Carlisle City continued their late climb up the Northern League Division Two table with a confident 4-1 home win over Easington Colliery.
The win took City into third place with a chance of claiming either of the two places above them, with three games still to play.
Easington themselves had gone into the game needing points to renew their own play-off challenge and are still sitting in seventh.
City won the first corner and it was soon to become a procession of first-half corners as the visitors began to dominate.
In the 8th minute, Olsen put the ball behind and, from Elliot’s corner, Pounder was left unmarked to head in.
There was controversy in the 13th minute as the referee clearly awarded City a penalty after Steavans’ foul on Atkinson.
However, after consulting his assistant, a free-kick to City was given just outside the area with a yellow card shown to the relieved away keeper. Atkinson’s shot was on target but saved well by Steavans.
The away corner count grew and a shot from Elliott was not far over as City struggled to gain any foothold in the game.
Atkinson did have a shot saved by Steavans on 24 minutes and Holt had a fine opportunity eight minutes later, but this was pushed over well by the keeper.
In the 35th minute, Allison was forced to concede another corner which was defended well by Simpson.
Easington could then easily have profited from a poor Bowman clearance, but Guy put his shot wide.
City began on the offensive after the interval and boss Nichols made an early change as Longcake replaced Irving.
City drew level
This change had an almost instant impact as City drew level in the 50th minute.
Fine approach play by Longcake was followed by a neat pull-back which was hammered into the net by Atkinson.
Easington were still winning their share of corners but the next one was headed wide by Pounder.
But the game turned on its head after 57 minutes with City taking the lead as Palmer drilled in his 32nd goal of the season, shooting low past Steavans.
The game was now very open with Townsley saving from Pounder, before Simpson broke at the other end, only to be foiled at close range by Steavans.
In the 61st minute, it was 3-1 to City as Steavans was quickly closed down by Atkinson. With the ball running loose six yards out, Atkinson held off the away keeper to prod in his second of the game.
A foul on Longcake after 64 minutes was to lead to City’s fourth goal – in a 14-minute spell. Palmer’s delivery was flicked goalwards by Kirkup but the decisive final touch into the net was off McGuinness for an own-goal.
City were now coasting as Atkinson and Longcake won corners in quick succession. The second cross was just tipped away from Kirkup by the stretching Steavans.
Another City chance for Holt was blocked and Steavans was lucky to be awarded a free kick as Palmer challenged the visiting keeper.
Palmer’s corner almost brought a fifth for City as the ball flew across the face of goal as they finished comfortably clear.
