Carlisle City continued their excellent run of results with a 3-0 win at Sunderland West End in the Northern League’s Division Two.
It means City are sixth in the table with matches in hand of four of the five teams ahead of them.
They are 13 points behind leaders Heaton Stannington but do have three games in hand.
Leading scorer Jordan Palmer was unavailable but it only took 13 for City to grab the opening goal.
An excellent low cross from the left by Kerr was swept in at close range by Kelly for his first goal for the club.
Five minutes later it really should have been 2-0 as Irving ran clear with only Bussey to beat but the home keeper did well to block as the City striker tried to round him.
As the ball broke clear, Bussey lunged into a tackle and brought the City striker down, with the referee pointing to the spot. Irving took the kick himself but blazed his shot way over the bar.
In the 20th minute, Seggie saw his shot blocked but the game did become increasingly fractious as Fowler and Holt niggled at each other in midfield.
A free-kick from Kelly on 24 minutes was met by Kirkup but his header was saved by Bussey. Holt fired wide on 27 minutes and Kelly then linked with Irving who crossed well but this was collected by Bussey.
Home winger Dart was certainly living up to his name with his sharp right-sided bursts causing regular problems and he won a 31st-minute corner, which was caught by Murray
City made it 2-0 on 37 minutes as Kelly added his second, showing some fine footwork to twist and turn past tackles before slotting calmly past Bussey for a fine finish.
An early chance for Cooper in the second half was fired over and these early stages were disrupted by a number of injury stoppages.
After 54 minutes, a good shot from Holt was saved well by Bussey before Seggie fired well wide two minutes later. Holt saw another effort saved by the home keeper before West End were close on 59 minutes as Munday’s shot flew just wide of the post.
In the 63rd minute, it was 3-0 as City won a corner off Lynn. Kelly took the kick from the right and Kirkup’s header thundered back off the cross-bar before falling kindly for Irving to volley in.
There was not much home response after this but Murray did save from Cooper before Forster was cautioned. Kirkup then headed wide again from another corner.
The game now was managed well by City with little incident although there was a header over from Cooper, and Murray did well to claim a dangerous cross from Dart.
