Bolton Wanderers 1-3 Carlisle United: Gibson hat-trick hero

The midfielder netted from the penalty spot before striking twice more in the second half in front of 4,407 travelling fans.

It earned Paul Simpson's side their first away win of the campaign amid memorable scenes.

A Jon Mellish own-goal had put Carlisle behind with Joe Garner then having a spot-kick saved.

But a second penalty was converted by Gibson before the break - and then, in the 70th minute, his dipping effort put Carlisle ahead.

Jordan Gibson with the match ball (Image: Richard Parkes)

In the dying minutes, after Bolton keeper Nathan Baxter had come up for a corner, United broke and Gibson shot into an unguarded net to round off a brilliant afternoon.

It sent the Cumbrians up to 19th in the table and was their first away win at this level since February 2014.

Simpson went with an unchanged side from the XI that had started against Peterborough United in midweek.

Captain Paul Huntington was left out of the squad this time as Sam Lavelle retained the captaincy, while Tomas Holy again started despite Jokull Andresson's return from suspension.

Jon Mellish's own goal puts United behind (Image: Richard Parkes)

Corey Whelan joined the substitutes while for Bolton, Victor Adeboyejo returned to the side after injury to replace Dan Nlundulu, with Cumbrian midfielder Kyle Dempsey captaining the hosts and ex-Blues defender Jack Iredale also in their side.

After Jack Armer failed to pick out Sean Maguire from the left, Bolton made the first inroad at the other end when Adeboyejo was denied by a block at the near post.

Lavelle was quickly into ref Sam Stockbridge's book for impeding Dion Charles, while Bolton failed to make the most of a counter-attack after Gibson's flick had gifted possession back to the hosts.

Carlisle, though, otherwise began confidently, Fin Back bright on the right and Owen Moxon going close from 25 yards.

Home keeper Baxter had to get down to save a deflected Joe Garner shot from distance while Gibson, on the break, failed to tee up Maguire from a promising position.

United, though, went behind midway through the half when they were opened up down the Bolton right, Josh Dacres-Cogley overlapping into space and seeing his shot diverted into his own net by the sliding Mellish.

And it could have been two just a minute later when Randell Williams cut the ball back to George Thomason in space, but the Trotters midfielder miscued his attempted finish.

United then had the perfect chance to equalise as, in the 35th minute, Maguire cut in superbly from the right and was upended by Dempsey as he released the ball towards the front of the penalty area.

Jordan Gibson's penalty - United's second of the first half - makes it 1-1 (Image: Richard Parkes)

Ref Stockbridge pointed to the spot - but Baxter saved Garner's low penalty with his legs.

Holy denied Dempsey a breakaway Bolton second before Maguire, for Carlisle, spun and saw a near-post attempt saved by Baxter.

The dangerous Dacres-Cogley shot over for the hosts, but then United were awarded a second penalty as Eoin Toal, unchallenged, misjudged a dropping ball in the box and handled.

Gibson stepped up this time and finished emphatically to Baxter's right to level things in the 44th minute.

A superbly-timed Lavelle challenge then prevented Charles from restoring the hosts' lead in first-half added time, after Iredale had jinked past two challenges on the edge of the box.

Carlisle then began the second half brightly and, after McCalmont had a shot blocked, the midfielder broke to send Maguire clean through for a huge opportunity.

The offside flag stayed down but the frontman was unable to beat Baxter in the 49th minute.

McCalmont was then denied with another penalty appeal before Blues keeper Holy saved Forrester's header.

And when the keeper then failed to hold onto a low Dempsey cross, Charles was unable to hit the target from close range at the near post.

Carlisle then carved out another great chance as Garner laid a Gibson cross into Maguire's path and the striker was denied by a fine Baxter save.

Gibson gets his second (Image: Richard Parkes)

United remained well in the contest and, after a pair of Bolton substitutions, Simpson sent on Terry Ablade for Maguire.

The sub was quickly into things as he won a corner - and from it, Carlisle took the lead.

Moxon's delivery was deep, clearing the cluster of players in the middle and collected by Gibson to the left of the box.

He cut in, tried his luck and his shot spun off a defender and looped over the scrambling Baxter to send the away end wild.

Bolton looked to hit back and after a further double change, sub Jon Dadi Bodvarsson got a sight of goal to the left but couldn't hit the target as Holy narrowed the angle.

United's big travelling support at Bolton (Image: Richard Parkes)

Charles was booked for diving as he looked for a penalty under Mellish's challenge, and Sheehan later shot high over the bar as Evatt's side searched for a late equaliser.

Simpson sent on Jayden Harris and Luke Plange as the Blues looked to see the victory through.

And after Bolton's 95th-minute corner broke down, with Baxter coming forward from his goal, Gibson broke and, with McCalmont to his left and Ablade to his right, instead cut in and clipped the ball home to send the travelling hordes jubilant.

Bolton: Baxter, Iredale, Forrester, Toal, Thomason (Morley 54), Sheehan, Dacres-Cogley, Williams (Ashworth 63), Dempsey (Nlundulu 74), Charles, Adeboyejo (Bodvarsson 74). Not used: Coleman, Matheson.

Goals: Mellish 28og.

Booked: Charles.

United: Holy, Back, Armer, Lavelle, Mellish, Guy, Moxon (Harris 88), McCalmont, Gibson, Maguire (Ablade 69), Garner (Plange 88). Not used: Andresson, Edmondson, Whelan, Robinson.

Goals: Gibson 44pen, 70, 90.

Booked: Lavelle, McCalmont, Armer.

Ref: Sebastian Stockbridge.

Crowd: 23,187 (4,407 Carlisle fans).