Contrary to expectation Ian Atkins stuck with the side humiliated in the six nil drubbing at Rochdale. His post match heart to heart with players gave him sufficient belief in their commitment to keep an unchanged side and they did not let him down.

The Cumbrians had to defend for long spells in the first half, Blackpool dominating with the wind at their backs.

In turn they had sufficient possession after the break finding an unlikely match winner in Carl Heggs, who came off the bench to get that all important goal with six minutes remaining.

When Ian Atkins turned to the home supporters on the final whistle, clenched fist raised to the sky, you just sensed how important this win was to both parties.

Atkins said after the game: “The pleasing thing, after Tuesday, was the way the three centre halves and the goalkeeper responded. With difficult conditions in the first half we knew we needed to get better quality balls in during the second half. We thought we might get the goal when the extra striker came on. It blocked the service from their full backs and allowed us to put more pressure on them. It’s not over yet by any means but we can now go to Scunthorpe a little more relaxed.”

Backed by nearly two thousand travelling supporters the Seasiders almost got off to a flying start after 10 minutes when Gary Pakinson’s 40 yard piledriver was pushed away by Matty Glennon. The Carlisle keeper then had to react quickly to make a second save from the lurking Brett Ormerod.

Two minutes later Stuart Whithead had to be alert to cut out a John Hills cross with Richard Wellens shooting over from the resulting corner.

It took 18 minutes for Carlisle to create their first chance with Scott Dobie shooting over from Jon Cullen’s through ball.

On 20 minutes Hill’s forced Glennon into another save closely followed by a Wellens shot screwed wide after a weak Carr clearance.

A brief Carlisle flurry on 37 minutes saw an Ian Stevens pass fall inches short of perfection for Gordon Connelly’ run into the box.

With three minutes of the half remaining the Carlisle goal had a lucky escape when Parkinson’s 35 yard shot cannoned off the underside of the bar, with Whitehead conceding a corner from Ormerod’s follow up header.

Carlisle dominated early second half possession but struggled to put sufficient passes together to trouble the Seasiders defence.

On the hour Steve Halliday came on for the ineffective Mick Galloway and immediately made an impact with a right wing cross for Stevens to head wide.

On 70 minutes the Cumbrians should have taken the lead when Carr’s free kick was headed back across goal by Dobie, only for the usually reliable Stevens to volley over an open goal.

The breakthrough came on 84 minutes when Dobie got on the end of Lee Maddison’s cross to head back across goal for substitute Carl Heggs to have the simplest of tap ins for his fourth goal of the season.

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