished by a first-half injury to striker Mark Cullen.

Frontman Hope had struck for United in the 13th minute, receiving Jamie Devitt's pass before turning and seeing a low shot deflect off a defender and past keeper Lawrence Vigouroux.

That gave the Blues the ideal start, Hope having been denied earlier and  O'Hare later shooting wide during a bright spell of attacking which also saw handball appeals denied, when Regan Slater's cross struck the visitors' Tom Broadbent.

At the other end Broadbent had a header tipped over by Adam Collin, who also got safely behind a Bennett attempt.

United then suffered an injury blow when loan striker Cullen stayed down after stretching to pass to Devitt.

The Blackpool man could not continue and looked disconsolate as he limped off to be replaced by Nathan Thomas, Pressley later saying the striker had sustained a groin injury which will now be assessed.

Hope, who started on the left of the front three, moved into the middle of the attack with Thomas going to the left. Swindon made a tactical change of their own at the same time, Keshi Anderson coming on for Jak McCourt.

This enabled the visitors to gain a better foothold and, after Vigouroux denied Hope again, Bennett curled the visitors level with a free-kick from just outside the box, after Gary Liddle had rashly fouled Anderson.

United became less effective going forward and more error-prone at the back towards the end of the half. Collin was quickly off his line to deny Kayne Woolery, while United had to survive a needless late corner after Tom Parkes' heavy, aerial backpass towards Collin.

The second half saw the Cumbrians struggle further to make inroads, Swindon enjoying a sustained spell of pressure with Dion Conroy threatening and Collin denying Anderson.

Bennett also tried his luck but Richie Wellens' side failed to turn pressure into goals and United improved significantly for the addition of Kelvin Etuhu, a 57th-minute replacement for Stefan Scougall.

The midfielder had been omitted from the starting line-up to make way for Devitt's return from supension but Etuhu was then at the heart of Carlisle's better overall play in the game's closing period.

They came close on 74 minutes when Parkes' header from a corner saw Anthony Gerrard stretch to send it high across goal and just out of Hope's reach.

Moments later the offside flag denied United after Liddle emphatically headed home a Devitt free-kick.

But they were not to be denied as, four minutes later, Liddle sent Thomas down the right and when his drilled shot was deflected to O'Hare, he slotted it confidently across Vigouroux.

Thomas almost added a third but was denied by the keeper after good work from Etuhu.

The visitors were then denied a late penalty when a cross struck Gerrard, ref Ben Toner waving away their appeals.

Connor Simpson, meanwhile, came into the squad and made a late sub appearance, while there was no place in the 18 for Jason Kennedy.

Liam McCarron, meanwhile, missed out with a knee injury which Pressley later revealed will keep the teenager out for seven to eight weeks, meaning his season could be over.

United: Collin, Liddle, Grainger, Parkes, Gerrard, Slater, O'Hare, Scougall (Etuhu 57), Devitt (Simpson 84), Hope, Cullen (Thomas 29). Not used: Gray, Miller, Jones, Grant.

Swindon: Vigouroux, Woolfenden, Conroy, Broadbent, Knoyle (Taylor 82), Carroll, McCourt (Anderson 29), Dunne, Bennett, Woolery (House 81), Robinson. Not used: McCormick, Iandolo,  Rose, Richards.