David Ajiboye was a two-goal hero for Carlisle United as they beat promotion rivals Scunthorpe United at Brunton Park.
The sides had turned round all square at 1-1 and it was Ajiboye’s two second-half goals which got them over the finish line.
The Blues had gone in front after 23 minutes when Elliot Embleton worked himself a shooting opportunity from the edge of the area and found the net.
The Scunthorpe equaliser came five minutes before the interval when a mistake in the home defence allowed Cal Roberts to fire past Gabriel Breeze.
Embleton nearly had a second early in the second-half when his corner beat everyone but struck the far post.
But he produced an assist on 60 minutes when his deep free-kick was headed back into the mix by Morgan Feeney and Ajiboye did the rest.
Scunthorpe thought they had levelled again but substitute Connor Smith had a goal chalked-off for offside and Ajiboye popped up with a vital third goal after 84 minutes, finishing a driving run with a well-executed curling shot.
That third goal was necessary because into stoppage time Alfie Beestin poled the ball home from close in but Carlisle held on for the points.
Three successive games against promotion rivals concludes on Saturday with a trip to Forest Green and so far they have lost 1-0 at leaders Rochdale and beaten Scunthorpe.
