Carlisle United 5-1 Barrow AFC: Blues thrash Bluebirds to go third

Jon Mellish (two), Joe Garner, Omari Patrick and Kristian Dennis all netted as the Blues moved into the automatic promotion places.

Billy Waters headed a slim consolation for Pete Wild's outclassed visitors.

It all unfolded in front of a 9,351 crowd, Brunton Park's biggest midweek league attendance for 15 years.

Mellish shot them ahead at the end of a tight first half - before Paul Simpson's side cut loose after the break.

Garner rifled his first goal since rejoining the club, before Mellish swept in a third and Owen Moxon teed up Patrfick for number four.

Jon Mellish celebrates the opener (Image: Ben Holmes)

After Waters pulled on back for Barrow, Dennis then got his 18th of the season after fellow sub JK Gordon won a late penalty.

Carlisle are now two points clear in third after an emphatic statement of their promotion potential.

Both managers made significant changes to their sides for the midweek clash.

Blues boss Simpson made three - Garner and Patrick coming in for fellow strikers Dennis and Gordon, and Ben Barclay getting his first start since August in place of rested wing-back Joel Senior.

Barrow boss Wild - whose new striker signing Ged Garner had not joined in time to be eligible - made four changes to his XI.

That saw Elliott Newby, Josh Kay, Sam Foley and ex-Carlisle striker Richie Bennett into the side at the expense of Waters, Josh Gordon, Tom White and Ben Whitfield.

Carlisle started on the front foot, Moxon almost playing in Jordan Gibson, before Patrick cut in down the left onto a Garner header and tested Paul Farman at his near post.

Barrow's first opening then came as Patrick Brough attacked space on the left and, when Carlisle struggled to clear the cross, Newby saw a shot blocked.

Joe Garner celebrates (Image: Ben Holmes)

Garner, battling with the visiting defence, narrowly failed to reach a Morgan Feeney header, before Barrow broke through Kay, who cut in and shot wide.

The visitors then enjoyed their best spell midway through the half, and almost got a bonus opener when Tyrell Warren's deep cross from the right had Tomas Holy backpedalling before the ball struck the crossbar.

Simpson, though, changed course by moving Mellish from defence into midfield and he could have put United ahead on 31 minutes but was denied by Farman.

Carlisle ended the half strongly and, after Moxon saw a free-kick deflect wide, further pressure led to the opener, when Barclay won a header on the edge of the box and Mellish pounced on George Ray's misjudgement to steer a shot low past Farman.

Amid the celebrations, a smoke device was thrown onto the pitch at the Warwick Road End as police and stewards moved on.

Carlisle then turned the screw after the break as Garner, in the 51st minute, scored his first goal since rejoining the club.

Omari Patrick, right, made it four (Image: Ben Holmes)

The experienced striker was fed to the left of the box before cutting in and rifling a low shot inside Farman's near post.

After Brunton Park erupted again, Patrick almost made it three from a tight angle before Wild rang the changes, introducing Gordon and Waters for Bennett and Robbie Gotts.

A Brough corner forced Holy to punch off his line - before Carlisle cut loose in memorable style.

First, Gibson slipped Mellish in to fire clinically past Farman on 67 minutes.

Six minutes later, Carlisle attacked on the left again, Moxon unselfishly squaring for Patrick to score his first Brunton Park goal of the season.

Simpson used United's four-goal superiority to withdraw Garner and Patrick, sending on Dennis and Gordon, Devitt later replacing Mellish.

Barrow pulled back a slim consolation when sub Ben Whitfield crossed for Waters to head home at the back post.

Dennis scores the fifth from the spot (Image: Ben Holmes)

But minutes later Gordon streaked clear of the defence and was fouled by Farman as he went around the Bluebirds keeper.

Dennis kept his composure to score his 18th of the season and round off a ruthless and stunning Carlisle victory.

United: Holy, Barclay (Whelan 86), Feeney, Mellish (Devitt 79), Huntington, Armer, Guy, Moxon, Gibson, Patrick (Gordon 74), Garner (Dennis 74). Not used: Kelly, Robinson, McCalmont.

Goals: Mellish 44, 67; Garner 56, Dennis 88pen.

Barrow: Farman, Brough, Warren, Canavan, Ray, Foley, Gotts (Gordon 58), Neal (White 65), Newby, Kay, Bennett (Waters 58). Not used: Lillis, Young, Whitfield.

Goal: Waters 84.

Booked: Ray, Foley.

Ref: Andrew Kitchen.

Crowd: 9,351 (965 Barrow fans).