Penrith 0 Carlisle United 8: Zach Clough hit a debut hat-trick and Tristan Abrahams also netted as Carlisle United’s new boys made a quick start in an 8-0 win at Penrith.

United’s first pre-season game saw striker Abrahams take just five minutes to get his first goal for the club.

And ex-Bolton star Clough needed even less time to make his mark as he struck three inside his first 22 minutes of Blues action.

Josh Dixon, Taylor Charters, Gime Toure and Jon Mellish were also on target in a game which saw former Everton forward Manasse Mampala play the second half as a trialist.

It saw the Blues play in front of fans for the first time in 2021 - while Penrith were boosted by a welcome crowd of 670 at Frenchfield Park.

United – without Magnus Norman, Rod McDonald, Keelan Leslie and Brennan Dickenson to knocks – used the first 45 minutes to give new striker Abrahams his first outing, while there were opportunities for young keeper Gabriel Breeze, youth left-back Max Kilsby and teenage striker Sam Fishburn among some older team-mates in the first-half XI.

Abrahams made a rapid impact, breaking onto an excellent Lewis Bell ball over the top to slot a composed finish across home keeper Stuart Forrester.

United had Kilsby alongside Morgan Feeney and Aaron Hayden at the back, with Bell and Charters on the right and left respectively, while Dixon saw plenty of the ball in central midfield.

Dixon had an early shot blocked while United were denied a penalty when Matthew Story appeared to upend Abrahams in the box, only a free-kick given.

Penrith forced one great chance after a misplaced Carlisle pass – only for ex-United striker Max Brown to be denied by keeper Breeze.

After Kingsley Grandison whipped a Penrith free-kick just wide, United pounced for two goals late in the half, Dixon drilling home to the left of goal after a Forrester save had broken into his path, and fellow Cumbrian midfielder Charters sending a fine finish past the Penrith No1.

Beech then sent on an entirely new side for the second half with Mampala getting his first chance to impress initially on the right of the attack and later down the middle, with summer signings Clough and Corey Whelan also introduced.

Clough opened his account after Penrith’s handball appeals were dismissed, getting away from Grant Davidson before slotting neatly home.

He added another from the penalty spot on 64 minutes after being brought down, and then got on the end of Jack Armer’s cross to bring up his treble.

Clough then turned provider when he pounced on a Penrith error to set up Toure, before his quick feet teed up Mellish for the midfielder to open his pre-season account late on.

Penrith: Forrester, Faustino (Law 65), Johnson (Harker 68), Davidson (Henderson 56), May (Moynan 56), Phillipson, Story, Main (Aynsley 85), Brown, Grandison (Winspear 76), Brown (Shields 78).

United (first half): Breeze, Kilsby, Hayden, Feeney, Guy, Charters, Dixon, Bell, Alessandra, Fishburn, Abrahams. (second half): Simons, Tanner, Armer, Ellis, Whelan, Devine, Riley, Mellish, Toure, Clough, Mampala.

Attendance: 670.