Joe Garner's 13th goal of the season kept Carlisle in the hunt for an automatic promotion place as they beat struggling Crewe 1-0.Garner's 52nd-minute strike was enough to give the Cumbrians their 10th home win of the campaign against a Crewe side who only came alive late in the second period. Apart from a bustling run through the middle by Nicky Maynard which ended with a shot well off target, Crewe hardly figured as an attacking force in the opening half.

Simon Hackney wasted United's best chance on 38 minutes when he was played in cleverly by Garner but with just Ben Williams to beat, he scuffed his shot wide.

The second half started brightly for the home side when Danny Graham headed David Raven's right-wing cross against the face of the crossbar.

And the Cumbrians broke the deadlock when full-back Zigor Aranalde skipped down the left flank and as Graham dummied the cross at the near post, Garner stole in behind to glide the ball home first time from the six-yard line.

All the pressure was from the home side and Williams had to scramble to prevent Hackney squeezing a shot inside the upright. Crewe's best chance came from a 72nd-minute free-kick a couple of yards outside the area after Peter Murphy had sent Maynard tumbling, but Neil Cox's dipping effort just cleared the Carlisle crossbar.

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