Carlisle United 3 Cardiff City 4: Carlisle United went out of the FA Cup after a seven-goal thriller against Championship side Cardiff at Brunton Park.

Neil Harris's side edged a dramatic Third Round replay which saw two-goal Harry McKirdy in inspired form for the Cumbrians.

He scored twice after the break, Nathan Thomas also on target for the Cumbrians, with Aden Flint (two), Josh Murphy and Danny Ward scoring for Cardiff.

Thomas rifled past keeper Alex Smithies in the seventh minute after Hallam Hope had got the ball across from the byline.

That dream start for Chris Beech's hosts came after Gavin Whyte and Ward had passed up early chances for the visitors.

But after Stefan Scougall had a volley saved and Thomas failed to capitalise on a counter-attack, Cardiff levelled in the 17th minute when big defender Flint headed a long Will Vaulks throw over Adam Collin.

An entertaining cup tie continued to provide chances at both ends, with Hope trying to scramble in at close-range from a corner.

Callum Paterson headed wide at the other end with Flint denied in quick succession by Collin and Jack Iredale on the line.

United then came within millimetres of regaining the lead when McKirdy saw a 30-yard shot strike the inside of the post.

Cardiff then pounced for their second moments before the break when a free-kick was cleared only as far as Murphy, who drilled a well-taken volley low past Collin.

Flint made it 3-1 after the break when he turned home a Joe Ralls corner but McKirdy volleyed in a Thomas cross to pull one back.

Ward turned a fourth home for the visitors but United refused to die, McKirdy firing a superb shot across Smithies after a quick Hope free-kick.

McKirdy curled a shot wide and a late Thomas cross almost forced a chance but it was the Welsh side who held on to book a Fourth Round trip to Reading and secure £135,000 prize money.

United: Collin, G Jones; Iredale, Webster, Mellish (Olomola 81), M Jones (Charters 87), Watt, Scougall (Loft 67), McKirdy, Thomas, Hope. Not used: Gray, Bridge, Knight-Percival, Sagaf.

Cardiff: Smithies, Coxe (Bennett 70), Bamba, Flint, Ralls, Vaulks, Richards, Murphy, Paterson, Whyte (Pack 83), Ward. Not used: Day, Glatzel, Nelson, Bogle, Hoilett.

Ref: Darren Handley.

Crowd: 4,381 (348 Cardiff fans)