Carlisle United 2 Salford City 2: Carlisle United spurned three golden second-half chances as they had to settle for a draw against League new boys Salford.

All the goals came in the first half as United took the lead through Olufela Olomola, saw it wiped out by two quickfire Salford goals then levelled thanks to Stefan Scougall.

The Cumbrians then should have claimed victory after the break but couldn't convert some great opportunities.

Hallam Hope put a sitter wide before Scougall failed to hit the target when clean through.

Sub Elias Sorensen then volleyed wide at the back post with the goal gaping.

It meant Steven Pressley's side had to be content with ending their three-game losing league run with a point.

Olomola broke the deadlock in the seventh minute after being picked out by a Nathan Thomas cross and nodding it past keeper Chris Neal.

That gave United first blood after Olomola, recalled along with Hallam Hope at the expense of Harry McKirdy and Ryan Loft, had earlier shot wide.

After the two sides then traded chances - Joseph Jones hitting the bar and Jake Beesley heading close for Salford, Thomas shooting just wide for United - the League new boys levelled on 28 minutes.

United were outdone by a deep Ibou Touray ball into the right of their box and when it was helped back across by Scott Wiseman, Byron Webster slipped, allowing Mani Dieseruvwe a free header past Adam Collin.

Things then got worse for the Cumbrians five minutes later when Beesley wriggled free from Webster and was fouled by the centre-half after a cross from the right.

Ref Paul Marsden pointed to the spot and Daniel Whitehead's low penalty had enough to beat Collin's attempted save.

It was the third time in successive league games that Carlisle had conceded twice in the first half and highlighted further defensive problems.

They did, though, fight back, with Olomola at the heart of most of their best attacking work.

After Jack Bridge had broken forward only to send his cross out of reach of Olomola and Hope, and Jack Iredale had headed a corner over from close range, Carlisle levelled.

It came as Scougall dummied Christie Elliott's pass which allowed Olomola to take on his man and shoot. The midfielder then ran onto Neal's save and was free to head home.

Salford threatened at the start of the second half as Touray's dangerous cross flashed past Dieseruvwe.

Thomas had another attempt before Hope, on his first start of the season amid transfer interest, spurned the chance to make it 3-2.

Thomas went past Carl Piergianni and put the ball on the plate for Carlisle's No9, but he slotted it wide.

Six minutes later it was Scougall's turn to miss a great opportunity as he went clean through but, with keeper Neal at the front of his box, the midfielder curled it low past the left-hand post.

Salford nearly punished Carlisle when Joseph Jones wriggled free of Nathaniel Knight-Percival and beat two more before Diesweuvwe put his pass over the bar.

United lost Jack Iredale to an injury, Jon Mellish coming on, before Sorensen - who had replaced Olomola - blew the chance to open his Blues account.

Thomas was again the provider with a lofted cross to the back post, but the Newcastle loanee couldn't keep his volley on target.

Collin then preserved a point for the Cumbrians late on when he saved superbly to keep out a point-blank header from Salford sub Adam Rooney.

Canice Carroll, back from suspension, was an unused sub.

The draw leaves United 21st after five League Two games.

United: Collin, Elliott, Iredale (Mellish 79), Webster, Knight-Percival, Jones, Bridge, Scougall, Hope (Loft 67), Thomas, Olomola (Sorensen 59). Not used: Gray, Carroll, McKirdy, Branthwaite.

Salford: Neal, Wiseman, Touray, Piergianni, Pond, Maynard (Threlkeld 46), Whitehead, Smith (Rooney 60), J Jones, Beesley, Dieseruvwe. Not used: Letheren, Walker, D Jones, Gaffney, Doyle.

Ref: Paul Marsden.

Crowd: 4,806 (340 Salford fans)