Such is football – Carlisle seeking a fifth straight win lost to Harrogate who had gone five games without a win.
The only goal of the game came eight minutes from the end and was a gift from Carlisle defender Paul Huntington.
He misjudged his back pass to keeper Tomas Holy and it crossed the line for a game-defining own goal.
In the end, though, Carlisle were left to rue missed opportunities – particularly in the first-half when John-Kymani Gordon, Kristian Dennis and Jordan Gibson
In fact Harrogate were closest to taking a lead into the interval break when a clever free kick from Matty Foulds after 43 minutes clipped the outside of Holy’s left-hand post.
Both sides had a good chance apiece in the second half when United boss Paul Simpson introduced January recruit Joe Garner for top scorer Dennis.
Harrogate had the first opportunity but Danny Grant’s shot was blocked and at the other end ten minutes from time Carlisle’s Omari Patrick was thwarted by Harrogate goalkeeper Pete Jameson.
Carlisle stay third in an automatic promotion place but only lead Northampton by a point and the Cobblers have a game in hand.
