Salford City 1-4 Carlisle United: Dennis, Guy, Whelan net in thrashing

Kristian Dennis scored twice with Callum Guy and Corey Whelan also on target as Paul Simpson's side surged back into the play-off places.

It came in front of 1,315 travelling fans who were in superb voice throughout - and were jubilant when United struck three times in 14 second-half minutes to pull clear of Neil Wood's hosts.

Dennis gave Carlisle an early lead and, after Matt Smith volleyed Salford level soon into the second half, Guy rifled United back ahead and an increasingly rampant Blues added further goals through sub Whelan and Dennis, who is now on 12 for the season.

The win came at a cost with Morgan Feeney and Fin Back going off injured in the first half, but Carlisle overcame that double blow at the Peninsula Stadium to move up to sixth in League Two.

It was the first time United had scored four on the road since their 4-1 win at Forest Green Rovers in January 2020.

United boss Simpson made one change to his starting line-up, recalling top scorer Dennis in attack at the expense of Jordan Gibson.

Salford boss, meanwhile, made five changes, with Odin Bailey, Matt Smith, Lorent Tolaj, Jack Jenkins and former Carlisle trialist Richard Nartey all coming in.

Ex-Blues midfielder Elliot Watt started for the hosts with another former Blue, Ash Eastham, on the bench.

But it was United who made the perfect start as, with their first attack, they scored.

Owen Moxon fed Back who was driving into space in the box on the right, and when his low shot was saved by Tom King, Dennis followed in to tap home.

United then came under some pressure as they looked to defend their lead, with Odin Bailey having an effort saved by Tomas Holy.

Watt sent a free-kick into the wall from a dangerous position before Callum Hendry just cleared the bar with an ambitious long-range effort.

Carlisle then suffered their first of two first-half injuries when defender Feeney, soon after blocking a Bailey shot, went down and could not continue. He was replaced by Whelan.

Two minutes later, they should have doubled their lead when Taylor Charters fed the overlapping Back but the Nottingham Forest loanee hit the post from a great position.

That was Back's last involvement as, shortly afterwards, he also suffered an injury and had to be replaced by Jack Ellis on 24 minutes.

The double injury blow came at the ground where United had suffered three first-half injuries last season.

United came under more pressure as the half went on, and Holy had to be sharp to keep out Lorent Tolej's back-post finish.

Watt's attempt from 25 yards was comfortably saved by United's keeper before Brighton loanee Tolaj again tested Holy at his near post.

United then came close to a second four minutes before the break, when Paul Huntington met a Charters corner but Watt cleared his looping header off the line.

Hendry then sent a free-kick wide at the other end as Carlisle reached the break with their lead intact.

But a strong Salford start to the second half soon had the hosts level.

After Watt had been denied by Jon Mellish, the hosts forced a series of corners, and eventually one was worked back to Touray, whose excellent cross from the left found Smith between two Blues defenders to volley home.

It brought an end to the hosts' five-game drought and invited Carlisle to respond.

They almost did so immediately when Mellish, who had been moved into midfield, turned in the box and shot low, but King saved.

United then enjoyed an impressive spell of pressure as they eventually got themselves back on top.

After Moxon and Jack Jenkins had traded shots, United pushed further onto Salford and forced a number of corners.

A variety of routines involving Moxon and Charters caused problems for the hosts, and in the 66th minute a Moxon cross picked out Ryan Edmondson, and when the ball broke to the edge of the box, Guy rifled impressively past King in front of a jubilant away end.

And six minutes later they were celebrating again as Charters' corner from the right found Whelan and the sub headed home.

United were now rampant against a beleaguered home side, with Mellish, sent into midfield, shooting over the bar from a great position and Ellis slotting in superbly once again on the right, before Simpson's side struck a fourth.

It came after some neat interplay involving Charters and Moxon, before Mellish popped up on the right and saw his cross headed home by a diving Dennis.

Salford's fans left the stadium in their droves, and there were further memorable scenes in the away end after Carlisle had come close to a fifth through Guy, as they cruised to a highly impressive victory.

Salford: King, Nartey (Eastham 63), Touray, Leak, Vassell, Watt, Jenkins, Bailey, Tolaj (McAleny 87), Hendry, Smith. Not used: Chapman, Watson, Lund, Berkoe, Dackers.

Goal: Smith 52.

Booked: Nartey, Leak.

Carlisle: Holy, Feeney (Whelan 19), Huntington, Mellish, Back, Armer, Guy, Moxon, Charters (Gibson 81), Edmondson, Dennis (Stretton 81). Not used: Kelly, Sho-Silva, Ellis, Harris.

Goals: Dennis 3, 80, Guy 66, Whelan 72.

Booked: Guy.

Ref: Sunny Gill.

Crowd: 3,454 (1,315 Carlisle fans)