Zoko magic gives Carlisle win
Carlisle battled bravely with 10 men to record their first win in five home games after a moment of individual magic by Ivory Coast striker Francois Zoko.
The home side had to play with 10 men from just before the interval after Liam Noble was shown a straight red card for a late tackle on Antony Sweeney - who took no further part in the game.
Pools failed to make use of their numerical advantage and Carlisle went on to complete the win.
Ryan Donaldson served up an early warning to Carlisle when working an opening for himself with a piece of audacious trickery close to the byline. However, goalkeeper Adam Collin was equal to his firmly struck effort from a tight angle.
Carlisle were slow to find their stride, but once they did, they looked the more threatening side and Ben Marshall stretched the defence when he cut inside to hammer a shot from just outside the area which drew a fine diving save from Scott Flinders.
Noble was red carded in the 43rd minute when his late challenge left Sweeney flat out. The on-loan Sunderland youngster could have no complaints about the decision as Sweeney was helped off to be substituted by Ritchie Humphreys.
It took a special moment to break the stalemate and it was supplied by Zoko in the 67th minute when he produced an overhead kick from just outside the six-yard box to find the net after Frank Simek's cross had spun into the air off Evan Horwood.
Peter Murphy then smacked his header against the crossbar from James Berrett's corner.
Carlisle 1-0 Hartlepool: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game as it happened.
Source: DSG
