Carlisle United 2 Tranmere Rovers 0: Carlisle United returned to winning ways - and the automatic promotion places - in front of Brunton Park's biggest league crowd for more than 15 years.
Kristian Dennis was the Blues' goal hero with two first-half strikes that took his tally to 20 for the season.
That proved enough for Paul Simpson's much-improved Blues to claim a first win in five - and regain third place in League Two with six games to go.
It unfolded in front of 13,410 fans, who responded to Carlisle's #10for10 ticket offer in big numbers - and they gave Simpson's promotion-chasers a big ovation.
Not since November 2007's win over Leeds, which attracted 16,668 fans, had the ground seen such a large league crowd.
It coincided with a return to form for the Blues after four goalless outings, as Stevenage's draw with Colchester saw United climb a place on goal difference.
On a sunny Good Friday, Simpson brought in fit-again Jack Ellis for his first appearance since February in place of the injured Fin Back.
The United manager's other change saw Ben Barclay start in defence with Morgan Feeney also out injured, while Tranmere recalled captain and frontman Kane Hemmings.
The teams - Carlisle led by Paul Huntington in Feeney's absence - emerged to a boisterous welcome from the big Brunton Park crowd, with flags and banners in the Warwick Road End and home fans in the Waterworks End for the first time since May 2009.
And it was the latter supporters who had the best view of United's perfect start as they scored inside three minutes.
They looked to capitalise on Tranmere's early playing out from the back, and duly a loose pass from keeper Mateusz Hewelt error saw Omari Patrick speed onto the ball before squaring for Dennis to slot into an empty net.
The stadium erupted as Carlisle swiftly ended their four-game goalless run.
And it led to more confident play from Simpson's side.
Patrick almost forced another chance when charging down a kick from Hewelt, before Dennis sniffed out a chance from the left and sent a low shot across the visiting goal and narrowly wide.
Carlisle were moving the ball sharper than in recent games, often using Jack Armer as an outlet on the left, and Patrick then dribbled in from the left to test Hewelt at his near post.
At the other end, Josh Hawkes broke through the middle for Tranmere but shot wide from 25 yards.
United forced a series of corners, one of which saw Barclay meet an Armer corner only to be denied by a close-range block.
Tranmere built some better spells of possession from the half-hour mark but struggled to force clear-cut chances, Hawkes clearing the bar from the edge of the box as United held firm.
And Simpson's side then emerged from this period to score again in timely fashion on 39 minutes.
Patrick stretched Tranmere with a run to the right, before Owen Moxon found Armer at the back post with a pinpoint cross - his header finding Dennis, who stabbed high into the net from close range.
That ended United's wait since Karl Hawley in 2005/6 for a 20-goal-a-season man - and Carlisle very nearly added to their lead before the break.
Dennis narrowly failed to beat Hewelt a minute after the second goal, and then Patrick swept clean through onto an Alfie McCalmont pass, but was denied by the keeper.
Dennis had another finish blocked on the line as Carlisle were penalised following another corner right at the end of an excellent half's work.
Both sides made changes at the break, with Jamie Devitt replacing Callum Guy for United, and Joel Mumbongo taking Rhys Hughes' place for Tranmere.
Devitt had a chance early in the half which he couldn't curl on target, before Armer's sliding cross was just pushed out of Dennis' reach by Hewelt.
At the other end, captain Huntington was frequently in the right place to clear crosses, before Hemmings became the first player to go into the book for a foul on Devitt - followed by McCalmont for bringing down Ethan Bristow.
United almost fashioned a third 20 minutes from time when Moxon slotted the industrious Ellis inside the Tranmere defence, but Hewelt parried his drive and it broke just out of McCalmont's reach.
Patrick and Dennis then left to well-earned ovations as Simpson sent on Joe Garner and Ryan Edmondson for the closing stages, and when Tranmere replacement Mumbongo had an attempt easily saved by Tomas Holy, the visiting fans broke into a song of, 'We've had a shot...'
United's supporters, meanwhile, serenaded the team to 'EIEIEIO, up the Football League we go,' as - after Logan Chalmers missed a late sitter for Tranmere - the Blues secured a 17th clean sheet of the season and a victory that gives their League One hopes fresh momentum ahead of Easter Monday's trip to Walsall.
United: Holy, Barclay, Huntington, Mellish, Ellis (Gibson 82), Armer, Guy (Devitt 46), Moxon, McCalmont (Robinson 90), Patrick (Garner 74), Dennis (Edmondson 74). Not used: Kelly, Whelan.
Goals: Dennis 3, 39.
Booked: McCalmont, Garner..
Tranmere: Hewelt, Dacres-Cogley, Davies, Turnbull, Bristow, Merrie (Hoti 79), Hughes (Mumbongo 46), Hendry, Hawkes (O’Connor 65), Saunders (Chalmers 53), Hemmings (Taylor 79). Not used: Turner-Cooke, Burton.
Booked: Hemmings.
Ref: Thomas Kirk.
Crowd: 13,410 (716 Tranmere fans).
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