Carlisle Utd 2 Blackpool 1: Canice Carroll hit a late winner for Carlisle United in the Leasing.com Trophy in front of Brunton Park's sixth-lowest crowd.

Brentford loan midfielder Carroll wrongfooted keeper Chris Mafoumi with a fine strike from 30 yards in the 87th minute of the northern group G game.

In front of an official crowd of just 911 fans - 216 from Blackpool - it kept United's hopes alive of progressing past the group stage.

Ryan Loft had earlier cancelled out Calum MacDonald's opener, which came via a Louis Gray error, in the first half.

But there was a double injury blow for the Cumbrians with Harry McKirdy limping off on 19 minutes with an ankle problem and his replacement, Jack Bridge, also hobbling off in the second half with a knee injury.

Blues boss Steven Pressley made nine changes for Carlisle's second game in this season's version of the controversial competition.

He handed defender Aaron Hayden his first start, also calling up Gray, Carroll, Jon Mellish, Stefan Scougall, McKirdy, Jarrad Branthwaite, Loft and Elias Sorensen.

The only two players from Saturday's team against Crewe to remain in the side were Jack Iredale and Christie Elliott.

There was a place on the bench for youth keeper Isaac Robinson while fit-again Scougall was handed the captain's armband.

Carlisle fell behind in the 25th minute when Gray allowed MacDonald's drilled ball from the left to slip through his grasp, moments after the keeper had pushed away a Michael Nottingham header.

That saw things go from bad to worse for United who lost McKirdy to a 19th-minute injury.

A challenge left him struggling to put weight on his right foot as he was helped from the pitch, Bridge replacing him.

The Blues struggled to create chances for much of the first half with Loft miscuing his finish in the 40th minute when clean through.

The Leicester loan striker atoned seconds before the break, though, when Sorensen flicked Carroll's pass into his path and Loft saw his deflected finish loop into the net.

The second half saw few further opportunities as things went on and United then suffered a second injury blow when Bridge himself limped off in the 65th minute, to be replaced by Mo Sagaf.

Pressley also introduced Nathan Thomas for Loft with 25 minutes to go and the Sheffield United loanee had a free-kick tipped over the bar by keeper Chris Mafoumbi.

At the other end, a misplaced Mellish pass enabled Sean Scannell to set up Ewan Bange but Gray saved at his feet while another Pool sub, Armand Gnanduillet, headed straight at the United keeper.

As the game opened up in its closing stages, Carlisle looked the likelier winners with Thomas cutting in and hitting the post after an excellent Carroll pass, and Hayden heading a Sagaf corner wide.

Carroll then saw his shot from outside the box fly into the net as United got the better of Simon Grayson's side.

United: Gray, Hayden, Mellish, Branthwaite, Elliott, Iredale, Carroll, Scougall, McKirdy (Bridge 21, Sagaf 65), Loft (Thomas 66), Sorensen. Not used: Robinson, Charters, Kerr, Birch.

Blackpool: Mafoumbi, Anderson, Edwards, Guy, MacDonald, Shaw (Bange 72), Nottingham, Spearing, Scannell, Hardie (Gnanduillet 53), Delfouneso (Turton 58). Not used: Howard, Heneghan, Tilt, Husband.

Crowd: 911 (216 Blackpool fans)