Carlisle ended a 12-match winless run in League Two with a last-gasp Tristan Abrahams winner against Walsall.

Otis Khan went agonisingly close to opening the scoring inside sixty seconds as the travelling Saddlers raced out of the blocks, but his effort curled marginally wide of the target.

The Cumbrians weathered an early storm and grew into the fixture with an audacious Joe Riley lob causing Carl Rushworth problems, while Jordan Gibson struck the post with a cute effort.

Youngster Sam Fishburn, making his first start for the hosts a day after his 18th birthday, nearly made a dream impact but he miscued a strike from a promising position.

Walsall began the second half in similar fashion to the first as they looked to extend their unbeaten away run to six games, yet Mark Howard was equal to George Miller and Joss Labadie’s efforts.

Carlisle, who looked destined for a club-record sixth home league game without scoring, finally ended their nine-hour wait for a goal at Brunton Park with Abraham’s 88th-minute winner.