Rochdale had no answer to his sublime skills, but in reality this was no one-man show. Green’s team-mates complemented his match winning performance to give the Cumbrians a much needed three points in their battle against relegation.

Manager Roddy Collins was pleased with the win and said: “I thought it was a good performance all round. Coming away from home with new players in the team I was a little concerned but also quite excited to see how everybody would react and how it would shape up. We had long periods of domination but I was a little bit worried that we weren’t putting that into goals. Paul Raven at the back was absolutely superb. He brought stability to the younger players around him. His cuteness, intelligence and experience was called upon today and he was excellent. But I have to say that Stuart Green was absolutely head and shoulders above anyone on this pitch today. That’s not disrespectful to the other players, he is just a top quality player.”

Carlisle almost grabbed a 9th minute lead when Mark Hudson took Adam Rundle’s ball in his stride but Matthew Gilks brilliantly tipped his shot for a corner.

A minute later a sweeping Carlisle move saw Green combine with Craig Farrell to release Richie Foran with Gilks again turning the shot for a corner.

Farrell again became provider on 15 minutes but Adam Rundle wasted the chance by shooting weakly at Gilks.

Dale were struggling to get into the game but a purple patch saw Lee McEvilly run clear to latch onto a long clearance only to shoot straight at Matty Glennon.

Glennon then made important saves to keep out a Clive Platt header and a brilliant Paul Simpson free kick before saving with his feet as Gavin Melaugh’s latched onto a long clearance.

Carlisle managed to stem the tide and Rundle should have done better then shoot over from Farrell’s knock down.

Immediately after the break Foran went close twice, a shot on the turn turned way for yet another corner by Gilks and a header over the bar from a Mark Birch cross.

The Carlisle goal then had an amazing escape on 59 minutes when substitute Patrick McCourt went clear on the right to deliver an inviting cross which Melaugh missed with a gaping goal beckoning.

The home side were made to pay four minutes later as the Cumbrians scored the winning goal. Foran’s cross came straight back to him and he squared the ball to Craig Russell who played the ball in to Green who managed to dig the ball out from under his feet to poke the ball past Gilks.

Green then went close after a run into the box took him past two defenders only to push his shot the wrong side of the post.

Farrell should the have wrapped things up on 81 minutes when he controlled a Murphy cross only to shoot straight at Gilks.

The Cumbrians then had to endure a nervy last few minutes as Kevin Townson shot narrowly wide through a crowded penalty area and Glennon made a match winning save with his legs from Rory Patterson.