Leyton Orient 0 Carlisle United 1: Omari Patrick's early goal gave Paul Simpson the perfect first game back as Carlisle United manager as the Blues escaped the relegation zone.
Patrick struck after just five minutes against Leyton Orient.
And that was enough to earn a first victory in nine for the Cumbrians in front of 700 travelling fans in east London.
United supporters sang Simpson's name as the Cumbrian oversaw a much-needed result three days after returning for a second spell as manager.
Orient had Theo Archibald sent off early in the second half as the Blues moved up to 22nd in the League Two table.
For his first game back at the United helm since May 2006, Simpson made four changes to the starting line-up.
He handed first starts since their January moves to Jamie Devitt and Kristian Dennis, and also recalled Jack Armer and Jordan Gibson.
Dropping to the bench were Owen Windsor, Corey Whelan, Tobi Sho-Silva and Mitchell Roberts, while Magnus Norman and Brennan Dickenson were still out with injury.
Simpson also used Jon Mellish in a defensive role among a back five at the Breyer Group Stadium.
Orient interim boss Matt Harrold also made changes, bringing in Hector Kyprianou and Connor Wood for Ruel Sotiriou and Shad Ogie.
Carlisle made a solid start, forcing the first chance which saw Callum Guy have a shot blocked.
Harry Smith tested Mark Howard at the other end before United broke for a dream opening goal.
Devitt and Dennis combined to set Patrick away, and he did well to run at his man and turn back inside from the left before his low shot beat Lawrence Vigouroux.
Carlisle's vocal fans sang Simpson's name after the fifth-minute opener, and further Blues positivity saw Dennis draw a foul which saw Omar Beckles booked.
United survived a piece of miscommunication between Mellish and Morgan Feeney in their box while, from Orient's next attempts, Archibald sliced badly from a decent position.
Smith then failed to head home an Aaron Drinan cross when an equaliser looked likely in the 27th minute.
That was the story of Orient's half, with Drinan then failing to get a decisive touch as a corner flashed through the Blues' box.
United, through the dangerous Patrick, then forced more useful openings, one of which saw Guy shoot wide.
Patrick himself then saw an attempt spin just out of his team-mates' reach, before Gibson's back-post cross picked out Armer in a good position, but the defender could only steer his shot across goal and off target.
Orient's start to the second half was then rocked by Archibald's red card just five minutes after the restart.
First, on 49 minutes, the Orient man went in late on Gibson and picked up his first booking.
And moments later another needless late challenge on Mellish on the edge of the Carlisle box saw ref Carl Boyeson reach for the yellow card again, followed by the red.
Armer and Riley were soon into the notebook for United who, against the ten men, carved out more opportunities for Armer and Patrick.
Simpson sent on Whelan for Devitt on the hour mark, and a counter-attack involving Patrick and Gibson ended with Riley having a shot blocked.
Gibson then went close to a second, denied by keeper Vigouroux with his low attempt from the left, as Carlisle pushed onto their depleted hosts.
Dennis had a free-kick blocked before Simpson sent on Omotoye for Patrick, Orient's Harrold also making further changes in a bid to find a way back.
Another Blues sub, Tobi Sho-Silva, broke and fired over moments after replacing Dennis, while Whelan saw a cross cut out at close range after being played in by Gibson.
At the other end, Howard parried a powerful volley from home sub Ruel Sotiriou as Simpson's side tried to see through the closing stages.
Another Orient sub, Frank Nouble, failed to beat Howard when attacking an Otis Khan cross in the 90th minute and then Sho-Silva, at the death, headed an Orient effort off the line.
Carlisle closed out six added minutes and there were enjoyable scenes at the end as the 700 travelling fans saluted the players and Simpson, singing, "We are staying up..."
Leyton Orient: Vigouroux, Wood, Beckles, Ray, Coleman (Young 76), Pratley, Archibald, Khan, Kyprianou (Sotiriou 60), Smith, Drinan (Nouble 76). Not used: Byrne, Thompson, Ogie, Brown.
Booked: Beckles, Archibald. Sent off: Archibald.
United: Howard, Riley, Armer, Simeu, Feeney, Guy, Mellish, Devitt (Whelan 60), Patrick (Omotoye 76), Gibson, Dennis (Sho-Silva 80). Not used: Breeze, Alessandra, Roberts, Windsor.
Goals: Patrick 5.
Booked: Armer, Riley, Whelan.
Ref: Carl Boyeson.
Crowd: 5,272 (700 United fans).
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