Watch highlights from Carlisle's victory over Forest Green

Forest Green Rovers 0 Carlisle United 1: Perhaps they should have won the match more comfortably but Carlisle United got the job done as they won 1-0 at Forest Green Rovers, courtesy of a Richie Bennett goal.

Ahead of a rare trip to The New Lawn for the Blues, Jamie Devitt said: “Maybe over Christmas time, it’s not so much performances we need to get, it’s the results, no matter how they come.”

On the journey back to Cumbria, the 315 Carlisle supporters at the contest could certainly argue that their team’s performance here had warranted more than the one-goal victory margin it brought, with Bennett planting home a Danny Grainger free-kick for the match’s only goal.

But, ultimately, the margin of the victory will matter little to Keith Curle and his troops as they look to build more momentum over the busy festive period.

Right from the first whistle, the Cumbrians were on top and, inside the first minute, James Brown looked to find Bennett but the summer signing from Barrow was beaten to the loose ball by Rovers’ keeper Bradley Collins. Two minutes later, Mike Jones played a ball over the top from a similar position to Hallam Hope. He passed to captain Grainger on the left wing whose cross was spilled by Collins, but no United man was following up as the keeper gathered at the second attempt. Mark Cooper’s side then began to get back into the match more, with the game settling down slightly. Forest Green’s top scorer had their first opening of any note as top scorer Christian Doidge drove forward on the 17th minute. But Clint Hill blocked his shot and Jack Bonham, who extended his loan with the Cumbrians until the end of the season this week, gathered the loose ball. Then, the Greens caught Carlisle out with a quick free-kick, although Isaiah Osbourne dragged wide from 20 yards out, four minutes later. Moments later at the other end, United hit the woodwork as Gary Liddle drove out of defence and caused confusion in the home backline. The ball eventually fell to Hope, who was looking to build on his two goals in Tuesday’s 3-1 FA Cup win over Gillingham, but his effort struck the bar. The Blues then broke the deadlock. In the simplest, yet deadliest of fashion, Cumbrian Grainger whipped in a superb free-kick and 26-year-old Bennett powered his header past Collins to find the back of the net. Arguably, United should have doubled their lead on the 33rd minute. The hosts’ goalkeeper Collins, on loan from Chelsea, scuffed a clearance to Bennett on a torrid afternoon for the glovesman. The big striker chipped the ball over Collins but wide of his left-hand post. Soon after, Hope was denied by Collins and Reggie Lambe fired over as United began to turn the screw. Former Everton striker Hope then again went close to doubling Carlisle’s advantage against the League Two basement boys, curling inches wide of Collins’ left-hand post with 39 minutes played. As Carlisle continued to look for a second goal before half-time, Lambe nicked the ball off Forest Green’s left-back Scott Laird. The Bermudan drove down the right-wing and dragged the ball back to Bennett, although he was denied a second by a brilliant block on the line by Jack Fitzwater as the Cumbrians had to settle for a one-goal lead from their first-half dominance. Rovers knew they would need to get a response after the restart and created an early opportunity, though, Doidge – who has scored 15 goals in all competitions this season - failed to test Brentford loanee Bonham with his header which ended up closer to the corner flag than Bonham’s goal. With United pressing, Devitt won possession off a home player. He looked to find Hope, although was denied by another fine interception by Fitzwater on 51 minutes. Clearly not pleased with his side's reaction early in the second period, Forest Green boss Cooper opted to bring on former non-league hotshot Omar Bugiel and 17-year-old Jordan Stevens. An excellent pass out of defence from Clint Hill then sent Grainger galloping down the left flank, only for the full-back to slice his cross wide for a goal kick. Rovers’ double substitution had little effect on the tempo of the game with the home fans growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of ideas from their side in attacking areas. United continued to look comfortable with 20 minutes of normal time to play but, in a second half of few chances, the Blues had failed to put the result beyond doubt with a second. Grainger was again provider on the 75th minute and found Shaun Miller. But the substitute could not get a shot away before a Green’s defender poked the ball away from the former Morecambe striker. Six minutes from time, Carlisle’s latest chance to secure the victory they had deserved saw Grainger feed Tom Parkes whose cross-cum-shot flashed across the face of goal. In truth though, as much as a 1-0 lead is always a dangerous one and – despite one nervy moment for Bonham in the final stages of normal time when he dropped a high ball which was eventually cleared – Forest Green never really threatened United. They will look to build on the win against high-flying Accrington Stanley today. In stoppage-time, a second late substitute appearance from Tom Miller brought a second booking for time wasting this week, which may cause problems later in the season. Mark Ellis, who spent the second half of the 2016/17 campaign at Forest Green on loan, was one of United’s unused substitutes. Carlisle: Bonham, Grainger (c), Liddle, Parkes, Jones, Hope (Etuhu 85), Devitt, Bennett (S.Miller 65), Brown (T.Miller 83), Lambe, Hill. Carlisle unused subs: Cosgrove, Ellis, O'Sullivan, Rigg. Forest Green Rovers: Collins, Bennett (Roberts 71), Laird, Traore (Stevens 56), Collins (c), Marsh-Brown (Bugiel 56), Doidge, Cooper, Fitzwater, Wishart, Osbourne. Forest Green unused subs: Pickering, Simpson, Evans, James. Referee: Kevin Johnson

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