Bristol Rovers 2-1 Carlisle United: Sinclair sinks Blues

Josh Vela gave Paul Simpson's side the lead but Chris Martin and Scott Sinclair responded to send the Cumbrians home empty-handed once again.

Carlisle are now 14 points from safety as their miserable run continued despite an improved performance against the Pirates.

Midfielder Vela's well-taken volley put them in front on 16 minutes but Martin's clinical finish levelled for the hosts before the break.

Sinclair rifled in Rovers' second early in the second half and Carlisle could not find a way back.

It means the Cumbrians' worst losing run for 21 years continues with the drop to League Two looking increasingly certain with 13 games to go.

Josh Vela opens the scoring for United (Image: Richard Parkes)

Blues boss Simpson made two changes to United's previous XI, with Fin Back and Taylor Charters both coming into the side.

They took the places of Jack Ellis and Ben Barclay, the latter out of the squad, while Carlisle reverted to a back four as Jon Mellish returned from midfield to defence in a 4-4-1-1 system, Charters and Jordan Gibson in the wide midfield positions and Jack Diamond playing off Luke Armstrong up front.

Sean Maguire was back among the substitutes after injury.

Matt Taylor's Bristol Rovers also had two changes to their Xi with Kamil Conteh and Elkan Baggott coming into the side at the expense of Josh Grant and Tristan Crama.

An even start brought early half-chances for the hosts' captain James Wilson, who headed a cross wide under pressure from Armstrong, and Martin, who was also off-target when attacking a delivery into the box.

Carlisle found some promising positions through Diamond, while they had a penalty shout dismissed when Armstrong went down under Baggott's challenge when trying to attack a cross Back had kept alive.

After Harvey Vale shot wide from a useful position for the hosts, United struck in the 16th minute.

A Blues corner was cleared but Jack Armer, on the right, returned it into the box with a hanging cross and when it was glanced on, Vela was in space at the far post - and he met the falling ball with a well-taken volley which flashed low past home keeper Jed Ward.

It was the midfielder's second goal in a United shirt.

Diamond was denied by a challenge when counter-attacking moments later, and then more bright United work saw Armstrong's first-time shot from a Back cross go wide of the right-hand post.

Taylor Charters hits the post (Image: Richard Parkes)

Home fans grew frustrated as Rovers struggled to break Carlisle down, some good interceptions in and in front of the Blues box helping United keep their lead intact, with Neal, Vela and Mellish all stepping in well.

Simpson's side came close to a second on 32 minutes when Diamond's shot deflected into Charters' path but, from a tight angle, he hit the outside of the post.

And Carlisle then saw their lead wiped out two minutes later.

The architect for the hosts was Jevani Brown, who received a pass from the back and with a moment of ingenuity, flicked it over the advancing Sam Lavelle and sped away down the left.

He then crossed and Martin steered it across Harry Lewis to level the scores with his 14th of the campaign.

This lifted Rovers, who almost worked another when Martin linked with Jack Hunt, but Back made a vital challenge to deny Sinclair in the six-yard box.

At the other end, the home defence thwarted Armstrong as he tried to attack a Diamond cross, and Charters narrowly failed to supply Jordan Gibson just before the break.

United started the second half brightly under dazzling sun and almost scored in the 47th minute as Armstrong's header from a Charters corner was saved, but both he and Mellish couldn't force it home amid a close-range scramble.

Taylor Charters tussles with Jack Hunt (Image: Richard Parkes)

But the Blues were then hit by a Rovers second five minutes later.

Taylor's side passed it away from Neal, the midfielder committing to the challenge but Carlisle then on the back foot as Brown cruised away from him.

He found Sinclair to the left and he was able to check inside against Back before sending an impressive strike past Lewis and in off the crossbar.

Carlisle then survived another home chance as Baggott was free to meet a far-post corner, but Rovers couldn't make the opportunity count.

After Diamond was thwarted on the break, Simpson made a double change in the 67th minute, Dan Butterworth and Ellis replacing Gibson and Back.

And Carlisle had a chance to level soon after when Charters beat his man and saw his cross break for Neal in the D, but he sliced the opportunity wide.

Lewis then kept United's hopes alive when he tipped a Sinclair shot against the post after the Rovers veteran wriggled clean through.

Carlisle players applaud the travelling fans after the defeat (Image: Richard Parkes)

After Brown went off injured, Lewis had to parry a Vale shot. Simpson sent on Alfie McCalmont and Maguire late on. Martin failed to finish for Rovers after a Mellish mistake, while the overlapping Ellis failed to make the most of a good crossing position as Carlisle kept looking for an opening.

Lavelle volleyed a Butterworth free-kick wide during seven added minutes but United could not salvage the game as they slipped to yet another defeat.

Bristol Rovers: Ward, Gordon, Wilson, Hunt, Baggott, Conteh, Vale (Marquis 89), Sinclair (Crama 89), Thomas (Vaughan 78), Brown (Grant 82), Martin. Not used: Cox, Connolly, Hoole.

Goals: Martin 34, Sinclair 52.

Booked: Hunt, Thomas, Marquis.

United: Lewis, Back (Ellis 67), Armer, Lavelle, Mellish, Neal, Vela, Charters (Maguire 86), Gibson (Butterworth 67), Diamond (McCalmont 86), Armstrong. Not used: Breeze, Huntington, Grehan.

Goal: Vela 16.

Booked: Neal, Armstrong.

Ref: Thomas Parsons.

Crowd: To follow.