Cardiff City 2 Carlisle United 2: Carlisle United earned an FA Cup third round replay against Championship side Cardiff, sweeping impressively into a two-goal lead before the hosts fought back.

Jack Bridge and Harry McKirdy both scored in a dream first half from the Cumbrians.

But Cardiff scored twice after the break through Callum Paterson and Gavin Whyte.

Neither side could find a winner despite some good chances, and it means United will remain in the fourth round draw ahead of a Brunton Park replay.

Wolves loan midfielder Elliot Watt went straight into the Blues side among three changes, defender Jon Mellish and midfielder Bridge also recalled with Ryan Loft and Jack Iredale dropping to the bench and Mo Sagaf - who picked up an injury in Wednesday's 4-1 defeat at Crewe - out of the squad along with Jarrad Branthwaite, Christie Elliott, Nathaniel Knight-Percival and Canice Carroll.

Early Danny Ward shots were comfortably dealt with by Carlisle before Bridge nodded the Blues ahead at the Cardiff City Stadium.

The opener came after United had been awarded a penalty when Bridge went down under challenges from Danny Ward and Sol Bamba.

Bridge's spot-kick was saved by home keeper Alex Smithies but the recalled midfielder reacted quickest to head home the rebound.

Ward took a tempting cross off Bamba's toes as the hosts tried to come back, with Josh Murphy then failing to beat Adam Collin from a narrow angle after getting away from Mellish.

McKirdy tested Smithies from the left before Cardiff applied more pressure, Whyte dipping a shot over the bar and Collin tipping over a Murphy free-kick.

Carlisle then stunned Cardiff with a second in first-half added time, when Hallam Hope's deep cross was superbly headed across Smithies by McKirdy.

The half-time whistle was greeted by boos from the Cardiff supporters as United's fans remained in great voice - but Neil Harris's side improved after the break.

Paterson scrambled home from close range on 50 minutes after Bamba's shot had come back off the bar.

And five minutes later Whyte headed home the equaliser from a Paterson cross, the latter adjudged to have kept the ball in play as he retrieved an initial cross during the build-up.

Carlisle found themselves under further pressure, as head coach Chris Beech brought on Stefan Scougall for Bridge in a bid to gain a fresh foothold.

Paterson headed another cross over before United were denied a penalty after handball appeals against Ward.

Murphy had a Cardiff goal disallowed for offside and was then denied by Collin.

At the other end, Nathan Thomas fired over the bar and Scougall was denied by a last-ditch Cardiff block, McKirdy also testing Smithies as United came back into things.

Collin was back into the action with saves from ex-Workington midfielder Will Vaulks and Murphy before United had a great late chance on the break, when Hope linked with Mike Jones, but the striker shot just over the bar.

There was no place in the Cardiff squad for former United striker Gary Madine.

Cardiff: Smithies, Coxe (Tomlin 78), Bennett, Bamba, Morrison, Bacuna, Vaulks, Paterson, Murphy, Whyte, Ward (Glatzel 78). Not used: Day, Peltier, Nelson, Sang, Bowen.

United: Collin, Hayden, G Jones, Mellish, Webster, M Jones, Watt, Bridge (Scougall 56), McKirdy (Charters 90), Thomas (Loft 80), Hope. Not used: Gray, Iredale, Olomola, Birch.