Harrogate’s joint-longest run without a home win since 2012 came to an end as Jack Diamond’s brace and a Rory McArdle goal secured a 3-0 victory over Carlisle.

The hosts had failed to win any of their last seven matches at Wetherby Road but Diamond’s double strike – taking his season’s tally to 13 – and a first in Harrogate colours for McArdle meant the Cumbrians have now been defeated in each of their three visits to the North Yorkshire outfit without scoring a goal.

On-loan Sunderland winger Diamond started and finished a flowing 18th-minute move to open the scoring when he first showed nimble footwork on the left touchline before play was spread to George Thomson and he then leapt high to meet the latter’s right-wing cross before heading over Carlisle keeper Mark Howard.

Thomson was again the provider for the hosts’ second goal, bending in a free kick from the right that was met by McArdle’s stooping eight-yard header.

After the interval, Carlisle striker Lewis Alessandra, who has only scored once all season, was denied by an excellent reflex save from Joe Cracknell.

But home forward Jack Muldoon then thumped the underside of the bar with a shot that was adjudged not to have crossed the line before Diamond wrapped up matters in the first minute of stoppage time, latching on to Alex Pattison’s through ball and emphatically finding Howard’s bottom-left corner from 12 yards.