A late goal denied Carlisle United top sport in the National League as Eastleigh snatched a 1-1 draw at Brunton Park.
The best National League crowd of the season, and on the afternoon designated 3UP day, watched the visitors scored in the 88th minute to take home a point.
But the way Carlisle have been performing, unbeaten in seven League games now, suggest they wouldn’t need a third promotion place to clinch a return to the Football League.
Yet the hosts were close to three points when substitute Luke Armstrong hit the inside of the post deep into injury time.
Earlier in the game Georgie Kelly was close to giving United the lead, twice being denied by Eastleigh keeper Nick Townmsend and then seeing a header come back off the post.
The visitors only threat of a goal had come when Lloyd Humphries found himself unmarked in the box but he headed wide.
There was no doubt, however, that Carlisle deserved to be in front and they took the lead five minutes into the second half when Junior Luamba linked well with Chris Conn-Clarke before firing past Townsend.
Top scorer Regan Linney almost doubled the lead but Townsend made a good stop and then, with time running-out Humphries put through Kieran Evans and he finished past Gabe Breeze to earn his side a point.
The Hampshire side had arrived in Cumbria on the back of two defeats so this was a welcome point, although from Carlisle’s perspective more like two that got away.
Carlisle had labelled the game beforehand as Target 10k and they had reduced ticket prices. They were rewarded with a crowd of 10,860 which is the National League’s highest regular season attendance since April 2023.
